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Author Topic: Aggressive hive.  (Read 2432 times)

Offline don2

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Aggressive hive.
« on: June 24, 2013, 09:44:38 pm »
This hive is in it's 2nd year after coming in out of the wild to my yard. They took up in an empty stack 4 high. they started in the top 2 which are deeps, two mediums on the bottom. They entered the top deep via a knot hole in the rear. It just so happens I had left a frame out of the 2nd deep down. You know what happened there. They started using the front bottom entrance about two months ago, but most still use the rear. When I get ready to work it I will staple regular screen wire over that rear entrance. Here is what I plan to do. Get 4 more bottom and tops ready. go in and smoke heavy. raise the top box and block it up about an inch or two on the side where the frame is missing on the 2 box. take my Big knife and cut the extended comb from that top frame and just let it fall into the 2 box. Lucky it was on the side. I plan on pre assembling  a one inch mesh chicken wire frame for that comb when I come to it. Then I am going to move each box to it's own bottom board with top, down to the last box. Moving it too. Then I will put an empty deep with bottom board and top in the original spot. Now my work is done for that day.

Day 2
Have a box for each of the four with frames and foundation one or two empty supers, queen excluders. fume board and bee go.
This is how I find queens. She will be,-- well you know. Then I will re join the  boxes to make 2 colonies, or if there is enough eggs/brood the right age,maybe 4,,and let each one make a new queen from her. I know, It is a crap as to whether I will get reduction in in hostility  or not.  This swarm built into a good colony last year and wintered good and built up bigger this year and didn't swarm on me this year. If I can get them gentled down that is the two reasons I would like to keep there genes around.

I have not been in them but twice this year. the first time they seemed gentle enough. the second time I went in a little deeper and that is when they got upset. If I could only remember what the weather was like that day. That may have played a factor in how they acted.  Didn't mean for this to be this long but wanted any opinions on my plan to slap it to this colony.

Anyone want to help suit up and come along, I'll let you know when. lol! ;) :) d2

Offline mgyow

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2013, 11:23:48 pm »
I'm new here; this is my required post.  I expect to learn a lot, but don't have much of use to contribute so far.  Thanks for the education. 

Offline don2

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2013, 11:29:22 pm »
Welcome to the forum, Stick around and learn with me. Some one will tell us something after a while. :) d2

Offline Finski

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2013, 11:44:41 pm »
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Based on headline, change the queen.

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Language barrier NOT included

Offline Steel Tiger

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2013, 11:45:53 pm »
 You always hear...mean bees are more productive. It could be the other way around. Productive bees are more defensive because they work too hard to just let someone come by and take their honey without putting up a fight.

Offline don2

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2013, 11:55:47 pm »
I may try just one or two and give the other ones some eggs/brood from my new hive, Carnies. d2

Offline Steel Tiger

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2013, 12:03:04 am »
I may try just one or two and give the other ones some eggs/brood from my new hive, Carnies. d2

 If you don't mind suiting up for a productive hive... go for it  X:X

Offline don2

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2013, 12:16:59 am »
I have had a few aggressive hives in the past. One I thought was Africanized. this one is not as bad as that one was.  :shock: ;) :) d2
« Last Edit: June 25, 2013, 09:30:28 am by don2 »

Offline Finski

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2013, 01:07:24 am »
You always hear...mean bees are more productive.

Not nowadays.

Mean colony has often hybrid vigour but it is easier to nurse 2 normal hives than one evil.
I keep spare hives nd it some one is mean, I change it.

a good yield depends how much nectar is on fields. Not so, how evil are bees.

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Offline sc-bee

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2013, 01:28:39 am »
You are basing the dispositon on only two entries.  50-50 One gentle and one bad where you don't remeber the weather? I would not do away with a good queen based on only that. Or are you leaving some other details out like you can't go near them?
John 3:16

Offline don2

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #10 on: June 25, 2013, 09:32:27 am »
I can walk by them with in 2 or 3 feet. d2

Offline blanc

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #11 on: June 25, 2013, 09:56:07 am »
I have a hive from a swarm this spring that was fairly calm bees but yesterday with good weather those girls came at me with a vengeance. I have noticed hives do that at times for whatever reason and I just suit up everytime I inspect anyway.
Blanc
Psalm 19:9-10
The fear of the Lord is clean,enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea ,than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Offline don2

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Re: Aggressive hive.
« Reply #12 on: June 25, 2013, 09:09:01 pm »
When I get around to working it I am going to get one new queen from it. I may also "Doctor" it a little. I haven't touched it to see what went on inside. I may even take a deep box of honey from it. If the hive beetles and what ever else haven't got to it. I want to do that before the bee population declines.  :) d2