# How long will they stay agitated?



## LoriBurris (Jun 20, 2009)

I'm in Florida, it's hot. I am setting up my first top bar hive and placing it under two bird house hives that spend most of the day clinging to the outside of the house. My husband, who is afraid of the bees and quite short tempered, helped my bring the new hive in. We had to climb through underbrush and palmetto and, after smashing into the pole that the bee's house is on and swearing (him) we were both stung multiple times. The box was dropped, the bars (waxed) are strewn on the ground and the bees are still a bit wary of my presence. I have placed the box on it's stand, but I am being buzzed aggressively so haven't placed the bars or top.
I have never had a problem working around them before, and we placed the stand without incident (no swearing, no stinging).
How long will they stay angry?


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## jbw (Mar 8, 2009)

i take my hat off to you even though i have no real answer. in your area as you know there is africanized but prolly you just shook them up. suit up tomorrow and finish.


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## LoriBurris (Jun 20, 2009)

I do not have a suit. I've never worn any special clothes and never been stung before. I am hoping to finish assembly in the morning when, hopefully, they're calm again.
I guess I'm a pre-beginner!


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## DebCP (Apr 4, 2009)

Lori,

You should be just fine tomorrow morning. Perhaps avoid hitting the pole again though.  

Usually if I leave my gals alone for an hour or more they are fine. Today I was impatient and decided to switch out a frame in my deep, didn't bother smoking them at all and they were fine (not happy but fine). However, I just rescued one of my girls drowning in my pond and she decided to sting me...not much of a thank you. In the future, if you do get stung make sure you smoke the sting area or they will continue to sting due to the pheromones released. That's probably why you were nailed a few times.

Deb


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## waynesgarden (Jan 3, 2009)

Borrow a veil and maybe some gloves or a bee suit to get everything back in order.

I know of several of the "don't need no stink'n bee clothing" beekeepers but even they have a veil or a complete suit on hand for just such times as when the peaceful world they would like their bees to inhabit drops to earth and they are faced with thousands of hotter than a hornet honey bees to deal with.

Life isn't always as peaceful and serene as we would like.

Wayne.


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## LoriBurris (Jun 20, 2009)

Thanks for the advice and reassurance. Everyone was calm this morning and I assembled the hive. Very happy they're not africanized. Now I'll wait for them to move in. When I put up the second birdhouse, it took about three days.

I was careful not to bang into the pole!


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## DebCP (Apr 4, 2009)

Lori,

Glad to hear your girls were much calmer this morning.

Deb


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