# How Long Do Bees Hold a Grudge?



## imthedude (Jan 28, 2013)

mine seem to calm down after a few days.


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## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Yeah they can hunt you for several days before giving up


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## Chemguy (Nov 26, 2012)

Early in the recent summer dearth and after mowing within 20 feet of my hives, I had bees trail me over 100 yards from the hive. They were patient; they won, rubbing it in over a few days. Now that a small flow has started, they could care less what I do.


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## v45 (Apr 1, 2012)

The Bees seem to have won this round. I am not working outside today every time I go out a couple of bees start buzzing me.

I am guessing they will burrow into my hair and sting me, I don't want to find out 

I thought that this far away from the hive they wouldn't be protecting anything


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## Moonfire (Apr 2, 2013)

Chemguy said:


> Now that a small flow has started, they could care less what I do.



Just a question...have any of you considered feeding the bees at the time you take the supers? I haven't even had my first harvest yet so I'm just wondering. would this maybe make them less aggressive? If we take the honey and give them food I'm sure they would still be mad, but maybe not quite as mad...? a give and take? :scratch:


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

I had a very experienced beekeeper (whom I once respected) tell me when I was first starting out that bees only have a 30 minute memory. Having that in mind on my first harvest, I went back to my beeyard about and hour after pulling supers because I had left my hive tool there. I didn't suit up because I thought all was forgotten by my little darling girls. After about 20 stings, 4 of which were near my eyes, I learned to take random statements like that by "experienced" beekeepers very cautiously.


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## Glen H (Aug 17, 2013)

I'm in a dearth here and one of my hives the strongest one is moody and loves to try and sting me.
This has been going on for about three weeks, since I re queened them.

I'm wondering If I have to wait for this generation of bees to die off and a new generation to come along before they settle down and forget that they are mad at me. My other two hive are nice and calm, but they are much smaller in size then the big hive.

Glen


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## rmcpb (Aug 15, 2012)

There is a lot to be said about not letting a hive get too big as they seem to get more punchy with size. Also, if you split them and have multiple hives if you lose one its not such a big deal.

Also, I was going to make some smart comment to the original question about them all being female but that would be politically incorrect and we would not want that would we


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

You know they are females.... right? You'd be lucky if they ever calm down and forget.
Just kidding!
You KNOW I'd say it! lol Just how I roll.


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## Glen H (Aug 17, 2013)

rmcpb said:


> There is a lot to be said about not letting a hive get too big as they seem to get more punchy with size. Also, if you split them and have multiple hives if you lose one its not such a big deal.


I'm thinking of killing two birds with one stone. I'll take some frames of sealed honey along with the bees on the frames and add them to a smaller hive that was a swarm capture. I'll use the paper method of introduction. The swarmed hive is one 10 frame deep filled with brood and stores and a medium with 10 frames half drawn out and starting to fill the center frames with stores.
This will boost the weaker hive and reduce the huge hive. 
Thoughts?

Glen


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## iahawk (May 19, 2009)

I was chatting with a clerk at Mann Lake a few years ago who had a couple prominent stings near her nose. She explained that a bear had torn her hive apart, and the bees were naturally very upset and angry and didn't really care that she was there to help them put their house back in order. A number of them followed her to her house, about 50 yards away. She had been in the house for a couple hours when a delivery man arrived with a package. As soon as she opened the door, zap, they nailed her. They didn't bother the delivery guy--it sure seems they knew exactly who they wanted.


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## bbrowncods (Oct 10, 2012)

Moved two hives to my yard that were given to me. I waited about an hour to release them. When I did... wham! Got me and my son in about a heart beat. Followed us to the house, etc. After a couple of days all was good. They were in a new place and there was a flow going on. I think that is the key, get them something to do, like eat!


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## DPBsbees (Apr 14, 2011)

I once had a hive hold a grdge until 3 weeks after they were re-queened.


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