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Identifying which hive is hot - an idea

7K views 25 replies 12 participants last post by  Mrobisr 
#1 ·
I'm still trying to figure out which of my four hives is sending out angry bees to bomb me in my back yard (I'd posted earlier about this). Today I suited up and walked up to the hives. Predictably, none came out to bomb me. I started to annoy them as best possible by tapping on the landing board and eventually was able to consistently have about a half dozen bees angrily buzzing around me. I tried walking away till they left me alone, then walking back to them to see if I could tell where they came from and couldn't tell. I tried standing by one or the other (I'm pretty sure it's one of the end ones, they're all in a row next to each other) but couldn't tell much difference between the two locations. I opened the top of the hives and no angry bees came out at all, just annoyed looking workers staring up at me.

I'm thinking of sealing up one hive tonite by screening it's entrance then seeing if any bees bomb me tomorrow. If so, it's likely the other hive so I'll screen it off and see if I don't get bombed the next day. Sound reasonable? I assume there's no problem in keeping the hive cooped up for a day - it's going to be about 75 degrees, I'd use screen, and one has a screened bottom board.
 
#3 ·
I'm sure there are times when a hive must be closed up, but I wouldn't do it unless it was absolutely necessary. Are you being stung in your yard, or just annoyed by several bees?

When you work each hive, you don't get a hot reaction from one or more of them??? I would think "to annoy them best possible," as you say, would irritate any hive, and defeat your purpose.

Sondra
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the thoughts. My problem is that my hives don't appear hot when I open the top, but are aggressive around the hives as well as in my back yard (100 feet away).

I did block the entrance to both hives late last night and will try opening them one at a time today to see if I can tell which one is aggressive. If I can't, plan B will be to requeen all of them.
 
#7 ·
Well that worked! Unfortunately my wife was the one that had to find out. She went to the hives in pants, a sweatshirt, and a veil and removed the screen from one hive. Lots of bees flying, but none too irate. She then removed the screen from the other hive (my strongest, already with three full supers), and immediately got attacked by at least a dozen angry bees. Got one inside her veil (luckily didn't sting her) and had to run away as they were getting her thru her clothes.

Time to off the queen in this hive - I'll order a new queen today.
 
#11 ·
You are from Greenbrae? Are you a member of the Marin Beekeeepers? They accidently brought in some bad genetics some years ago and there are still traces of it in the local bees. You are doing the right thing to requeen...hopfully you can get some local stock. Good luck!
 
#12 ·
Yep Greenbrae, and I am in the MBA. Haven't heard of the bad bees but might make sense as the queen is from a split I made last year, so local drones.

Stacie, not positive but I'm unaware of any other hives near by, and I do get bombed when I approach the hives.
 
#13 ·
To close this out, yesterday I went into the hive to locate and squish the devil queen as I have a new one on the way. I smoked the heck out of the hive, removed the four honey supers, and started going thru the two deep boxes while being swarmed by irate bees. Not an east task as the frames and boxes were overflowing with bees. I looked thru both boxes three times and couldn't find her, so was about to give up until I thought to look in the supers. Sure enough, the bottom super had a few frames that were partially filled with brood and she was wandering around on one of them. A quick pinch and goodbye to the source of my problem.

I hope to get the new queen today, will probably wait one more day before introducing her to the hive. Hopefully the next month won't be too bad as the old bees cycle out.
 
#14 ·
Are you sure you don't want to re-queen as soon as you get the queen? I have had queens rejected because I waited a day. This year I didn't wait more than about 5 minutes. See other recent threads about re-queening.
 
#15 ·
I'm thinking of sealing up one hive tonite by screening it's entrance then seeing if any bees bomb me tomorrow. If so, it's likely the other hive so I'll screen it off and see if I don't get bombed the next day. Sound reasonable? I assume there's no problem in keeping the hive cooped up for a day - it's going to be about 75 degrees, I'd use screen, and one has a screened bottom board.
Maybe you should screen all of them in for a day and then you won't have any "hot" hives because they will all be dead. A confined hive can build up heat enough so to kill it.

You don't have a hot hive. If you can't tell which hive is aggressive then you don't have a hot hive. You need to learn to ignore a few bees doing what bees do. Checking out whatever creature comes w/in their zone of protection.

Do you own and know how to use a smoker?
 
#17 ·
Bevy - too late, I already squished the queen and expect the replacement today. I looked at a number of threads and spoke to a local expert and there was some consensus that a couple of days of queenlessness would help the hive accept a new queen. I plan on introducing her in a cage and will leave her for a couple days before pulling the cork.

Sqkcrk and SRBrooks - What I've experienced is far different than just a few bees checking out an interloper. My family gets attacked (and stung) around our home nowhere near the hives - yesterday one was attacking me while I was in from of my garage on the opposite side of the house at least 150 feet away. Their behavior near the hives isn't just inquisitive, it's aggressive, and to the degree that I'm worried that our neighbors may have an issue too. I'm not a long time keeper, but in the prior two years I saw no behavior that was close to this. I could walk up to the hives with no protection and we never would notice the bees while in our yard.

Sqkcrk, as I'd noted "...I smoked the heck out of the hive..." so yes, I do indeed have a smoker.
 
#22 ·
I guess I don't know what you should do other than reduce your numbers and search for more gentle bees. I'm sorry this is happening to you, but they are stinging insects. Stinging being their only means of protection. Best of luck in dampening down this aggressive behavior.
 
#18 ·
I don't have very much actual experience, and it sounds like its too late anyway, but you just removed the best genes from your bee yard by killing the queen from your "strongest hive." If this hive is socking away honey and the queen laying eggs like crazy, I don't think I would want to get rid of her. But ......I'm not the one getting ran out of my own yard.
 
#25 ·
When I open a hive, what I like to see and hear is a bit of a perk up, then an immediate calm down. You should be able to see and hear this. If there is an immediate and sustained loud buzz and a bunch of running around, know where the smoker is located. It comes with experience.
 
#26 ·
Thanks for the quick reply. By your standard then you would dump all of my bees, lol. With smoke they are very nice without you better have good gloves on as there will be at least thirty stingers hanging. I don't mind though as I don't treat for mites and they are very very productive honey producers.
 
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