# Bees really hammered me



## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

Here is a video of a person demonstrating a sugar roll. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvWfGMvy_zs

Notice, no veil, no bee protection at all.

I recently did a hive inspection on a double deep hive. Had veil and jacket on, but was wearing shorts. I checked frames on the top deep, then pulled it, set aside. When I pulled a frame from the bottom deep (which I'll have to do to get to a frame with brood) the bees went berserk. I put the frame back and got the hell out of there. Got stung around my ankles and lower legs....several times, guessing maybe 20 or so. 

How did the guy in the video get away with it? Why did my bees get so aggravated.


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## Paulemar (Aug 28, 2013)

Your area is probably in a nectar dearth. Bees get pissy when there is nothing much to do and they want to protect what resources they have in the hive.


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## ericweller (Jan 10, 2013)

If you expose your skin to the bees, you shouldn't be surprised if you get stung!


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

ericweller said:


> If you expose your skin to the bees, you shouldn't be surprised if you get stung!


The guy in the video did...and got nothing.


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## Bmcq (May 29, 2013)

jcummins said:


> The guy in the video did...and got nothing.


Well It might have been a one time thing, try it again and see what happens:no:


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## Riskybizz (Mar 12, 2010)

Do all dogs bite?


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

I posted as to the why of it. Maybe time of the year. For sure I'll never ever will be trusting bees again.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>For sure I'll never ever will be trusting bees again.

A valuable lesson. If you don't light a smoker and wear a veil you shouldn't blame the bees...


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

Michael Bush said:


> >For sure I'll never ever will be trusting bees again.
> 
> A valuable lesson. If you don't light a smoker and wear a veil you shouldn't blame the bees...


I had a smoker, veil and jacket/gloves....but the shorts was the down fall I guess. In the video, he puff the bees very lightly and had zero protective gear....and got away with it.


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## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

Jc
I have been doing all my inspections with viel and smoker but also in shorts and flip flops. I know better but it is so much cooler and so much work to dress up. I have been thinking that my day is comming. I figure most times they jump to my face first. My day is comming or you just helped me. Time will tell.
gww


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Hives can be easier to work in the spring, when all the bees are busy foraging on a flow and are in build up mode so larva needs feeding and wax drawn so everyone has a job to do and there is less guard bees. Just before and after summer solstice the bees are not as much in build-up mode, so less bees to feed, and the area might be in a dearth or low nectar flow, and the hive is much more populous with more bees having nothing to do except guard the hive. Different races of bees are more defensive than others also. With some of my hives, I can work them in early spring with no smoke and no veil. But come July and August or later, and look out, I need smoke and veil to look inside the same hives.


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## Steve56Ace (Sep 5, 2014)

jcummins said:


> I posted as to the why of it. Maybe time of the year. For sure I'll never ever will be trusting bees again.


Could be lots of reasons for sure. Good days, bad days. And here we get lots of Africanized genes in our mutts. Got beeks that don't gear up up I do. If you are not comfortable you can't bee calm w/ them. Recently w/ just veiled jacket I decided to pull an entrance reducer real quick. I was wearing shorts. Ouch. In life, pain is the first teacher.
Also you might try the wet cloth(t shirt) technique. It keeps bees in the box and calmer along w/ the biosphere and warmth retention. And yes even using that I've had some big double Deeps really get fired up. Especially when doing a box inversion. 
Just keep having fun.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

used to do the same thing myself - then came the AHB - I wouldn't pop a top without suiting up now.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

It's easy to get carefree when your bees are so friendly and gentle and then it's suddenly the last half of July and what worked two weeks ago ain't working now. The heatwave and onset of dearth has made them territorial and defensive. It happens. Last week I noticed how the bees were getting pissy and that was them signalling me to reduce entrances to help them defend the crop.

Every single time I get the hair-brained idea that I'll just take a quick peek is when they come out in force. They've taught me to suit up and light that smoker. No exceptions.


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

aunt betty said:


> It's easy to get carefree when your bees are so friendly and gentle and then it's suddenly the last half of July and what worked two weeks ago ain't working now. The heatwave and onset of dearth has made them territorial and defensive. It happens.


Boyee and did it happen. Later that day got sick, threw up. 20 or so stings has an effect, at least on me.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Smoke only works well when there's open nectar in the hive too.


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

my first year I had full suit no exceptions. got one sting through the glove. this year I got a jacket with veil. so far tagged ten times more then last year. not as much as you but still. I made the mistake of not putting the Velcro down on my veil and one got into my veil. thankfully just on the neck. if I get nailed several times I pop a double dose of allergy meds when I start feeling other things happen. but then I sleep for hours so not sure if that is a good game plane. The rest of the year they will get worse. the bigger they get they will get worse.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>...and got away with it.

I've gotten away with it many times too... and not sometimes...

"You never can tell with bees"--Winnie the Pooh


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

opcorn:


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

It took me nearly a year for this to sink in. So you do something fast like open a lid and want to see how the girls are doing. All your doing is seeing if the frames are filled out and they need room. Even opening it up and putting a extracted honey frame back in is fast. I would always take 1 or 2 bee stings. My wife kept saying why didn't I suit up? Cause I was doing something fast. 1 day I wanted to see what the new February split was doing. I unstrapped the bee hive, took the top off. Took the hive tool and pryed the inner cover loose. Lifted the inner cover about 30 degrees and stuck my head down to peer in. About 10 bees shot out at me unexpectedly. I thought I took 2 stings. 1 to the eye lid and 1 to the arm. Nope I got 5 stings. At that point after she told me "I NEVER LISTEN" "GO SUIT UP FULLY and that would not happen" It did dawn on me at that point to just put the bee suit on and the gloves. Sometimes I would go out with out gloves and they'd even sting my hand, just 1 bee. So it sank in, WEAR THE BEE SUIT and the GLOVES cause you never know. If you DO NOT WANT TO BE STUNG, WEAR FULL PROTECTION.
Another awful strory is my 2 bee hives 1 Africanized like level 10 (1 to 10 to being worst experience bee behaivior) My other bee hive a level 8 non Africanized. I went to open up the non Africanized bee hive up. I unstrapped the bee hive, Started lifting the lid. That's as far as I got. My ankles were covered by bees. I looked over at the Africanized bees and they were pouring out in numbers. I hopped back about 10 yards swatting my ankles that just had black socks. My bee stand by the way is 30" off the ground. I must have leaned on the bee hive and killed a bee and it fell into my tongue of my sneakers. I did about 5 yards hop and swat to my shop where I retreated. I tossed off my shoes and socks and was like OHWCH! OHWCH OHWCH for the 2 minutes I was trying to figure out what the heck happened. I was suited up and didn't put duct tape on my ankles. I wasn't even messing with that other bee hive dang it! Are you kidding me! I now have to duct tape my ankles or wear my winter boots...... Really!? Come on now! I took full run out of my shop and into my house. Took off the bee suit in my kitchen, ran to the master bath and drew a cold bath to soak my feet. Ran and took to Benedryl.. I had not ever taken 20 or so stings like that and was worried. For the next week I had Fat ankles. I know what it feels like to be a prego woman was my theory. 

Risk getting stung don't wear the bee suit. Don't want to be stung dress appropriately and you will not get stung.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

It took me nearly a year for this to sink in. So you do something fast like open a lid and want to see how the girls are doing. All your doing is seeing if the frames are filled out and they need room. Even opening it up and putting a extracted honey frame back in is fast. I would always take 1 or 2 bee stings. My wife kept saying why didn't I suit up? Cause I was doing something fast. 1 day I wanted to see what the new February split was doing. I unstrapped the bee hive, took the top off. Took the hive tool and pryed the inner cover loose. Lifted the inner cover about 30 degrees and stuck my head down to peer in. About 10 bees shot out at me unexpectedly. I thought I took 2 stings. 1 to the eye lid and 1 to the arm. Nope I got 5 stings. At that point after she told me "I NEVER LISTEN" "GO SUIT UP FULLY and that would not happen" It did dawn on me at that point to just put the bee suit on and the gloves. Sometimes I would go out with out gloves and they'd even sting my hand, just 1 bee. So it sank in, WEAR THE BEE SUIT and the GLOVES cause you never know. If you DO NOT WANT TO BE STUNG, WEAR FULL PROTECTION.
Another awful strory is my 2 bee hives 1 Africanized like level 10 (1 to 10 to being worst experience bee behaivior) My other bee hive a level 8 non Africanized. I went to open up the non Africanized bee hive up. I unstrapped the bee hive, Started lifting the lid. That's as far as I got. My ankles were covered by bees. I looked over at the Africanized bees and they were pouring out in numbers. I hopped back about 10 yards swatting my ankles that just had black socks. My bee stand by the way is 30" off the ground. I must have leaned on the bee hive and killed a bee and it fell into my tongue of my sneakers. I did about 5 yards hop and swat to my shop where I retreated. I tossed off my shoes and socks and was like OHWCH! OHWCH OHWCH for the 2 minutes I was trying to figure out what the heck happened. I was suited up and didn't put duct tape on my ankles. I wasn't even messing with that other bee hive dang it! Are you kidding me! I now have to duct tape my ankles or wear my winter boots...... Really!? Come on now! I took full run out of my shop and into my house. Took off the bee suit in my kitchen, ran to the master bath and drew a cold bath to soak my feet. Ran and took to Benedryl.. I had not ever taken 20 or so stings like that and was worried. For the next week I had Fat ankles. I know what it feels like to be a prego woman was my theory. 

Risk getting stung don't wear the bee suit. Don't want to be stung dress appropriately and you will not get stung.


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## Matt F (Oct 7, 2014)

jcummins said:


> How did the guy in the video get away with it? Why did my bees get so aggravated.


Do you make a habit of trying to replicate things you see on youtube? I don't. I expect real world results to be different. If 1,000 guys go into their hive without a veil and 998 of them get stung, they don't post anything, but you can bet the 2 that didn't get stung will post their video.


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

Matt F said:


> Do you make a habit of trying to replicate things you see on youtube? I don't. I expect real world results to be different. If 1,000 guys go into their hive without a veil and 998 of them get stung, they don't post anything, but you can bet the 2 that didn't get stung will post their video.


 Ya made me laugh.


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## usngunr (Feb 21, 2013)

Michael Bush said:


> >For sure I'll never ever will be trusting bees again.
> 
> A valuable lesson. If you don't light a smoker and wear a veil you shouldn't blame the bees...


Natural selection.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Way back in the 1900's I was a lot younger and dumber. Thought I could take a quick peek in late-July unprotected. They ran me all the way back to the house (200 yards) and from that day on I was never foolish enough to think I could just real quickly peek. lol
Once you're stung you're marked and have a target that says "sting me with extreme prejudice" on you. 
No smoker to smoke the sting and the marker..time to RUN! 
Hahahaha


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## adg72484 (Nov 22, 2015)

Got my first experience of this today. I always suit up and have smoker lite but I have yet to see my bees be defensive. I opened up the hive and checked a few frames and they came out of the woodwork at me. I usually park about 50ft away from my hives and suit up. Normally I can walk back to the truck and take my gear off, not today. I walked back to the truck like I usually do but was followed by a bunch of bees. Walked another 200ft to a barn and went inside and came back out and they were still on me. Ended up getting in my truck suited up and driving about 500ft and then was able to get out an unsuit. Came back about 7 hours later and parked where I could see the hives (50ft away) and instantly they were back onto my truck. Did they remember me or are they going to be this defensive towards anyone that comes that close?


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

JRG13 said:


> Smoke only works well when there's open nectar in the hive too.


Would you please help me understand why this is so?

thanks


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

Where was this thread before I got into beekeeping and was doing research??

At least I'm not alone with mentally disturbed bees, they all lose their marbles in July it seems.


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

With all this heat across the country I thing it's dried out into a dearth. Now they will be cranky till they have something to collect. I have had bees that seemingly remember my truck and their failed previous attempts and went right for me before I got near them or even finished suiting up. We will see more incidents like this even if using smoke they will be on you so full suits are a good idea as well.


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## jdmidwest (Jul 9, 2012)

I changed out a jar feeder on a nuc one evening. I always used a small board and lifted the jar with lid up, and with a sweeping move, wiped the bees off the lid and covered the hole with the board. One bee stayed on the lid. I flicked it, it made a circle into my right ear. Then it buzzed there for a while, just taunting me. Then it stung and left. By the time I made it to the house and got the stinger out, a full dose was delivered. My jaw swelled and I lost hearing in the ear for a day due to the swelling. Suit up now to change feeders.

Was going to move Nucs to the farm last summer. Went down at dark to close up entrance and the bees were still hanging around the entrance. Next morning at daylight, I went down to the nuc in the near darkness to put an wood block in the entrance. Took the wrong block, tried it and failed. Went back and got the right block and tried again. By this time several bees had dropped out and was crawling around the ground. I got zapped thru the Croc. I was wearing Crocs and shorts with a full veiled jacket, reaching over the nuc from behind. Never thought about the ground crew.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Escalation of aggression in a beehive is generally exponential... things get out of hand quickly.


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## usngunr (Feb 21, 2013)

OK, this isn't funny now. 

I did an OAV last night on a hive at my house that I knew had mites that needed hit. I was planning on doing Hopguard II, and did at my outlying yard but it was such a mess I threw it away. So, it went a little sideways on me getting the bees back into the hive and the vaporizer in. I ended up with some pissed off ladies out of the hive. No big deal, I was suited up and I rode it out. 

So tonight I walk out tonight to put my sunglasses back in my truck. Bam, the brush back hit to the head. One pissed off bee wanted my butt. Followed me all the way to the house, and nailed me right before I got to the porch in the back of the neck. I really hope this isn't a trend.


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## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

jcummins said:


> The guy in the video did...and got nothing.


Do you believe everything you see on tv?


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

Or everything you read here? (No offense intended to those reporting actual events).


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

From this thread I've learned time of the year enters into the bee attitude.


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

I thought that the smoke covered (or helped cover up) the pheromone smell that is left when they get upset or when they sting you (hides that marker scent). Or perhaps it blocked the bee's ability to smell the alarm smell/sting smell. Or that is what I understood.

Not sure why it wouldn't work with only uncapped honey.


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

But darn, my ladies will be shifting into MS. Frankenstein over the next few weeks as the flow ends. But they are still bringing in some nectar, just not sure from what.


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## Hops Brewster (Jun 17, 2014)

jcummins said:


> The guy in the video did...and got nothing.


He might very well have been stung several times, but is so used to it that it doesn't bother him at all.
Another point, he's likely more experienced at handling the frames in a calm, fearless manner.


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## sarahsbees (Apr 20, 2016)

YouTube videos have also given me a false sense of confidence.

The beekeepers in the vids just seem so calm and zen like!! Totally "at one" with their friendly bees.

I would be the first to defend my bees and tell people how nice they are, but that doesn't mean they don't sting me! 

I've weighed the pros and cons of not having a bee suit (bee suits are hot and I live in FL, they're kinda expensive [for me], I've heard plenty of sting stories from people who've been wearing suits, etc. -- bees trapped in the veil!!!) But I'm very aware that if I get stung it's my own darn fault. (I am considering investing in a veil, because my chemistry teacher once said about wearing goggles that eye protection is the most important thing -- "pretty much everything else about you can be fixed or replaced, but you only have two eyes and you have to take care of them" was the little speech he gave and I imagine it applies to bee stings around the eyes as well.)

My guess is that the videos of the nonchalant beekeeper are actually a minority and the well-dressed beekeeping videos just don't gain popularity or look impressive enough to come up in a search. And I'm sure there are plenty of shorts/t-shirt beekeepers who attempt to check on their bees and instead are chased away doing the undignified 'beekeeper's dance' and just decided to keep that footage to themselves. So it might be the same theory of if you only look to celebrities for beauty standards -- the average population doesn't have that level of perfection, the exceptional people just get the exposure so are viewed as standard.


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

For most of my beekeeping life (around 40 years, now) I've had at least a couple hives that were defensive. Sometimes on the verge of or very aggressive. I would only rarely ever consider doing it in shorts (especially nowadays - at 60+ - yikes!) & only with those "selected" hives that are overly gentle, unlike the others.

I think, now, that it's a combination of many things - the bees themselves (first, and foremost), the approach (that Zen thing, included), the timing - nice calm days with a flow in progress, the attitude - that you are about to go "pet the bear" again... Some days just aren't conducive to beekeeping - if you are lucky, you can just back away and wait. Some folks have no choice. Certain beekeeping duties just have to get done - regardless of the weather, or the disposition of the bees at that moment.

As I said before - I'm so thankful to have finally found the "Bee-Whisperer" station. It's something everyone should get to experience. I suppose if I video'd it, someone would just say " Yeah, another faked up video...". I just don't care anymore - just thankful to have finally got the dial tuned in... Zen, 101 

Sarah - PM yer dang address - I'll send/give you a veil/suit. Used, but better than nothing. Eye stings are absolutely the worst there are.


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## Gazelle (May 17, 2015)

Colobee said:


> For most of my beekeeping life (around 40 years, now) I've had at least a couple hives that were defensive. Sometimes on the verge of or very aggressive. I would only rarely ever consider doing it in shorts (especially nowadays - at 60+ - yikes!) & only with those "selected" hives that are overly gentle, unlike the others.
> 
> I think, now, that it's a combination of many things - the bees themselves (first, and foremost), the approach (that Zen thing, included), the timing - nice calm days with a flow in progress, the attitude - that you are about to go "pet the bear" again... Some days just aren't conducive to beekeeping - if you are lucky, you can just back away and wait. Some folks have no choice. Certain beekeeping duties just have to get done - regardless of the weather, or the disposition of the bees at that moment.
> 
> ...


Wow! Nice offer. Hats off!


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

'Nothing special, but better than nothing at all... I've accumulated several over the years. I'll be keeping my most recent/favorite veil jacket..., and the "body armor" suit, of course - you just never know when Zen will turn to ZAP.


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

Colobee said:


> 'Nothing special, but better than nothing at all... I've accumulated several over the years. I'll be keeping my most recent/favorite veil jacket..., and the "body armor" suit, of course - you just never know when Zen will turn to ZAP.


Still nice gesture Colobee.


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## DaveInTexas (May 28, 2014)

When I started last year, I asked about bee sting avoidance on various forums and was told, Bees sting, get used to it. 
Well yes, we all know they sting and yes all beeks will likely get stung.
However I have taken a different approach from the casual one regarding stings.
I decided that if I am going to have a hobby I am going to do everything reasonable to avoid the pain that can be associated with it. I fly airplanes, so I keep my equipment and training at the highest level possible. I ride motorcycles, so I use protective gear and avoid the situations that are high risk. If I am going to keep bees, I might as well do my best to avoid stings. And it is not that difficult! Always wear your gear and have only the best gear. We have the materials now to almost completely avoid stings. I have not been stung yet and I am likin' it! I know several people in my tiny town that Quit Bees over stings, I don't want to get that way - I am in it for the long haul and that means it must be fun and safe!
In addition, my first hive was an AHB colony which being a newb, I did not recognize. I had all my good gear on every time which was in retrospect the best thing I did to ensure I stayed with bees. Those bad girls were bouncing off my face protection, chasing me a quarter mile, coming out to greet me, it could have been bad if I was casual about it. And we had a local guy die due to a thouand bee stings last year so I am pretty cautious.


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## buffaloeletric (Mar 11, 2010)

I caught a swarm yesterday. They didn't like my brush much when I tried that method of getting them into the box. The angriest bunch of bees I've dealt with since starting out in may. Stung me through the upper part of my veil and through my jeans. I'm glad I didn't buy into the "swarms are docile" thing and decide to brave it with no gear on. Today, the scouts that were left behind are still chasing me.


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## Bdfarmer555 (Oct 7, 2015)

This is what happened to me last week:

One of my friends were moving, and I needed to remove my 2 double deep hives from their farm prior to the closing of the sale. I had put off the move for 2 weeks, as our temps had been in the high 90's with heat index values of 115+. My plan was to move the hives in my Tacoma and camper shell, as I have done several times. 

I ran out of time. So I show up before daylight, temp 79 degrees, heat index is still 85. The bees were still covering the front of the hive. Everything is soaked from the heavy dew. So I skipped lighting the smoker(dumb). Since many bees were on the sides of the hive, I didn't block the entrance(dumber). I grabbed the first hive, the weaker of the two, slid it into back of truck. Bees same out, but tolerable. Grabbed second hive, promptly turned black, according to wife, and placed them in back of truck next to first, both entrances facing forward. 

Thought to myself, "this is not going well", then tried to shut the camper door...second hive needed to go an inch forward, but wouldn't budge. It was caught on the mats I keep in there to prevent stuff from sliding on the bedliner. Moved the first to my wife's truck, which was supposed to haul the hive stand, then climbed into camper and tried to lift entrance of second hive over while wife was to push hive forward the necessary inch. When I stated that I couldn't raise the front, she misheard and pushed harder, dislodging the hive from the bottom board. We both ran. We then decided to close up, abandon the stand, and started on the 20 mile trip to our destination. 

When we arrived, I opened up the shell, and subsequently was engulfed again. I literally dropped the hive and ran, covered in stinging bees. 650 yards later, I realized they wouldn't leave me because they had no idea where home was, and the strongest pheromone key in the area was my stupid butt. So I swatted and wiped, till I was about bee free. But then I needed to get the hive out of the wife's truck. I skirted the dropped hive by 75 feet, but a cloud consumed me once more. At this point I knew I just needed to get it over with, so I grabbed the hive from my wife's truck, and placed it 25 feet from the first, jumped in my Tacoma, and drove 1/4 mile away before rolling down the windows and getting out to let bees out. Two more times, and I was bee free enough to remove my gloves and bee-cool jacket. 

My legs could feel the stingers in my blue jeans, much like thorns when hunting, that scratch and poke when you move, but never truly break the skin. I became aware that bees had entered my back pocket via the gaps on either side of my wallet, and I had a perfect square of 8 or so hard stings on my rear end. I had no stings thru my jacket. The back of my truck contained at least 1000 dead bees, I can only think that the bees that crawled out of the first hive had no place to go but into the second after I transferred the hive into my wife's truck. Likely that the second thought this was a massive robbing attempt?

I ended up with only about 20 hard stings out of the episode, but my jeans were covered in stingers and venom sacks, 2000+ if I had to guess. The tip of my finger could easily cover 2-3 at any location. First time I've ever been concerned about stings, so I went home, showered, changed clothes, and put myself under "observation" for a couple hrs before heading to work. 

The crazy thing, and also the best evidence for my lack of sanity, is that 2 days later I went back, no smoker again, placed a jar of feed on the inner cover without so much as a buzz directed my way. So I properly stacked the boxes on the bottom board, and had maybe only 5 buzz me. Not sure if they were just happier at the new location, or so many died on the move that they were unwilling to go to war again.


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## jimbo3 (Jun 7, 2015)

My first hive last year hated me. But they may have been queenless at that time, not sure. They'd boil out at me and follow me to my house, and I'd have them all over my suit so I'd have to brush them off before de-suiting with stings all over my gloves. A few wouldn't leave, and I didn't want them in my house, so I'd kind of have to wait and then hurry and shut the door! Both hives this year have been gentle. I can put my finger on the landing board and they couldn't care less. I stood there (foolishly?) in front of my hives about 4 feet away today, just watching them come and go. No head bumps (except for the ones coming in by accident), no aggression whatsoever. I'm sure it can turn at any moment though.


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

Bdfarmer555 said:


> This is what happened to me last week:
> 
> One of my friends were moving, and I needed to remove my 2 double deep hives from their farm prior to the closing of the sale. I had put off the move for 2 weeks, as our temps had been in the high 90's with heat index values of 115+. My plan was to move the hives in my Tacoma and camper shell, as I have done several times.
> 
> ...


Sorry....I laughed until I almost cried.


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## Bdfarmer555 (Oct 7, 2015)

Just rereading what I posted. Meant 650 feet, not 650 yards.


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## sarahsbees (Apr 20, 2016)

Colobee said:


> Sarah - PM yer dang address - I'll send/give you a veil/suit. Used, but better than nothing. Eye stings are absolutely the worst there are.


Oh my goodness, that's so nice! Sorry, I only just saw this comment!! I will definitely send you my address and the bee suit would be appreciated by myself and my bees (who I'm sure will benefit from a less-nervous beekeeper.)

Thanks again!! It's very kind of you to give a hand to a new beekeeper.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

The weather changes their mood and it can happen instantly. I've been working on a calm hive on one of them cotton ball cloud days and they're all gentle and then the cloud covers the sun. Can hear them ramping up and then they're attacking the hive tool or my black sharpie. Cloud moves away and they calm back down. 

Another thing I noticed by accident is that bees do not like fleece. It's fuzzy and they most likely see it as a threat. I get stung every time I run out real quick to take a look in my fleece pants of shirt. I mean just get in the yard not inspect. My garden is the yard and the yard is my garden in my own back yard. I go pick tomatoes every day lately. Pounds and pounds of them. Peppers are next. 

I think it's awesome that someone stepped up and offered their protection to a new beekeeper. Thanks for that. Two thumbs up!


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## NiceTom (Jul 23, 2015)

I know your not supposed to work the hives when it's rainy. I also know your supposed to use the smoker. But, not having much time to wait for the perfect day, and it wasn't raining just yet, and the fact that I'm pretty much waterproof, I did the 1st, and not the 2nd. I was pulling individual frames for extraction, and sweeping the bees off with a brush. The big cloud of angry bees didn't bother me all that much. I got a couple of stings-not a big deal. But then the rain started coming down lightly-as I got more soaked, the bee jacket and jeans pressed to my skin, and the bees could sting right thru it-probably got 20 stings in a minute, until I could get the hive closed up. Those bees chased me over 100 yards-I only ditched them by going into the low hanging foliage.

The next day was clear and sunny, used a smoker, did the same thing and got 1 sting.


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## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

This hive has to be worked full gear for the last 2yrs, any thing that is on you r skin, they will sting thru no matter what you do. This is the hive in another post that wont accept another queen 2yrs in a row. These are Russian crosses that have bred with ????? Alot of small black bees in this hive ; the top deep has no bees in this picture. I put this on yesterday for them to cleanup after I got some wax moths from a die out.


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## BrianH (Jul 30, 2016)

Do hives become more defensive as they grow bigger? 

Great thread. I'm a first year bee keeper and had that shocking experience about an hour ago. I started with a Nuc in April and it's just exploded to two packed deeps and and a medium I put on a few weeks ago. I added a queen excluder tonight and things were going fine. My bees have always been very relaxed. Suddenly the flying went from casual to agitated. There was a mass of bees and for the first time they chased me. I ran 50 yds back to my garage and they were still attacking. It happened very fast and I was wearing a veil and a heavy clothing. They still scored 5 times. 

I need to regroup and figure out what went wrong, take another look at my protection and increase the amount of smoke.


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## Steve56Ace (Sep 5, 2014)

BrianH said:


> Do hives become more defensive as they grow bigger?
> 
> Yes.


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## Steve56Ace (Sep 5, 2014)

spunky said:


> This hive has to be worked full gear for the last 2yrs, any thing that is on you r skin, they will sting thru no matter what you do. This is the hive in another post that wont accept another queen 2yrs in a row. These are Russian crosses that have bred with ????? Alot of small black bees in this hive ; the top deep has no bees in this picture. I put this on yesterday for them to cleanup after I got some wax moths from a die out.


Do you have a lot of drones? Just wondering about a laying worker in that much space. I'v had it happen above an excluder. Makes re-queening harder.


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## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

Yes I have drones Steve, no laying workers. The lower 2 deep hive bodies look pretty normal , I have alot of burr comb in 1 of the mediums will cull
it and remove the top deep once cold weather sets in .

regards
Brad


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## McBain (Aug 23, 2016)

jcummins said:


> Here is a video of a person demonstrating a sugar roll. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvWfGMvy_zs
> 
> Notice, no veil, no bee protection at all.
> 
> ...


You're lucky you are not in an ABH zone otherwise you could have ended up much worse off. Because of my location I never inspect anything without two layers of clothing and then my full bee suit on top. One tip learned is to wear boots so they have no opportunity to sting your ankles. 

The more you are into your bee hives, the less aggressive the bees are. Often times on these Youtube videos the guys just know when they have a gentle hive and they wait for a strong nectar run.


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## DavidZ (Apr 9, 2016)

Not all bees are AHB or hybrids here in AZ.
Don't start to perpetuate that myth.


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