# How do I relax w/bees?



## Meghues (Jan 5, 2016)

It takes time and experience to get comfortable with bees. Everyone’s schedule will be different. Keep doing what you’re doing and each year will get easier. 
There’s a way you move around bees that keeps them calm. Slow and deliberate is the way, no quick movement. 
Another point is to watch the bees in the hive after you open it up. If they are all lined up looking at you they’re getting defensive. Give them a little more smoke. You want them just doing their stuff without staring at you. 
Be careful opening the hive, that the top or inner cover doesn’t crack loose and jar the poor dears. Be careful propping things against the hive or bumping it. You don’t want them to know you’re there. When prying out a frame, brace it with the other hand so it doesn’t break loose and jar the bees or squish them against the other frames. 
When you get more accustomed to working your bees many of these movements will be second nature and you’ll slide in easily without much disturbance. What looks on videos like fairly swift and ordinary movements are really much more controlled and practiced, but you’re not experienced in watching the subtle differences so you don’t pick them up. The bees will teach you how to move. 
Err on the side of too slow and careful and you’ll catch on. 
Happy beekeeping!
Megan Hughes


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## Ryan Williamson (Feb 28, 2012)

Get a beer, glass of wine, cup of tea or a cool glass of water and put the drink on top of the hive. Then put that chair behind or beside the hive and lean back and enjoy that drink sitting on the hive. It's easy! Oh but I just read the rest of your post. It brought back memories of those same emotions opening my first hives. Over time you will learn to read the temperament of the bees and act proactively to keep them calm as you work. Listen to the tonal changes and watch how they move on the frames and yes a line of eyes looking up at you can spell impending danger. Unlesss your hive is an overly defensive group they should be able to stay calm. 
Sometimes they will be very calm until you get to working with the frames near the entrance with guard bees. 
Personally I feel like I became a much better beekeeper when I gave up the gloves and accepted the random sting. In August I broke down a few hived making splits wearing shorts and a tee shirt. But occasionally a hive will get hot and I will duck inside for a suit. I'm more careful and aware without protection. A few weeks ago I felt a tickle and found a queen walking up my leg!


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## JUGGERNAUT (Aug 26, 2019)

I too was pretty jittery/nervous when I first started keeping bees. Over time I am pretty relaxed when I'm doing the normal routine. It's when surprises happen that I get anxious now. Things I haven't seen before. Twice this year surprises happened and was on the verge of a panic attack, One was on a deep inspection of my pissy hive and I was almost done. I smoked them before putting the last 2 frames in and I must have scared them but it was like a river of bees going out of the front entrance. I decided that was it so I put em back together quickly then just observed. They returned to normal. The second time was when I was marking a queen for my first time. Long story short she fainted. I thought I killed her. That's all on another thread. How I keep calm is I have a game plan before I open any of them up. I know what I need to see, pay attention to details, get in and get out, especially on my pissy hive. Another thing that helps me is I don't focus to much on the queen. If I see her, cool, if not I always look for eggs. Also I leave the more pissy hive for last to keep me from getting flustered and lose my concentration on the nice hives and make mistakes. On my nice hives Ive opened them up twice within an hour with nothing on and no smoke, my more pissy hive I use a jacket/veil. I don't take chances on them.
Hope this helps. Try some of them out. Let us know what has helped you and ones that don't.


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## JUGGERNAUT (Aug 26, 2019)

Ryan Williamson said:


> Get a beer, glass of wine, cup of tea or a cool glass of water and put the drink on top of the hive. Then put that chair behind or beside the hive and lean back and enjoy that drink sitting on the hive. !


I was always told by my first mentor to not drink and work the bees. When you exhale your breath contains carbohydrates and bees see you as food. I dont know this personally because I just took his word for it. If anyone has done this with no ill affects I'd love to know! This way I can do it! LoL.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

Wear ear muffs. The sound of the bees is what get me jumpy. When I had a somewhat hot hive I'd slip on the muffs and it made a world of difference. Plus, you know they can't sting your ears!


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## little_john (Aug 4, 2014)

Meghues said:


> There’s a way you move around bees that keeps them calm. Slow and deliberate is the way, no quick movement.
> [...]
> Err on the side of too slow and careful and you’ll catch on.


+1 ... before opening a hive "think Tai Chi". 
LJ


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

My experiance tells me bees are able to pick up what I call fearmones. I can be standing in a a bee yard with a million bees flying during a nectar flow and be fine, a visitor who has fear will be literally under attack. As you get more comfortable so will your bees and there is a point of symbiosis and recognition which will calm you both. The magic of watching these amazing creatures, the aromas of the beehive, the beautiful sunny day, these thing will sink deep in your psyche and you’ll be hooked for life. Some days the girls are a bit stingy and you’ll know them. As to protective gear, I worked for years without gloves and just a veil. I work a lot of hives every day as I do it for a living. I now wear a pollinator jacket and gloves almost all the time as I came to realize I was taking more stings and want to avoid the “magic sting” and the allergic reaction which would rob me of this passion.


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

The above advice is all good. Zen moments. I finally was able to do a crush and strain a month ago of a cross combed deep, literally thousands of bees flying around trying to get the honey before I did, all without a suite or veil. Picked up the bees that kept gettin into the honey with no problem. Took one sting when I picked up a piece of comb and did not see or feel the bee under my finger.


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## LAlldredge (Aug 16, 2018)

2nd year and understand completely. A way to reduce bee stress is to use a quiet box and hive drapes. The idea is to protect the frames and boxes set outside from the open air. It keeps them in the box and fewer in the air. Billy Davis has a Youtube video about quiet boxes. I use flour sack cloths for hive drapes and cover boxes taken off the hive. It works. 

For my stress- have a goal going in and talk my way through the inspection. Out loud. So I’m literally talking to myself while I’m out there. It helps me concentrate. There are times in the year when a few frames is all you need to inspect anyway. Fall is a time when I dig in very little if I know I’m queen right.

Also bought a great bee jacket and feel much more comfortable knowing I can’t get stung through it. When they are buzzing around my head I tell them “you’re very good at your work” without fear. Getting good at using smoke helps a great deal as well. There’s an art to it.

When I was learning to ride my 17.2 warmblood young horse there were days when I wondered if I would ever get over the fear. Someone told me that such things are solved by time in the saddle. 

Beekeeping is a time in the saddle thing.


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## dddillon (Jun 6, 2017)

I agree with the good suit. I invested in a good 3 ply vented jacket, not really for the stings, but the venting, being in richmond, va.
It gives me the confidence that if they do get really pissy, or I make a mistake and bang a frame (or drop one.. ) I'm not gonna get pounced on.

Having said that, and this is time/season dependant, I prefer to wear only a veil, and no gloves, usually with just a tshirt and shorts. Started doing this this year and it has really helped me to move ninja like over the frames and being able to feel the frames helps a great deal. It was frightening taking off the gloves the first few times, and I got a couple of stings, but those are much fewer now because being unprotected like that reminds you to be very calm and slow with the inspection. I Often can do inspections without use of smoker, if it is a quick and light inspection

Having said that: I ALWAYS have my good bee jacket ready to put on. I ALWAYS wear a veil. And I ALWAYS light a smoker.

You will learn to read your bees. The sound of the hum. The stare of a thousand eyes. The thump of a bee hitting your veil. I've had times where I've done full inspection on three hives, with nary a poof of smoke and just bees milling around, but the fourth hive will be completely different. I never hesitate to put on the heavy jacket at any time. I usually go from bare hands, to nitrile gloves, to leather gloves, as needed.

come Fall, Winter and early spring, though, they will be pissy almost all the time, so the jacket just goes on.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Champy said:


> ....... I watch countless videos of guys in t-shirts and shorts with no veils tossing frames about and yaking away ......
> 
> Thanks for any pointers to help.


Forget this non-sense and the pop-culture gimmicks.
Yeh, those guys are cool and whatever.
Their bees are 0% defensive, let them be proud about it.
Or they handle tiny nucs - which by definition are 0% defensive - nothing magical there.
They will never post a video where they had a bad day either.

Now do what fits YOU the best and be *RELAXED *about it.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

AR1 said:


> Wear ear muffs. .....!


Bad idea.
What IF someone actually needs your urgent attention?
What IF they can not get close either.
What are they to do? Throw rocks at your?

You will basically learn to tune out the details and focus on the task on hand.
I just talk to myself if have to - what I am doing, and why I am doing it, and what I should do now because something JUST happened.

Lost all my volunteer family helpers by now - no one is interested in my hobby anymore (outside of the honey).
Just myself to talk to - which a very good therapy, if you think about it.


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## bushpilot (May 14, 2017)

More power to those who go suitless, but I wear a full suit anytime the hives the top comes off. Period. Nothing relaxes me better than having a barrier between me and them.

When they are not open, I enjoy being around the hives in whatever I am wearing already. I will do non-disruptive work on and around the hives without a suit and without problems.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Do what you have to do to be comfortable with YOUR bees. There can be a world of difference in the temperament of different bees. What you are doing to the hives makes a big difference too in what you can get away with.

I think some of the video is rather misleading about what to expect. I will guarantee you could not get away with shorts, flip flops and no shirt with the bees that are common around where my sons bees are. With mine under ideal conditions and slow deliberate handling, you could. If you have to get a lot done in a hurry or it is cloudy you will be a happier camper if you suit up.


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## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

Champy said:


> , but when the bees get "busy" and start buzzing all over me I get antsy and start rushing thinking I need to close up asap. I've yet to inspect more than 3-4 frames per box before closing up to avoid the cloud in my face.


This is probably the most important time to implement the zen philosophy that's been suggested. Relax,"slow down", and don't rush. Wear whatever amount of gear you are comfortable with. I've been doing this for a while and I'm sure not in the tee shirt and flip flop group. Nitrile gloves and a suit or jacket is what I'm comfortable with. I don't need to prove anything to anyone, just want to be relaxed working my bees and enjoy the experience. Everyone has their own personal level of comfort and fear. Don't worry about what anyone else is doing, enjoy your bees.

If there are dozens of bees incessantly pinging your veil that's another scenario, but it's common to have clouds of bees buzzing around in your face when doing inspections. 

I usually remove boxes and set them behind me and will inspect frames there. It seems to help reduce some of the guard bee activity vs. inspecting frames at the hive location.


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## Champy (Jan 24, 2019)

Thanks for all the advice. Forgot to mention that I’m blind in one eye and mostly deaf too. W/o my hearing aids in I hear none of the buzzing which actually helps most times but also cannot hear if they get riled up. Hence my avatar and I named my new hobby “Blind Bee Honey”... my bottle labels. Ha!


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

Champy said:


> Been stung and that's not a worry.


maybe not for you champy, but the smell of even one sting in the air prompts the remaining bees toward defensiveness, which is amplified even more with each successive sting.

that smell can linger in any of your protective gear like gloves ect., so be mindful of that.

avoiding that first sting goes a long way to keeping the colony calm, that and avoiding crushing any bees.


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## sjj (Jan 2, 2007)

Champy said:


> ... tossing frames about and yaking away ...


Do not trample the bees underfoot.


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## little_john (Aug 4, 2014)

Champy said:


> 1 - Is there a way to reduce MY stress/nervousness in this process? (just takes time?)


I reckon that's been covered pretty well.



> 2 - Is there a technique that may reduce the bee's stress so they are not as defensive?


Well, apart from the "slow and deliberate" movements - some folks swear by the use of two cloths, which cover the frames leaving a gap between them for the frame which is being removed. The absence of full exposure is also claimed by Top Bar Hive users to reduce defensiveness.
I don't use this technique myself as it sounds a tad 'fiddly', and my bees are reasonably well-behaved most of the time - but I'd say it might be a technique worth trying. The only time I cover a box with a cloth is when I need to walk away from an open hive for more than a few minutes, as it certainly stops the bees from becoming 'pi$$y' and helps prevent opportunistic robber scouts from helping themselves.



> 3 - Is it reasonable to invite another seasoned beekeeper to "work with me" on the hives sometime?


Well - why not, assuming you can find one willing to help out ? Then you could watch their technique close-up. A good idea.
'best
LJ


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I find it useful to always use a quiet box (or boxes if it's going to be a "big" or very detailed inspection) for any frame not in its box or my hands. I cover up every open box with a political sign, unless my hands are in it. these two steps seem to keep the bees quiet and calm(er.)

And I generally work the bottom box first, not down through the top box(es). I remove and restack (close by) the upper boxes - work the bottom one, then move the next-up one back on top of the bottom one for whatever work I plan to to in it, and so on. My stacks are, at their smallest, three deep boxes, plus a medium pollen box as the lowest one, though that one almost never needs more than cursory attention.

And a I rarely go to the trouble of looking at all the frames in a box. I pull the second or third one from the outside out , and then look at a further 4 or 5, then call it a day. So, I am basically looking at the middle-ish frames, not the exterior ones in my 10-frame boxes.

I was very stressed by working the bees at first - I dreaded having to do it actually. But I found, over time, that my deep curiosity about their fascinating lives overcame that stress. Now I find it, if it's not actually relaxing, it's at least so intensely focused that it clears my mind in a way I look forward to. The times I go back to being stressed about are when I know am tardy about checking on them and therefore it is more destructive to get the boxes separated. The key to avoiding that, I think, is to tightly control how many colonies you keep and match that number to your daily life and its other commitments. 

Nancy


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## rwlaw (May 4, 2009)

I opened up a new yard this year and the land owner is fascinated with the bk’n process and likes to (sometimes much to my chagrin) yak it up. His property, looks like pretty prime pickings for the bees, so why not talk bees with him, he might be buying nucs from me next year lol.
Anyway he made the the remark that I talk to the bees! I said sure why not, I tell them I’m here to do my job, work with me and we’ll get thru this. You talk to your horses don’t you? 
It does seem nutty, but in a way it seems to calm them down and gives me a way to vent if things are not going according to plan (the hive tool has grown legs and wandered off to neverland etc).


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## dudelt (Mar 18, 2013)

My first year of beekeeping I felt the same way. I was nervous every time I went out. I was sure I would do something really wrong, I would cause the bees to come after me in force, I was going to kill the queen, etc. etc. etc. Then year 2 came along and suddenly, I was not the least bit worried. All my anxiety just disappeared. Time will make it easier.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Get a full ventilated suit. Wear leather gloves (just regular goatskin or doeskin gloves tucked into the sleeves). Rubber band your pant legs. Light up the smoker. You'll soon realize that the bees in the air are not necessarily trying to "get" you. As you get more relaxed, you can try less and less protective gear. Try leaving off the gloves. When you are comfortable with that, try just a jacket with a zip on veil. When you are comfortable with that, try just a veil and a tee shirt. Some bees you will never be able to work in a tee shirt... but you will find that out back when you weren't wearing gloves...


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

All good advice. For me, the best is to 1. Have a purpose/goal in the inspection. It helps greatly if you keep a journal to know what you want to check on. 2. Use a quiet box to keep frames in and cover boxes that you are not working. I use Jester boxes that nucs come in for a quiet box and cloth covers. 3. Smoke the hive. Just a few puffs below and under the lid. 4. Move slowly and deliberately. 5. If the bees are truly aggressive and you really do not have to do something, close it up and come back another day. J


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## JTGaraas (Jun 7, 2014)

When inspecting hives, be mindful of weather and time; avoid dreary, damp weather (rain threatening), and inspect after most foragers are gone.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

One of the things I love about beekeeping is how it forces me to slow down. Not just physically, but mentally. Zen is a good description.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeschangeyourlife.htm


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## Hogback Honey (Oct 29, 2013)

Like others have said, relax, go slow, and keep your smoker going!! Just recently I went out to my hives, to take off something, can't remember what. I figured, heck it's a nice day, the bees are busy, I'm only going to be a second, I won't take any smoke.....................WRONG!! They were on me like Stink on Sheet, took me totally by surprise. I went back to my supply shed, stoked up the smoker, smoked them, and all was right with the world. What a HUGE difference a little bit of smoke made, so keep that smoker handy, you don't need to use much, but when they seem to be getting agitated give them a puff or two. 

I was the same in the beginning, more nervous that I was disrupting them, than them getting pissed and bombarding me. Good luck!


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## NewbeeInNH (Jul 10, 2012)

Michael Bush said:


> Get a full ventilated suit. ...


Exactly. I consider my bee suit an invisible shield so I can get close and watch the bees, etc. without having to worry about it. Why stress yourself out? You can always peel off the layers if and when you get more comfortable.


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## karenarnett (Mar 25, 2012)

I'll add two cents to the abundant pile of dimes and nickels. DO work right over the hive - you don't want a queen dropping off a frame and into the grass at your feet (has happened to me once. Miracle I didn't step on her.) Better if the queen is on the frame that she drops down into the hive. And DO invite an experienced beek to work with you. That was very helpful for me when I first started. And I was super nervous my first year - felt like I wanted to scream every time I opened a hive. But the next year I was able to work without gloves, and then the next year, was comfortable knowing what seasons the bees are more gentle so I could work without a veil. I use very little smoke. You're doing great! Hope your bees make it through the winter.


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## QNBKPR (Mar 13, 2015)

Give yourself time to get comfortable, you are still getting into the groove, and like someone else said, you don't have answer to anyone whether you choose to work the hives commando or full gear.
I ALWAYS wear suit, gloves, beeproof hat, two pairs of socks: all the stuff, even though it's hot to wear. Before I retired, my hands were my paycheck, and I was quite protective of them (and the rest of me!). Still how I am comfortable when working the hives, even though this year my bees are just mellow as can be.
Fun to see how many of us talk to the girls when we work.
And after 9 years, I have finally learned that what seems like a half hour in the bee yard usually is at least 2-3 hours.
Enjoy your new hobby!


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## Beepah (Apr 13, 2018)

GregV said:


> Forget this non-sense and the pop-culture gimmicks.
> ...
> They will never post a video where they had a bad day either.


Actually, this guy: https://youtu.be/U7FD5k0Tr8I

Champy, like others have said, comfort comes mostly from time with the bees. And hey, what's wrong with protective gear? I've watched a local beekeeping guru many times and after a whlie I realized that although he doesn't wear a veil or gloves, he _always_ wears a jacket. Fifty plus years of experience in action; remarkable watching him move so fluidly that the bees could care less that he is there. Two years of exerience for me and my bees _definitely_ care that I'm there so I go with a jacket and a veil, and often nitrile gloves.


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## Pchristu (Aug 10, 2016)

squarepeg said:


> maybe not for you champy, but the smell of even one sting in the air prompts the remaining bees toward defensiveness, which is amplified even more with each successive sting.
> 
> that smell can linger in any of your protective gear like gloves ect., so be mindful of that.
> avoiding that first sting goes a long way to keeping the colony calm, that and avoiding crushing any bees.


Fully agree. Calm hive can become nasty after one sting. Smoking the sting site can help; better yet, smear a little Vaseline over it, or, even better yet, some Vicks salve (make your own cheaply by whipping wintergreen oil into vaseline). Keep a dab inside one of those screw-top lip balm containers, in your pocket.


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## Richinbama (Jan 15, 2018)

Move slow and gently around the bees. Be very careful when pulling frames out of hive, not to bump them around. Use your smoker properly, watch the guard bees on tops of frames. Give em a light puff when you see the eyeing you. A puff between boxes, and when opening lids. Always wear your gear. Let the kewl ones go without the gear, as yours might not be so nice to you. Also, time and experience will mostly come to you. And remember, you can practice a million times, but perfect practice is best. Get someone experienced to hang out with you a bit. To build your confidence in yourself. Good luck, and hope this helps... rich


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## jnqpblk (Apr 7, 2015)

Champy said:


> Ok - I've wrestled with asking this question but looking for honest advice/feedback. New beek this year with 2 double deep hives from packages. Pretty much everything has gone well for the most part. Hives built up nicely; plenty of new comb, brood, etc... Have done inspections; added supers; hivetop feeders; done verroa washes; built some hardware myself; and did OAV treatments. Still cannot find the Queens but I know they're there, and getting prepped for coming winter. Took State Association bee classes; joined a beek club; visited commercial apiaries; read books; watch videos (joined this forum). Oh - and have figured out how to keep my smoker going (using pine straw).
> 
> My problem is getting over nervousness when opening up the hives. I watch countless videos of guys in t-shirts and shorts with no veils tossing frames about and yaking away - not me at all. I've progressed from full suit/gloves to wearing cargo pants; jacket/hood; and nitrile gloves. I'm ok looking the frames over and whatnot, but when the bees get "busy" and start buzzing all over me I get antsy and start rushing thinking I need to close up asap. I've yet to inspect more than 3-4 frames per box before closing up to avoid the cloud in my face. Been stung and that's not a worry.
> 
> ...


Me, generally, am suited up with jacket, veil, and goatskin gloves to do my inspections. I care not what anyone says about being dressed with less to do bees. I use PPE, period. And I generally do not smoke my hives to do inspections, because I generally do not need to, period. But those times when I pop the top, my bees kick into ultra defensive mode, my body gets the heebie jeebies, and drops a load of adrenaline, that's my sign. It is time to smoke. So I do and that has "always" made the difference, allowing me to go ahead and inspect now essentially non-defensive smoked bees.

Yes, when I am doing my bees, I get the heebie jeebies, once I know they are in their heightened state, and I know it is only a matter of time before one (a few) attempt to sting through my jacket, or elsewhere, (which they can do easily, they thankfully just don't). I hate stings, period. And the single occasional sting, well I'm just OK with that, but once they've got an armada buzzing around my head, pure and simple, I get the heebie jeebies. Smoke can be your friend!

"relaxed with bees" 

Nope, I'm often not at all, but after near 20 years of dealing with these dastardly little buggers, I have a much better sense of if I'm in dangerous territory, or not.


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## A Novice (Sep 15, 2019)

I think you are doing pretty good.

One thing I do to make beekeeping less confrontational is 

I set up a table about 10 feet behind my hives.

I remove entire boxes, either one frame at a time or as a box, and transfer them to the table.

I am not as young as I was when I was younger, and while I can lift and carry a deep full of honey and bees, I prefer not to.

If one frame at a time, I have a couple of spare deeps to put the frames in.

I do what I need to at the table, and then reassemble the hive.

Especially if I can leave one box at the hive location, this pretty much eliminates the great cloud of witnesses from where I am working.

The bees in the boxes on the table are mostly house bees, which are docile and tend not to fly. They don't know they've been moved.

The guard bees and foragers are over at the hive location. After a few minutes, there are no bees flying around where I am working. It is pretty amazing.

With only two hives, you could do this pretty easily, I think.

You will want a bottom board, or something similar, so you don't squash a lot of bees when you set the boxes down. 

When you are done with a box, you can set it on the ground on its end, leaning against the table.

I do this when looking for swarm cells, when I need to find the queen, or when I need a thorough inspection for some other reason.

I don't mind the bees flying around me, but this way I can take my time and usually not get stung. I also think it is less stressful for the bees.

Something that might help your personal anxiety level is a chair. Put the chair in front of your hives and sit in it. You will probably need a veil, unless your bees are really sweet. Mine will let me sit for about 5 minutes before they evict me if I'm not wearing a veil. Just sit and watch the bees. Sometimes, when they are taking their play flights, there will be a big cloud of them. Hundreds of fuzzy little new bees flying around. You can learn a lot about the condition of your hives by watching what is going in and out of the entrance.

I hope that is helpful.


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## sjj (Jan 2, 2007)

A Novice said:


> ... a chair. Put the chair in front of your hives and sit in it. ... Just sit and watch the bees. Sometimes, when they are taking their play flights, there will be a big cloud of them. Hundreds of fuzzy little new bees flying around. You can learn a lot about the condition of your hives by watching what is going in and out of the entrance. ...


Beautiful words. Beautiful moments. Sounds like this unusual interpretation of the orange blossom special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5_5SDkRPZ8


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

Agreed. It is how I relax after working the bees. The buzzing lulls me into a peaceful state and it is cool to see the bees forage the sweat off your hands. Yes, I have fallen asleep while sitting in my chair, just don't tell anyone.:shhhh:


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