# What happened to all the nasty mean bees?



## grumpybeeman (Jan 10, 2014)

??? They're great for keeping animals out of the garden.


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

maybe they've gone ice fishing?


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## grumpybeeman (Jan 10, 2014)

To the big pond up in the sky you mean.


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

what happened?


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## grumpybeeman (Jan 10, 2014)

squarepeg said:


> what happened?


The grumpy bees that the old timers talked about...Whatever happened to the old strains that were intolerable to work with?


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

good question. down here the old guys refer to those as 'german black bees'. they were notoriously mean like you say, but good honey producers. it is assumed that strain is apis mellifera mellifera, and some of their genes are still found among feral colonies in the eastern u.s., but for the most part they have become mixed with other strains and are now 'hybrid'.


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## tefer2 (Sep 13, 2009)

Mites did them in!


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## TWall (May 19, 2010)

I have plenty of defensive bees. Once I have raised some queens to requeen with you are welcome to these queens. They lay lots of brood and the bees bring in lots of stores. There are plenty of guard bees to sting you more than you would like. They also are tenacious, they don't give up easily once put in protective mode.

Tom


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## Cub (Feb 14, 2013)

I have a hive of dark ferals that came from a swarm call that are downright nasty, but they built up and are easily my best of 7 hives in about half of the time of their competition. So, if they, or any of my bees make it through this tough winter, they can continue with their brutal ways.


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## jredburn (Feb 25, 2012)

The bees aren't dumb, they moved to Florida for the winter. We call them snow-bees.http://www.beesource.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif


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## Fishman43 (Sep 26, 2011)

Still have some here in my area. So of those buggers will chase you down for hundreds of feet from the hive just for being there let alone trying to work them. I don't like having them around much so I try to requeen them when I get the genetics on an open mated queen. It is interesting to watch the color of the bees change in successive generations though, in either direction.


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## Birdman (May 8, 2009)

grumpybeeman said:


> The grumpy bees that the old timers talked about...Whatever happened to the old strains that were intolerable to work with?


They are in Texas. I worked bee's in N Dakota last fall, we work bee's from 4 different states and the Texas bee's were hot but the also put more honey on.


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## KevinR (Apr 30, 2010)

LOL, I've had a few hives that I would consider " intolerable to work with".... 

In a full ultra breeze suit, I had to stop working them because I couldn't see through the veil.... Wish I had a video camera on me, would have loved to see what it looking like from the outside....

Anyway, they got requeened and put back under my oppression... I don't mind them being a little feisty, but if they are bent on killing you... They have to go... Regardless of the amount of honey they put up....


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## Birdman (May 8, 2009)

:shhhh::lookout:


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## Birdman (May 8, 2009)

TWall said:


> I have plenty of defensive bees. Once I have raised some queens to requeen with you are welcome to these queens. They lay lots of brood and the bees bring in lots of stores. There are plenty of guard bees to sting you more than you would like. They also are tenacious, they don't give up easily once put in protective mode.
> 
> Tom





Cub said:


> I have a hive of dark ferals that came from a swarm call that are downright nasty, but they built up and are easily my best of 7 hives in about half of the time of their competition. So, if they, or any of my bees make it through this tough winter, they can continue with their brutal ways.


 I should start a home for old mean queens.


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## grumpybeeman (Jan 10, 2014)

I'm already working on that! We live in the day of synthetic net/mesh fabric which can be layered up 5-6 times and still maintain air flow. I've yet to see a hive of bees that I can't tangle with. Bring it on!


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## Fishman43 (Sep 26, 2011)

But it still sucks when you crack a lid and they are like static charged velcro that instantly attack and attach to every surface they can find


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## grumpybeeman (Jan 10, 2014)

It's 30 days out of the year...It's not that bad. 2 old net jackets, taped off boots, good gloves, and a full suit. The only place I get nipped is on the shoulders once in awhile. I do kind of miss the fat lazy italian bees. They don't like the winter up here though.


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## buz (Dec 8, 2005)

We got plenty round these parts.................


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## WLC (Feb 7, 2010)

You've certainly got my attention.


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## mark williams (Jan 19, 2003)

They have all came down to my house,,,,


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## grumpybeeman (Jan 10, 2014)

All the ones up in Wisconsin that i know of moved into a buddy's house wall out in the country. His wife won't let me cut the wall open to take them!... Tell them to come back up here! We don't want anymore california arnold bees. How mean are they?


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## tim adams (Feb 18, 2010)

I kept some feral back bees back in the 80's in Alabama, we always called German Black Bees. They were smaller than Italians and would eat you butt up! Inspections were difficult at best because they ran a round like they were on speed. They made lots of honey and the comb was very white. I think mites and SHB did them in, I know in Northern Alabama there isn't any feral bees much anymore. You could cut a watermelon in the 80's and have to beat the honeybee's, yellowjacket's and hornets off, now a cut watermelon can lay there 2 days and you won't see many honeybees. That being said I WOULD LOVE to have some again! 
Tim Adams


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## erik58 (Oct 19, 2013)

About five years ago I had some ferals that were really mean they were a odd color they were a bright orange. I couldn't go out the back door of the house. the hive was about 75 feet from the house.they were fantastic honey producers the brood chambers were stacked 3 high. I wish I still had them. mean as hell Erik58


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## Blessed Farms (Jun 12, 2012)

You are welcome to any mean queens that I may come across. I had to re-queen a hive last year. They would be head butting you fifty yards away. Pop the lid on them and it was instant black-out on your veil. They would follow me back to the house (200 yards away) and some would still be stuck to my clothing once inside.

As for all the layering of clothing/suits.... Its not too fun in 100 degree weather with 90% humidity. Your clothing couldn't be any more soaked (from the sweat) if you were to jump in a pond.

In my opinion, I want gentle bees that my young son enjoys spending time with me and the bees.


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## tim adams (Feb 18, 2010)

Blessed Farms
I understand how you feel and can say they aren't for beginners. I don't generally like hot bees but some of my most productive bees have been a little hot. I just so happen to have a place to keep them away from people and domestic animals. I keep bees in Florida and we have to be really careful because of Africanized bees, we always requeen any feral bees. Thanks and let me know if you finds some!


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## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

Tim, there are plenty of feral bees in North Alabama. Most of them carry some of the old black bee genetics. The bees I have now are descended from one such feral queen.


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## tim adams (Feb 18, 2010)

Fusion power
Glad to hear about feral bees over your way and maybe I'll find some. I'm starting some hives this year over in St Clair county at our farm and was hoping to find some.
Tim


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