I'm a fourth year beekeeper and have five hives. For the most part, my bees have been gentle especially in spring. They were originally Russian stock but I've since raised three more generations of queens that have bred locally. Early this spring, I took a hive down to Greenville, SC, to take advantage of the earlier nectar flow. I went back this week to collect two supers and there were TONS of bees in the hive so I figure I would split it. The bees did not seem to mind me taking the honey (I use Fisher's Bee Quick and a fume board). But when I opened the hive body to look for the queen and to do my split, the bees were CRAZY. After getting 5-6 stings, I put on two pairs of gloves, two pairs of pants, and two shirts under my jacket/veil. I went back to the hive after a half hour or so and started in. Again, they came after me like I've never seen. I had to abandon the split idea and just close the hive up as fast as possible.
Once the bees finally left me alone, I counted over 400(!) stingers in my jacket. I probably got a total of 15-20 stings through multiple layers and 4-5 bees even got inside my veil somehow (first time ever). They were truly psycho bees and it was the first time I felt real fear as a beekeeper.
So, 2 questions: 1. Any idea why my bees would be so crazy? All of my other hives are just fine and I usually don't even wear gloves. 2. Any suggestions on how to fix this hive (i.e. requeen)? The thought of going back in that hive is not very appealing.
Thanks, Scott
craigpaula Joined: 02/09/08 Posts: 64
RE: Very Aggressive Bees
06/26/10 4:53 PM
Scott,
Perhaps one of the drones the queen mated with was from a very aggressive hive (I hesitate to even suggest what we don't want to speak of here in NC(AB). They may get gentler when those bees die out and the queen starts using sperm from another drone.
One of our hives (which came from GA) seems a bit more aggressive than the other, but that many stings does seem a bit much.
vinobob222 Joined: 06/27/10 Posts: 5
RE: Very Aggressive Bees
06/29/10 7:15 PM
Maybe your bees didn't like the Fisher's Bee Quick and/or the fume board. Dunno, though.
