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Author Topic: How mean is too mean?  (Read 11687 times)

Offline JP

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #20 on: May 31, 2012, 09:47:23 pm »
Did you happen to give them smoke before removing the feeder? Before doing anything?


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Offline CapnChkn

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #21 on: June 01, 2012, 04:42:21 am »
+1 on checking several times before deciding.  Bees will get all defensive for all kinds of reasons.  Though they are amazing animals, let's face it, they have just enough brain tissue to reason not to sting.

I have a hive of regular Italians, they don't mind me sticking my nose into their business mostly.  I open to look through and they get flustered after a while, then seem confused what to do about me.  I made a split and mis-guessed which nuc was the one that was queenless.  I was walking by yesterday, one followed me 50 feet away and stung me on the nose.  Today I went into the barn and without warning got stung on the wrist when I stepped out again.  I opened it up and there are about 10 emergency cells, at least one with a larvae.

In contrast, I have a colony that last year was a real horror.  I finally took the whole hive out in the trees where they wouldn't get sight of me.  They were the kind that I could just sit next to if I were real quiet.  While moving that hive the bottom board dropped off and I got stung 6 times.  I would inspect and my jacket pocket would have bees in it.  I had two sting me under cover, I couldn't walk across the barnyard without somebody getting up in my face.  I had one follow me 400 feet into the trees before she gave up.  I guess they swarmed and requeened, I was in there yesterday to see about giving them space and never so much as got a head bump.
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Offline DLMKA

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #22 on: June 01, 2012, 09:57:02 am »
Did you happen to give them smoke before removing the feeder? Before doing anything?


...JP

This hive got a couple puffs of smoke before doing anything.  The last time I opened them they were grumpy so I expected the same this time.

Offline hardwood

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #23 on: June 01, 2012, 10:26:06 am »
We've got a removal to do today (overcast and rainy). One colony is in an old water heater tank and the other is in a palmetto clump within 15' of the first. When I showed up to look at them the other day (during a tropical storm) the bees in the tank couldn't care less...the bees in the bush tore me up! Took 15-16 stings to the head and neck and walked 300yds or so before they let up.

Looks like we'll be wearing the full suits today!

Scott
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Offline Finski

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #24 on: June 01, 2012, 11:28:20 am »
+1 on checking several times before deciding.  Bees will get all defensive for all kinds of reasons.  Though they are amazing animals, let's face it, they have just enough brain tissue to reason not to sting.

Jee jee. I am more amazing and I squeeze the queen if workers salute me in the nuc stings pointing to sky.
I do not need to scheck many times. 20 stings to my hands in one day and it is EXIT to the queen.

I keep spare queen all the time and too amazing queen will go finally.

It is better to read from forum how exellent bees are.

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Offline Mason

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #25 on: June 01, 2012, 05:25:10 pm »
I have a hive that I caught early last year.  They are pretty mean.  I was told they are Russian bees but I don't know for sure.  They are blacker than my package bees.  They swarm often, and always have more bees than my other hives.  I had to increase the size of my brood area to accommodate the higher population.

When they are sitting on a bunch of honey they are extremely testy and will attack in small numbers.  After harvest they calm down.

I would have re-queened them but they are my super star honey producers and require less maintenance than my other hives. 
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #26 on: June 01, 2012, 07:36:55 pm »
i had a nasty one early in spring.  i pulled the boxes apart to see if they'd settle and because i thought they might be queenless.  they were to nasty to check all the way though.  i watched the bees all head back into one box and a couple of days later, they swarmed.  caught the swarm.  both the swarm and the original hive are now easy to handle.

you just never know what might be making them cranky.  i'd side with the wait a week and check again under optimal conditions.  that is:  sunny, not to windy, mid-dayish, and with smoke.  if you get the same results...requeen.  in a more urban area you can't take the chance.
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Offline Finski

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #27 on: June 02, 2012, 04:55:07 am »
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Yesterday I gove to hives more room. They all were more nasty than usual. Today it is here quite a storm and it has rained the whole night.

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Offline CapnChkn

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #28 on: June 02, 2012, 03:43:28 pm »
Quote
Jee jee. I am more amazing and I squeeze the queen if workers salute me in the nuc stings pointing to sky.

I'm assuming this means when the bees point their butts in the air and present their stingers as warning.

If we could convince the bees we're not what they should be defending the hive from we would keep them in the kitchen as pets.  Just because they take on a defensive posture is no reason, in my opinion, to off the queen.  20 stings to the hands (or anywhere else) is a good indicator the queen needs to go.  That would take all the fun out of it.

"Thinking is like sin, them that doesn't is scairt of it, and them that does gets to liking it so much they can't quit!"  -Josh Billings.

Offline Finski

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #29 on: June 02, 2012, 06:30:37 pm »
[

If we could convince the bees we're not what they should be defending

I make decisions in my yard not "collective we".

Quote
20 stings to the hands (or anywhere else) is a good indicator the queen needs to go.

I have kept bees 50 years. I know what I do. Still....

I do not rear queens for fun and then kill them for fun

I keep spare queens all the time: a  bad goes and a good remains.

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Offline CapnChkn

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #30 on: June 03, 2012, 02:21:04 am »
:yippiechick:       When I said we, Finski, I meant the human species.  You make your own decision.       :yippiechick:
"Thinking is like sin, them that doesn't is scairt of it, and them that does gets to liking it so much they can't quit!"  -Josh Billings.

Offline Finski

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #31 on: June 03, 2012, 02:27:34 am »
:yippiechick:       When I said we, Finski, I meant the human species.  You make your own decision.       :yippiechick:

That is too much if you speak in the name of human species.  WOW. But how those hen fit to your global thinking?

Try to understand how domestication of animals have happened: selecting, and not choosing evil individuals.
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Offline CapnChkn

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #32 on: June 03, 2012, 03:24:49 am »
Well Finski you're at it again.

You understand the concept of chop logic?  Basically you take any true statement and use it to prove validity.  For Example:

WHY CATS MEOW.

1) Cats have Whiskers.
2) Whiskers are a kind of hair.
3) A hare is a kind of rabbit.
4) Rabbits run fast.
5) To fast is to cause oneself pain.  In other words, "Me Ow."
6) Therefore, cats meow because they have whiskers.

I stated, "Though they are amazing creatures, let's face it they have just enough brain tissue to reason not to sting."  You come back with "I am more amazing and I squeeze the queen if workers salute me in the nuc stings pointing to sky."

Everything kind of goes down hill from there.  So let me state that a hen is a kind of chicken...
"Thinking is like sin, them that doesn't is scairt of it, and them that does gets to liking it so much they can't quit!"  -Josh Billings.

Offline yockey5

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #33 on: June 03, 2012, 08:39:56 am »
Finski knows what he is talking about, and I agree with him.

Offline Finski

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #34 on: June 03, 2012, 02:00:04 pm »
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CapnChkn , dont teach duck to swim...
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Offline DLMKA

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #35 on: June 03, 2012, 06:52:19 pm »
Checked them again today. Weather was fair, partly cloudy skies, 81F, 3 mph west wind. I don't think the weather gets much better. They weren't AS bad today, I can handle this behavior but they still aren't as nice as any of my other hives. I gave them some empty frames when I was in there last, they were completely drawn out and had a solid pattern of eggs. The rest of the frames in the top box had a wide band of capped honey, need to add another med brood box at the bottom and a couple honey supers.

Offline Joe D

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #36 on: June 04, 2012, 12:24:43 am »

Don't know if SHB are up there, if so don't add to many boxes at 1 time.  Would be a lot of empty space for them to defend.


Joe

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #37 on: June 04, 2012, 12:29:34 am »
I had a removal this weekend It took two days. the hive covered ceiling rafters in a first floor apt 36 inches in from the outside wall and 4 feet down between the outside brick and backer boarding. I took 9 stings from them because I could not use smoke. the window would not open in the apt and I could not use the smoke dew to thefire alarms going off and auto calling the fire dept. this hive was hot because of not using smoke had to go back sunday to finish the removal . I combined the bees sunday and they seem to calm down a little . when I place the original hive they chased me over 150 feet away with a couple that would not stop. I received a total of 11 hits from this hive. But the brood pattern was so great and the bees so strong that I am keeping the Queen. I have another hive from this apt complex and they were hot for about a week and half. now they are great. I can set next to the hive in shorts for over a hour before one of the guards tells me its time to leave with a flyby. I have no problem going into the hive using little smoke and slow moves. all my hives are placed over 3 acres with none close than 150 feet from the house. I have no problems with them.  wife even pulls out the ones that get in the pool. I believe that they become accustomed to my presence so I try to keep the genetics of the hive unless they get to appoint that I can not work the hive without receiving attacks more that 20 feet from the hive then I pinch the Queen and replace with a Queen from my gentel hive that I keep in a one acres green house to control mating of the queens. the greenhouse grows orchid's and mint variates so it is never open to the outside except by screens.
john

Offline Finski

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #38 on: June 04, 2012, 06:49:50 am »
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Calm bees are good in migrative beekeeping

That is my main job in beekeeping. I pick up best pastures and move hives even twice during 2 moth yield season.

It is very nice to take hive in the morning and move it out. When I take off tranport cover mesh, bees do not rush on me.  It takes 2 hours and they start to forage.

Once upon a time were cedaces when I had German Black Crossings. I call them "Black Devils". Englishmen call them "National Bee".  They have everything National with big letter.

It was in beekeeping book that after treatment hives are angry 3 days. When you compare to two hours, the dirrefence is big.

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Offline lonewolf308

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Re: How mean is too mean?
« Reply #39 on: June 06, 2012, 09:47:53 am »
After my installation issues I thought I might have aggressive bees, but after hearing these stories my bees are angels. I can stand feet from the entrance and watch them as long as I want. I've even walked around the hive killing a few curious ants on top. We've mowed once without problem the grass edge is about 10ft from the front of the hive. Thanks to Italians and Drapers for some easy going girls!