[East Texas Pine Rooter]

i was called to a house here in town, that has a 48-quart ice chest with out a lid. the location was in the back, behind a fence, and was over grown, and dence brush. the chest was turned upside down, and the drain plug was missing, thats how they come, and go. i forgot the smoke, but decided to go at it anyhow. with my bee vac i sucked up the one on the outside, and raised the ice chest up, and the ground was covered with bees. the hose that went into my plastic bucket, with the #8 wire mesh cover over the sucking hose got covered over with bees, and stopped the vacumn. my honey bee suit from metarie, la. worked great, but i forgot to tye one of the legs bottoms. i figured that out real quick. i was trying to work on freeing bees from the hose, smack bees on my bare leg, and thinking this is the africanized hive. they were stinging my hands through the rubber suppled with suit gloves big time. i finally retreated to the bushes, but they were pi----. when i finally got to the truck, i was waiving neighbors away from truck, cause i could still here them. i guess so, they were in my hood with me. i pulled my hood up so i could see them, and started squishing them. Do you see anthing wrong with this picture. well i left the ice chest on it's side, and i will go at it in the morning, with smoke a blowing, before i even thing about a vacumn. i'm just a itchin on my neck, hands and legs. luckily, that's the only places. maybe i shouldn't have been in such a rush, and maybe should have started a little earlier, and maybe even a little more organized. i'm a learnin, hard headed, but learnin.

 

[Michael Bush]

If you're doing an extraction and they get really angry, that's what they are supposed to do.

I wouldn't accuse them of being AHB for that. Of course sometimes you get some docile bees in a cutout, but I expect to get stung. Of course I wear a full suit with the legs taped or rubber banded...

 

[dickm]

And to think: You could have slid a board under the chest, corked the hole and drove home. I think bees inside the veil are more educational than the ones up the pant leg or do you have a different opinion? I mowed the lawn last night. I wish I'd been with you. Also a good thought: You never learn anything by doing it right!

dickm

[This message has been edited by dickm (edited June 19, 2004).]

 

[bjerm2]

Good entertainment!!! Good luck with the bees. Would have gotten some popcorn to watch. Don't feel bad. A few years back I had to move some hives. Easy work Right??? Well the bottom fell off and my wife and I ...... Think you get the picture. Top it all off we also dropped the hive as we were getting greated. I never ran so fas in all my life and did not think the bees could fly that fast. Had them up my sleve, bee vail, pants, privates, etc. Wife was not bothered as much. Guess they were looking for someone running away. She just walked up to the truck and closed the door. Me well that was a diffrent story. Anyways have fun. It's all about an adventure in this life.
Dan

 

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>How did they get into the hood?

They must have come up the leg. We were posted to keep the zippers ends taped up just in case though.

It is a rare ocasion I get a sting through those gloves, perhaps you got them too small. I didn't like the bulkiness of the xl so I ordered the large when mine wore out. I had to give them to an apprentice and order the xl.