# Bees won't leave anyone alone



## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

I need help. Starting around mid February my bees became VERY aggressive stinging anyone who was within 100 feet or so of my 2 hives. I had done an inspection on a warm day in Feb and everything looked ok, but in the days to follow my neighbor was stung about 20 times while working on a project for me on my property. I called a local beekeeper who told me to take any food I had on the hives off and reduce the entrances down to 1/2 in because it sounded like one hive was robbing the other and making them very defensive. So now here we are 3 weeks later and they have stopped stinging people, but they won't leave any one alone. My roommate has basically told me it is either me or the bees. He can't go out and do yard work without bees landing on him and they try to get up underneath his ball cap. He calls it an attack, I don't necessarily know that is what they are doing. I think they are being curious and my roommate does have black hair. I don't know what to do. I have been thinking about requeening and seeing what they will do, but that will take 90 days from introduction to get rid of the current bloodline. 

I just don't know what to do. 

They are supposed to be italian...but they are acting like all the descriptions I have read about american buckfast.

UPDATE: I spoke to queen producer and the guy I originally gotten my packages from:

1) Queen producer says there might be an issue with suppliers in South Georgia having hot hives because he has heard this a lot in the last season. He suggested to requeen with Cordovan queens from a trusted supplier in California. This would bring in a new bloodline, although it would take 90 days to covert the hive. The cost is the same as requeening with local suppliers, so I wouldn't be paying double or anything like that for queens.

2) Package guy says to kill the current queen and let the hives produce their own queen. This will calm them down because he says the current queen is weakening (queen from last season). He said they are hot not because of genetics but because the queen needs to be replaced.

The robbing suggestion doesn't seem to be the reason for the hot hives because what I was told to do I did 3 weeks ago, now I beginning to think it is a genetic thing.

What do people thing about these two suggestions???


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## Katharina (May 2, 2011)

Are you sure they are not africanized? I can walk around my hives without that kind of behavior. My husband even uses the lawn mover without anything happening. He does put on the veil as a precaution (sometimes forgets to put it on), and has not issues at all. They should ease off just walking around a shrub. Something isn't right and you should investigate further. What really get me is the distance of attack. Anything over 30 feet is so classic for africanized bees. You know an africanized queen can move into the hive and take over. They a known for doing that.


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

It does not sound like AHB. There can be other reasons they are upset. A few things to consider, they are naturally more defensive this time of year until the honey flow starts, something could be messing with the hives at night, skunk is the most common, some bees do head butt more often than others. This maybe what they are doing to your room mate, it is a warning to back off. Can you put up a solid barrier infront of the hives? Your bees will calm down once we start to get a good honey flow. You may still want to requeen later on this summer thats something to consider once queen become easier to get. JMHO


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Doesn't sound like you are in a committed relationship. JUST SAY SEEYAH! Then get those bees requeened. Carnies are mild.


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## dmpower (Nov 7, 2010)

I agree, my Caries are very mild.
What is your roommate wearing- fragrance wise? Maybe he smells too good for your bees to resist, especially if there isn't much of anything around for them - just a thought


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

"Are you sure they are not africanized?"

The same queens where in the hive mid February and that was when this started so no time for a africanized queen to establish. We supposedly doesn't have AHB north of South Georgia.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

"What is your roommate wearing- fragrance wise? "

Nothing. I had already thought of that. He is Asian and has black hair...I have noticed they love black hair more than others.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Vance G said:


> Doesn't sound like you are in a committed relationship.


Umm...well...I won't get into that here.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

UPDATE: I spoke to queen producer and the guy I originally gotten my packages from:

1) Queen producer says there might be an issue with suppliers in South Georgia having hot hives because he has heard this a lot in the last season. He suggested to requeen with Cordovan queens from a trusted supplier in California. This would bring in a new bloodline, although it would take 90 days to covert the hive. The cost is the same as requeening with local suppliers, so I wouldn't be paying double or anything like that for queens.

2) Package guy says to kill the current queen and let the hives produce their own queen. This will calm them down because he says the current queen is weakening (queen from last season). He said they are hot not because of genetics but because the queen needs to be replaced.

The robbing suggestion doesn't seem to be the reason for the hot hives because what I was told to do I did 3 weeks ago, now I beginning to think it is a genetic thing.

What do people thing about these two suggestions???


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## Tom B (May 11, 2011)

Hot hives and people are not a good mix. I have one hot hive currently in a farm yard that is going to be split this Spring and banished to the Wisconsin swamplands. Keep trying until you get a good gentle colony established, you definitely need to pinch this queen if you want to keep this hive where it is now.


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## Dana (Mar 26, 2005)

Are you sure you didn't accidentally kill the queen during the mid-February inspection? If they've been that hot for a month, it's gotta be a combination of lots of things. How big/strong are the hives?


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Dana said:


> Are you sure you didn't accidentally kill the queen during the mid-February inspection? If they've been that hot for a month, it's gotta be a combination of lots of things. How big/strong are the hives?


I have 2 hives: #1 - Blue Queen, #2 White Queen (colors don't indicate year, because I marked them before understanding year colors)

Timeline: Hive 1 established 4/7/2011, Hive 2 a split from Hive 1 on 6/7/2011 due to Hive 1 being SO productive. No problems the rest of the summer, not hot at all. October, found queens and winterized the hives. Feed for a month and checked food supplies in December quickly..all good. 1st week of February, on a day over 65, inspected both hives. Hive 1, saw Blue Queen. Hive 1 slowly getting started, saw eggs and capped brood but only on a few interior frames, population looked as big as October. Hive 2, no queen seen, but a full deep of eggs to capped brood, so going really well. 3/1/2012 did another inspection because it was a 73 degree day. Hive 1, did not see the queen, but brood at all stages including eggs. Hive 2, saw the White Queen, and brood production going strong. Hives were overly aggressive to me inspecting. Received 15 or so stings on my ankles because of something I did that put bees on the ground. On 3/3 I had a friend and his family over, the bees chased us all over the front yard (100 feet away). Monday 3/5, neighbor over cleaning my gutters, he received 15-20 stings. But he did admit he was squishing them and later went online and realized that was a mistake. I called the president of my bee club who figured it was robbing and told me to do what I said in the first post. Bees stopped "attacking" 10-15 at a time in the front yard and on the back deck a few days after his suggestion. Now, I get 2-5 bees bumping into peoples heads at the same distances away. It is like they come out of no where.

I got a ventilated bee suit last week and did want to test it and do some landscaping around the hive. I opened the top to look in but not inspect and Hive 2 had this strong smell of flowers almost like a perfume come up out of it. It did smell nice, and almost like daffodils or narcissus. Hive 1 had no smell other than "bee smell" (wax, etc).

So as of 10 days ago Hive 2 still had its original queen from last season. As of about 30 days ago, Hive 1 had its original queen...this one may have been replaced.

I was told to stay out of the hives until mid March because I was inspecting too early and I may have upset the hive temperatures.

So back to your original question, the hives looked as full now as they did in October. Strong...hive 2 probably more so than 1, but 1 seems to be the more aggressive one. I used to be able to stand right next to the hives and watch. Now, I can stand 30 feet away and get more than a head bump, but not stung. Right next to the hives and I get 10 bees on me that I can see fly at me from the landing board.


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## Roger Pell (Apr 29, 2010)

My bees were very aggressive during the past two weeks too. Never noticed them this way before. Maybe its the solar storm.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Only an opinion here... If you can't get near you bees without being attacked it is time to get new bees. All your equipment is salvageable. You either requeen or they are toast. What ever you are up for.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

When my first hive was About to swarm they went from 
Gentle to guarding a 65 ft radius. After swarm left,calm again


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Gypsi said:


> When my first hive was About to swarm they went from
> Gentle to guarding a 65 ft radius. After swarm left,calm again


Hmm..I did see newly constructed queen cells 10 days ago. They typically make them but the cells never seem to be used. I did find out tonight that a friend said hers swarmed mid week last week. The 65ft aggression you are talking about, was that for 2-3 weeks leading up to it?


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## Davebcrzy (Mar 12, 2011)

I had a hive like that two years ago. Couldn't go anywhere near them. I hated to work with them because they were so aggressive. In fact I have two like that right now. The action I took two years ago is what I will do with the two hot hives I currently have. I am going to split the hives because they have become so strong. Sometimes when a hive gets overcrowded they will be come very aggressive. These two hives will be split this week, as soon as it stops raining and I am going to requeen. This should take care of the issue. If it doesn't work I will treat the parent hives as I do when I have a laying worker. Take the hives about 2 miles away and dump the bees and start all over. Hope you can get this worked out.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Acebird said:


> Only an opinion here... If you can't get near you bees without being attacked it is time to get new bees. All your equipment is salvageable. You either requeen or they are toast. What ever you are up for.


My bees are in backyard hives. Killin off the bees as was suggested by my queen guy would probably bee dangerous for my neighbors. Unless someone has another suggestion for getting rid of them.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

kpence73 said:


> Hmm..I did see newly constructed queen cells 10 days ago. They typically make them but the cells never seem to be used. I did find out tonight that a friend said hers swarmed mid week last week. The 65ft aggression you are talking about, was that for 2-3 weeks leading up to it?


About 3 weeks. Horrible though.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

This is another reason for keeping some nucs going - spare queens for requeening hot hives.


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## throrope (Dec 18, 2008)

Had a couple of hot hives over the last decade or so of keeping. The last one stung our PA inspector about fifty times. I kidnapped the queen with some of her court into a nuc and a buddy took them to north central PA. They then became my most gentle hive. I gave away my first hot hive to the same buddy two years earlier, including supers. His place is much more isolated and has an electric fence to protect the bears.

Based on your description, something has to change. Discounting your roommate's or neighbor's experience in any way or creating even the most plausible excuse is purely a rationalization for your own purpose. Listening from PA, having read enough about africanized bees to be misinformed, and suspecting that a new queen won't be tolerated in an africanized colony, if I were you, I'd send a few of the girls to a lab. If that doesn't interest you, I'd at least start by giving her highness the same fate at Marie Antoinette. If that doesn't help, please consider dispatching the girls to a more secluded location.

If the hive wasn't opened, IMHO 20 stings is beyond forgiveness. In my experience, bees bumping into you is a friendly suggestion by the girls to clear out. Even if you get the girls to relax, if your neighbors are that close, I suggest enclosing your hives with 6 foot high lattice or similar so that their flight path is overhead. Just as I made clear to our neighbors that my yard was not purchased for their dog's business, your's have a right to enjoy their yard. I also admire your roommate's patience.

Good luck.


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## Oberlinmom (Mar 11, 2009)

My hives are all more aggressive. We've had awful yo-yo weather and the hives are booming. There wasn't much for them to gather. I have a few crocus that popped today and the girls were all over them. I also noticed the Maple tree is bursting with flowers and the ladies are bringing in pollen by the basket load. I'm planning to do a complete inspection of one of the hives this coming week. If we get the predicted weather. I'm wondering if their tempers will be as bad or if they will have calmed down a bit now that they are able to forage. I'm also wondering if they are getting cramped. I propped up a medium the other day to get a better look, drone larva broke open between the medium and the deep. The ladies were so thick I couldn't see the frame tops.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

A friend is going to come over tomorrow and I am going to go through my hives. I really feel I need to see what is going on in the hives. I want to see if my blue queen has been replaced or if they are building swarm cells. I think my decision is to requeen with cordovans as soon as I can get my hands on them. I don't want to kill the current queens because if it is genetics, I don't want the bloodline to continue. If it ain't a swarm preparing as mentioned before and requeening doesn't solve the problem by June. I may dump the bees and wait till next spring to install new packages. I afraid of dumping the bees now and it being something fixable. I can tell you my bees did not swarm at all last year. I inspected almost every 10 days and there were never any swarm cells. 

I cannot split as mention unless I give the split to someone. My current location is not big enough for 3 hives. I am not sure who would even want a split from my hive after this.


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## dmpower (Nov 7, 2010)

throrope said:


> . . . His place is much more isolated and has an electric fence to protect the bears. . .
> Good luck.


Thank you for that!!!


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Oberlinmom said:


> My hives are all more aggressive. We've had awful yo-yo weather and the hives are booming. There wasn't much for them to gather. I have a few crocus that popped today and the girls were all over them. I also noticed the Maple tree is bursting with flowers and the ladies are bringing in pollen by the basket load. I'm planning to do a complete inspection of one of the hives this coming week. If we get the predicted weather. I'm wondering if their tempers will be as bad or if they will have calmed down a bit now that they are able to forage. I'm also wondering if they are getting cramped. I propped up a medium the other day to get a better look, drone larva broke open between the medium and the deep. The ladies were so thick I couldn't see the frame tops.


Mine were the same way 10 and 30 days ago with population. I can't really have another hive so My plans where to let swarms go it call a club member of they wanted them. I have not noticed a swarm yet.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would requeen. The quickest way to calm them down is to split them as small as possible and requeen those. Of course, if you have another location you could put them, it might be wise, in the mean time, to move them until you get them manageable. 

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrequeeninghot.htm


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

Kpence, where did you get your original stock from? What producer? and where? TED


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

Would checkerboard be the management technique to get the bees some room without a new queen? 

oh - my privacy fence and positioning on the hive generated the 65 feet rule, the bees wouldn't let anyone inside that privacy fence, and their hive had its BACK to a large tree at one side of the fence. My helper and I did get the trailer off the lot, with the help of a smoker. But we were chased greatly, and I'd been stung 3 times in the week prior.

For a temporary solution a 6 ft fall solid fence (that they can't see through) facing the front of your hive that magically appears in the night will send the bees over or around, and may lessen their aggression. Bee management inside the hive, I don't know. 

My new hive position faces a privacy fence - maybe 6 ft from the hive entrances. Just in case.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Ted Kretschmann said:


> Kpence, where did you get your original stock from? What producer? and where? TED


Through a reseller, but he told me yesterday they came from Rossman apiaries.


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## Buffalolick (Jan 26, 2010)

Where in gwinnett are you? Im in Loganville and have alteady had a hive swarm. Split the hot hive or add supers.


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## tsmullins (Feb 17, 2011)

When your bees are bumping/stinging people, are the people walking in their flight path? For example, one of my hives is very hot when you walk in their flight path. But, if you approach from the rear of the hive, or from the windbreak side, I can kneel down and watch them at their entrance with no problems. 

With my other hives, walking past their flight path would not bother them. 

Just another thing to consider,

Shane


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

I have found keeping the path between the hives and the fishpond clear to be a prudent idea. I would not put a bench or anything attractive to a human in the way. and having the hive entrance facing blank fencing, I also find very practical. I can move around the lot, pull trucks and my trailer on and off, and as long as no bees are in a testy mood, no issues. I do need to make the area in front of the hives an area that does not need mowing. my shovel and I will attend to much of that before the bees arrive. Certain advantages to being winter-beeless.

Gypsi


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Let me give all of you an update and address some of the other things that have been mentioned. My hives face a 20 ft deep gully that runs between mine and my neighbors house. From my hives it is about 173 ft to their house through the woods. With all the trees in the yard blooming, everywhere has become a flight path. I have a cherry and a redbud in the front yard next to the drive way so in front of the garage doors has become a path. It becomes bee vs car when I pull in or out. 

The last week they seemed to have calmed down, but would still "seek you out" if you are on the back deck. Friday night I got into the hot tub and had 3 bees that kept checking it out, but never landed on me or near me so I didn't feel threatened at all.

I inspected hive 1 on Thursday because I needed to see what was going on inside with the queen cells I saw 3/1. I found a new queen roaming around inside so I marked her. There were also 4 other capped queen cells towards the bottoms of 2 frames. The hive did not seem overly aggressive, about normal for what they were like last year. So I am thinking, "ah a new daughter queen calmed them down". Well, read on..

I inspected hive 2 on Friday morning. MEAN MEAN MEAN MEAN MEAN. My veil had so many bees on it, I could not see out. My last season marked queen was gone. There were several capped queen cells and one open one. I did see a few eggs and and when I say few I mean less than 20 so I wasn't sure If I got there 1-2 days after my old queen was killed or left. If a queen had just hatched she would still be a virgin. Might be a laying worker, but I didn't get that impression. 

(both hives were converted over the 9 frame spacers because I can work them faster and it was a recommendation from BJ Weeks.)

Sunday morning, I noticed that I accidentally turned a 1" round upper entrance that I have in my top deep to the back (walking area) of my hive when I had worked them on Thursday. So I went out there to plug it temporarily. I noticed 1000s of bees in the air in the gully area and was mesmerized because I have never seen that. Turns out I got out there in time to see the beginning of a swarm. I took a nice video of the bees forming their swarm cluster. This was around 11am. I called a friend who wanted to capture any swarms I had and she came over around 12:30. The swarm was gone and the bees where NASTY. I am not going to inspect until next weekend so I don't know if the virgin queen I marked was the swarm queen or new hive queen. 

My friend wore her usual heavy flannel shirt, jeans, camo mosquito veil, and gardening gloves. She had to run. She got several stings. I was wearing my new Bee Breeze Ventilated Suit, which I could roll around in the hives and not get stung (giggle). We had to go into the garage and close the door.

So new daughter queens....didn't work....swarming....didn't work. I do not want another hive so a split is out unless someone wants it. 

I did order cordovan queens from Koehnen and Son's in Northern Cali. I get them 4/11 and will be requeening. I typically don't allow the bees to release the queen. I keep her in her cage for 3-4 days and then remove the cork plug and either let them release her or after a day I do it myself. So my requeening process usually takes 4-5 days. I am scared though that they are so nasty they won't take my ordered queens or will tolerate them until they can raise a new queen, which will of course just be a daughter of the cordovan with non-local genetics.

So summary is...if requeening doesn't work...bees are gone and you will see all my equipment for sale in the "For Sale" forum.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

I wish you lived closer. 
No bees working my pear tree.
Where did you get that suit?
Gypsi


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## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

Sounds like a rough deal. Put all that time and emotion into them and then “something goes horribly wrong”. I have to say that my wife would have had me transport those hives after the second sting so you have got some serious patience on those around you. Make certain you post a follow-up with your situation, many times I think we post when it is bad but not the solution. This would be a good one in the information pile.


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Requeen them in a month they will all be different genetics.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

EastSideBuzz said:


> Requeen them in a month they will all be different genetics.


That is the plan, but will take 90 days to have a total switch over. 

Plan B is to take the hives out in the middle of no where and clean the bees out and start over with new packages.


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

Although ive never dealt with AHB, ive seen youtube videos on AHB hives and they are just plain nasty!! Maybe thats what happened to your hive, they may have been either taken over by AHB or the virgin has mated with drones from a AHB colony.

If they are that nasty, I would kill the hive and replace with package bees. Your neighbor will thank you!!


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

kpence73 said:


> So summary is...if requeening doesn't work...bees are gone and you will see all my equipment for sale in the "For Sale" forum.


I am not sure what I would do in your situation but selling the equipment would be my last resort. I don't have any issues with toasting the bees and starting again with a new breed. It is not the equipment.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

BeeGhost said:


> Although ive never dealt with AHB, ive seen youtube videos on AHB hives and they are just plain nasty!! Maybe thats what happened to your hive, they may have been either taken over by AHB or the virgin has mated with drones from a AHB colony.
> 
> If they are that nasty, I would kill the hive and replace with package bees. Your neighbor will thank you!!


Not AHB because when this all started my last season queens were in the hives.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Acebird said:


> I am not sure what I would do in your situation but selling the equipment would be my last resort. I don't have any issues with toasting the bees and starting again with a new breed. It is not the equipment.


I wasn't referring to the equipment being the problem. What I meant was I would be out of the bee business. I do have a friend that offered to help me killing the hives, but they have to be transported to do that...This is certainly not the fun hobby that it was presented as and I experienced last summer. I can't even go into my own yard while the sun is up.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

You're all going to think I'm crazy, but it seems like the bees are "covering" the windows and doors, especially those with a line of sight the the hives. I sat and watched them and it is as if the same bees are on guard duty flying along the perimeter of the house. I went outside on the back deck to do something and 3 bees went for my head. I also noticed bees hanging around my the open window where my cat was sun bathing. 

This is absolutely crazy.


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

I just destroyed some bees that acted very similar. They were going to be a cut-out, but they were so unmanageably hot I let the exterminator have them.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Paul McCarty said:


> I just destroyed some bees that acted very similar. They were going to be a cut-out, but they were so unmanageably hot I let the exterminator have them.


How did you do it?


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

I am partnered with an exterminator and he killed them. He is the one referred me to them.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

Smoke with sulfur? at night?

And Africans can steal a hive, kill your queen, you walk out to all new bees in the morning.


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## mike haney (Feb 9, 2007)

kpence73 said:


> How did you do it?


black trash bag over the hive sealed with duct tape


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

mike haney said:


> black trash bag over the hive sealed with duct tape


I spoke to BJ Weeks and he said put a super on and a big block or two of dry ice after sealing up the hive. CO2 will suffocate them. I just have to find a place to keep the brood frames frozen until I get package in April and let them clean out dead brood.


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## Bee-tlejuice (Oct 2, 2007)

One thing you could try in the meantime is: Take a frame with some brood from hive 1 and transfer it to hive 2. I don't know whether they'll successfully raise a queen from it, but *the brood pheromones should have some calming effect on hive 2's workers* -- and the process can be repeated every 1-2 weeks or so. 
Longer term, there's an old method for taming bees, or at least acclimating them somewhat to you by scent: 
Wear a pair of underwear for several days straight, maybe even a week , then mount them unwashed on a pole, say 2-3 feet high, near the hive (protection from rain might help, I'm not sure) -- the wind will move them about, getting the bees' attention along with the scent and as I understand it, teach them, after they repeatedly attack it, that you (or that which smells like you) is a constant presence which doesn't attack the hive, is invulnerable to their stings, and therefore is to be ignored or at least not attacked -- this was IIRC used on black British/German bees, which are meaner to work than Africanized bees -- they also tend to be smarter than other breeds -- see Dr. Russell's (of Russell Apiaries) comments on this board regarding the black bees forming lines over the seams of his beesuit; they figured out the suit and concentrated their efforts in concert, trying to chew through the black threads comprising the suit's seams.
P.S. The headbutting and window mobbing sounds a bit like the Russian breed and black British/German bees, respectively -- search Beesource for more info on those; I have no direct experience with any of those types, just what I've read. Another thing: avoid any products using artificial banana flavor or scent -- the chemical used is one of the primary components of honeybee alarm pheromone. Burning candles scented with that indoors would be a Very Bad Idea. Isn't Georgia experiencing drought conditions? Have any rains removed the squished-bees and their alarm scents from the gutter-cleaning or the ground below the gutters?
Have you been *washing the alarm pheromones off your suit between visits*? Good luck!


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## jbford (Apr 17, 2009)

Put some water in a washtub and add a good squirt of dishwashing detergent. (reduces surface tension so they won't float) Shake the supers over the tub. This will get most of the bees. It is very quick and humane. Go through the hive the next day to be sure the queen is gone, then cut any queen cells and requeen or combine with a nice hive.

After 20 years with no problems i have had to do this the last 2 years with aggressive colonies.


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## Risky Beesness (Dec 29, 2010)

As I have already commented in another thread, I have one hive that is viscious, but they are in a pasture over 200 yards away from any of my neighbors or my house. I plan to make an attempt to split the hive into 4 nucs and re-queen all of them. If that fails, or they refuse to accept mated queens, I think I will take the washtub approach as a last resort. You really have to trust your suit to do anything with them. The other 4 hives range from gentle to manageable.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

jbford said:


> Put some water in a washtub and add a good squirt of dishwashing detergent. (reduces surface tension so they won't float) Shake the supers over the tub. This will get most of the bees. It is very quick and humane. Go through the hive the next day to be sure the queen is gone, then cut any queen cells and requeen or combine with a nice hive.
> 
> After 20 years with no problems i have had to do this the last 2 years with aggressive colonies.


That won't work in my case and I will tell you why. When I open a hive and begin to pull out frames, half the hive goes airborne. 5 days ago I looked like those people you see in pictures that are covered in gentle bees and look like hats, beards, etc. except mine where trying to sting. So many on my veil I literally could not see anything but bee bellies and stingers proding for a target. 20 or so will stay with me no matter how far away I walk, but oddly don't like going into the garage. I am about to have the windows in my house replaced and window guys, bees, and no barrier for my house is not going to make for a great combination.


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## RiodeLobo (Oct 11, 2010)

Just kill the little buggers if they are making it intolerable.


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## mike haney (Feb 9, 2007)

just put a trash bag over'em tonight-1 minute,tops,and its over. the sun and their natural CO2 from breathing will end them.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

If I had to do it, the trash bag approach sounds a lot easier than the washtub approach.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

While I can understand the emotion, having had bees meaner than mean, I have never killed them. I split them into manageable units (you can just do every box as it's own split and an empty box of drawn comb at the old location) wait overnight and put a queen in every one. The one that kills the queen has a queen and you can split it again if you need to. Find that queen and kill her and then combine that one with one of the ones that accepted the queens.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrequeeninghot.htm

I admit I was considering that perhaps they could not be salvaged, but I figured out how...


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## Risky Beesness (Dec 29, 2010)

> That won't work in my case and I will tell you why. When I open a hive and begin to pull out frames, half the hive goes airborne. 5 days ago I looked like those people you see in pictures that are covered in gentle bees and look like hats, beards, etc. except mine where trying to sting. So many on my veil I literally could not see anything but bee bellies and stingers proding for a target.


I think I am in the same boat. Only mine ride with me on the Mule for as far as I will let them. It has a windshiled and I have to stop and open the lower panel so the breeze passes through, to blow them off. When I stopped to do this, they were stinging the black velcro that holds the lower panel open.

I am going to try Michael's plan and give it my best shot. 4 or 5 queens later, I will either have 4 or 5 new gentle nucs, or ........


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## ZodiacK (Apr 28, 2011)

My Russian hive in Arkansas was recently hot as well. I still had my reducer in from the winter so their entrance was only two bee spaces across. The large amount of traffic was overwhelming the entrance and they were becoming agitated. Another thing was they were trying to fan at any little crack they could find in the hive so i believe air flow was an issue as well. 

Upon removing the reducer they had completely calmed down the next day.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

ZodiacK said:


> My Russian hive in Arkansas was recently hot as well. I still had my reducer in from the winter so their entrance was only two bee spaces across. The large amount of traffic was overwhelming the entrance and they were becoming agitated. Another thing was they were trying to fan at any little crack they could find in the hive so i believe air flow was an issue as well.
> 
> Upon removing the reducer they had completely calmed down the next day.


Hmm. I have not tried that. My reducer is dill on with the 4" opening. I have already sealed the hive and prepared for the CO2. I would rather start over which is killing me. 

As far as splitting. I can't because I don't have the room. And the neighbors wanted the number limited and I am going to respect that or risk the city showing up. Even if they didn't care, my bee yard fits 2 and only 2 hives and NO one in my club wants my bees because because of the aggression.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

I would rather see you toast these bees and continue beekeeping than give up and forever forward bad mouth beekeeping. Call me a coward or any other name in the book, I would not voluntary accept bee stings. I am sure my day is coming but if I get repeatedly stung from an aggressive hive,that hive is a dead duck. But that will not stop me from having another hive. I have had a total of 3 hives and each and every one has been a pleasure. I have gotten one mini sting on my pinkie finger dealing with a robbing situation which could have been me pinching the bee when I carried the box. I don't know. I say mini sting because it didn't leave the stinger.


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## kpence73 (Apr 9, 2011)

Acebird said:


> I would rather see you toast these bees and continue beekeeping than give up and forever forward bad mouth beekeeping. Call me a coward or any other name in the book, I would not voluntary accept bee stings. I am sure my day is coming but if I get repeatedly stung from an aggressive hive,that hive is a dead duck. But that will not stop me from having another hive. I have had a total of 3 hives and each and every one has been a pleasure. I have gotten one mini sting on my pinkie finger dealing with a robbing situation which could have been me pinching the bee when I carried the box. I don't know. I say mini sting because it didn't leave the stinger.


Oh I will have new hives in April. I wouldn't bad mouth beekeeping at all. I actually love it. I just don't like my demon bees. See I would get 4 -6 stings each time I inspected. I thought that was normal. I guess my bees have always been warm and now full on hot. Worked wonders for my arthritis, which I HAD in my hands (I'm only 38). I kept telling my roommate and neighbors this behavior is probably normal. I had to finally accept that it is not and having a fellow keeper over to see them confirmed that. But if this was normal behavior I would have to get out of it because I really need to enjoy being outside not looking out the window at the bees watching me.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

I'm glad you're resolving the situation and staying in beekeeping. 4 to 6 stings on an inspection does seem a bit much. Stalking bees is mega-much!


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

If I had to endure stings every time I opened the hive I wouldn't have bees. That may be more normal in the south, I don't know, but it is not normal in the north.


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## Tom B (May 11, 2011)

Today I banished my hot hive to the swamps of central Wisconsin. Packed them up early this morning and by 11:00 they were set up in their new location, far away from people, pets, and livestock. They made the 120 mile trip well and are adapting to their new location. I expect I will get a lot of honey from this hive and the splits it will produce, it is a booming bee factory and should flourish in 30 acres of restored wildflower prairie and natural wetlands. I am anxious to see if their defensiveness will be reduced with more isolation. We are at least a month ahead of normal here in Wisconsin and this hive is already full of capped brood and drone brood.


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