My bees are so cranky lately...

[EasttexTim]

I am planting a new field in blueberries...minding my own beeswax and every 15 minuts or so I get dive-bombed by one of the girls! (well, "girls" is not the word I use each time they hit me). I am at LEAST 20 feet or WAY more from the hives. I am hand planting, no vibrations from machines ect. This is happens ragardless of sun or clouds, cool or warm. What gives?!? Is it the time of year? Are they just bored and decide to attack any thing that moves? As far as I can tell, nothing has been bothering them at night ect. (the field is soft and plowed...I can see foot tracks from small birds...I would notice if anything was getting to them at night). For the first time, I have begun to get, well, leery of my hives.
When one of these bees comes at me, she is on the war-path! Full out assault on me, super sonic screetching, chasing and, when possible, a nice sting! This is my first full winter with them so I do not know if this is normal...what do you all think? The high temp today was 43 chilly degrees...and one got me, right through my Levis'.

[thomas]

Well to me something has them in a uproar you may want to see if they have stores. You may need to requeen it could be several things that you may not see. This is just my opinion my girls don't pay me any attention at all when i am working around thier hive they just go about thier daily thing when it is warm and when it is cold i do not even see them at all.

Tom

[flathead]

My son and I check on ours daily without any(none)problems. We sometimes sit in front of the hive to see pollen coming in. When we sit too close for too long they will politely ask us to move. Bumped once or twice, never stung except during long inspections.

I was changing the boardman feeders on two singles I got late last year after a few days of rain and nasty weather. They asked me to move away from the hive but didn't follow me two steps.

Lawnmower, different story.

We are digging a pond and my wife was out taking pictures of the work back in November, temps in the 70's. Backhoe and dozer working within 50 ft of two hives. When I downloaded the pics later that night she had some shots where she lifted the top on several hives.

I explained to my wife we should open the hives together from now on.

Others here with more experience can advise, for me I would requeen.

How far south are you in East Texas?

[EasttexTim]

Flathead, I am just across the border of La./Tx.- near Shreveport. My problem with re-queening is that there is no way for me to know which hive the nasties are comming from (12 in a row). Like you, in Nov. I was doing heavy dirt work running right next to the hives...no problem. In fact, the same month, I used my dolly and moved all my hives on a rainy, dark day. They did not even come out to investigate all the jarring and bouncing. This is a rather recent thing going on.
I know the stores on my hives are not great...I have been feeding them. Maybe as Tom suggested, the low stores may have something to do with this.
Flathead, you really made me laugh when you said that your wife had popped the tops of a couple hives and took a snap shot. Now THAT is one good woman, ha ha. A keeper for sure. Mine won't go within a thousand feet of my hives- heck, if she sees a furry catapiller she goes berserk...sigh.

[Michael Bush]

It's not hard to find out which hives are mean. Open them one at a time and you'll find out. smile.gif

[Ross]

I have a couple that are definitely getting new queens as soon as some are available this year. I think the first one will be the one that attacks my Volkswagon Bug every time I drive by. Of course that is the biggest and most productive honey maker, but raunchy.

[RonS]

I've had a couple of very nasty experiences with my Italian hive, but only a couple. It must have been weather, deoderant (or lack thereof), or any number of stupid things that I persist in doing.

You may have a queen and queendom of Brazilian wax makers. With 12 hives, it could have happened without your knowledge. AHB would do more than send one or two out to visit you, however. I doubt if you would have any question if one or more of your yard went over to the dark side. Hopefully, your breed is true, just getting mean. Michael had the identity fix. When you open the transgressor, you will know it right away. If you open all and none stands out as aggressive, then you just had some localized issue, not genetic.

[EasttexTim]

I have opened all the hives several times just lately...pulled off some empty supers...none seem meaner than any other. Since it seems kind of random (just one bee buzzing me...not a herd comming after me) it does seem a like a localized issue. Thats why I was wondering if it is the result of low stores or winter weather. Yesterday, not a bee in sight...all the bees were in the hives. Guess the cold temps made them as uncomfortable as me.

[MountainCamp]

If there is nothing in bloom or nothing for them to do, then your activities may just get someone’s attention.

If you are wearing the same hat or article of clothes that has been hit / stung before, the scent may be just catching someone’s attention.

If it is sporadic, and not a continual pounding by the girls, I would not worry too much yet.

[Ross]

Mostly likely just bored.

[Ravenseye]

I had calm and quiet bees all of last year UNTIL they got filled up with stores. That's when they got defensive. I could still sit by the hive and watch them but if I moved around in front too much, I'd get bumped a bit. Earlier in the year I think I could have done almost anything without being bothered. Even drove the Cub Cadet (front exhaust and all) in front of the hive without any issues. Maybe they're just being protective.

[jim b]

>Brazilian wax makers.
lol

Could it possibly be a supercedeure situation with one(or more)of those BWM drones getting their licks in?

Could get better over time, or it might get worse.
(Now there's a pretty safe statement)
-j