A taste of AHB

**mlewis48** · 05-25-2008, 09:04 PM

I know that there is no chance for this colony to be AHB but here we go. This colony has always been an easy going group of girls that never seemed to mind it when you were in the hive. Today, we were removing some old kennels that were with in 20 yards of the hives and for no reason they snapped!! Attacking anything in their path. The poor old Bloodhound took most of their wrath but so did my brother and I. They even attacked people that were 50 yards away, on the porch. I have never seen anything like that. What would cause them to snap like this? I had one hive that is in the same yard, swarm 3 days ago. Could that have something to do with it? After todays actions, they are going to be moved to an out yard that is away from everybody. I can't take the chance of this happening again. Any advice or reason for this for this kind of reaction would help.
Thanks,
Marc:confused:

**Michael Bush** · 05-26-2008, 09:37 AM

Were there any other circumstances that would have upset them recently such as skunks, kids throwing rocks, etc? If not, I'd requeen immediately.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrequeeninghot.htm

Hot bees are not worth putting up with.

EHB have occasionally been hot. Stories about the old "black german bees" are similar to stories about AHB.

**Brent Bean** · 05-26-2008, 09:51 AM

If you don’t live in an area where commercial beekeepers have brought hives up from Florida, and or another beekeeper has gotten packages that could have been cross breed with AHB’s. they are probably just hot EHB’s, re-queen. There could be another reason for the aggression, like MB has suggested. The weather could also be a factor, my bees are more testy during cool damp periods. I got a couple of packages of Minnesota Hygienic out of California, and they were right at the threshold of tolerable aggression for me. But because of the very cold April and May I had to work them in less than desirable weather conditions. Yesterday I was adding supers and took a better look for an evaluation and they were like little kittens. The difference, it was 75 degrees sunny gentle breeze and a major nectar flow on.
If the hive is productive move them and give them a little time to redeem themselves.

**Jim Fischer** · 05-26-2008, 03:21 PM

By chance do you mark your queens?

If so, I'd bet that you will find that the hive superseded,
and the new queen has raised much more defensive offspring.

If not, it would be hard to tell, but I'd requeen regardless.
Life's too short to bother with nasty bees.

**mike haney** · 05-26-2008, 07:59 PM

was checking the hives today and watched a LARGE hornet go from one to another till it caught a bee. it appeared it was looking for one with it's back turned to pounce. at any rate, there are sveral reasons for hives to get agressive besides bad genes, how do you tell? beats me!

**mlewis48** · 05-26-2008, 08:44 PM

Thanks for all of the replies. I went back to the hive, today, and they were as easy going as always. I don't know what in the world got into them. Yes, I do mark my queens and I plan on inspecting later in the week. We had some rain come into the area, today and there was no way that I was going that route. This hive is on it's second honey super so I really don't want to move it. I was planing on requeening this hive, in the fall but I am going on the hunt for a few now.
After watching the hive for some time, I think that I found what could have stirred them up. There are turkeys, peacocks, and several other birds in the barn lot. That could have been the problem. But they have been there the whole time that the hives have been there. Could have been the Bloodhound.
I think that I read in one of the replies that a queenless hive will become aggressive? We will see if I can find her in a couple of days.
And what I meant by them being AHB was their attack mode that they went into. They are Italians. I have some of the black german bees and they are babies compared to what we had the other day!!!
Thanks,
Marc

**Ross** · 05-27-2008, 07:36 AM

Hot weather, stormy weather, some types of hammering, some power tools can all set off an otherwise normal hive. Sometimes the combination really gets them going.