Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Help I?m in trouble with my hive.  (Read 16552 times)

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13555
  • Gender: Male
Re: Help I?m in trouble with my hive.
« Reply #80 on: October 23, 2023, 09:44:02 am »
The first thing I would do is get rid of the leather gloves. Get some nitrate gloves. Wear 2 of them. Sounds like you were in the hive for a while before they turned aggressive. With leather gloves you cannot feel bees being crushed and they sting it. Other bees react to the sting pheromones and sting the gloves. Now you have a large amount of sting pheromones in the hive every time you put your hands in the hive. Next time you use them they will bee the same.
I?m assuming you are using the 10 minute/30 second smoke rule that we use at BeeFest.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Online The15thMember

  • Global Moderator
  • Galactic Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 4512
  • Gender: Female
  • Traveler of the Multiverse, Seeker of Knowledge
Re: Help I?m in trouble with my hive.
« Reply #81 on: October 23, 2023, 12:36:51 pm »
I concur with everyone else, this hive should be requeened.  This will change the genetics of the workers so that as the older mean bees die off, they are replaced with nice bees from the new queen.  Michael's instructions are what I would follow if I were you, provided you have the equipment necessary. 

I also agree with Jim that those thick leather gloves tend to make bees irritated, and I usually wear two pairs of nitrile gloves instead.  I hardly ever use my leather gloves, and never when I'm doing an inspection, regardless of how angry the colony is.  Also be careful when you are removing and replacing the upper box that you aren't crushing a ton of bees underneath it when you set it down. 

Also be sure to wash your suit before going into them again, as the suit is now full of stingers and smells like alarm pheromone.

Jim's smoking technique is very effective.  Smoke the hive entrance and/or under the screened bottom board heavily, wait 10 minutes, smoke them again, wait 30 seconds, and then open the lid. 

Don't worry about localized swelling around a sting site, even if that swelling is severe.  This is not a sign of an allergic reaction, and especially with multiple stings, it's completely normal.  I have been keeping bees for 5 years, and I swell up like crazy almost every time I get stung.  Provided you aren't allergic, which most people aren't, you'd have to be stung over 1000 times to be dosed with enough venom to kill you.  I know it's unpleasant, but even if you get stung a bunch of times, you should be okay. 

Whatever manipulations you need to do to requeen them, try to be deliberate and intentional about all your movements.  Don't flail, swat, or move haphazardly or aggressively.  Don't be slow, but be purposeful and careful to try and keep them as calm as possible.  Keep us posted, and hopefully it all goes well.                     
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19934
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Help I?m in trouble with my hive.
« Reply #82 on: October 24, 2023, 06:03:47 am »
Personally I can't stand the nitrile gloves.  I buy what sells around here as doeskin or buckskin or roping gloves.  The thinnest seem to be goatskin.  This is the time of year they are testy because there is nothing blooming (here in Nebraska).  If you leave any hive open very long robbing will start and that will cause issues ranging from them being angry to a full on frenzy.  If they are still attacking you later with no provocation and you're not in the hive, I would requeen.  Depending on the circumstances, I might wait to spring to do so (availability of queen, current weather etc.) but I would plan to requeen.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Guitarman

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 22
  • Gender: Male
Re: Help I?m in trouble with my hive.
« Reply #83 on: October 24, 2023, 11:59:38 pm »
Thanks for all the replies. You guys are so helpful. This is the second time I’ve tried to post. For some reason my post don’t post or they don’t get saved in the drafts. I’ve been writing a Reply for the last two days and every time I seem to lose it before I can post it. I need to go to work now so I’ll abandon my lengthy reply and try again tomorrow.

Online The15thMember

  • Global Moderator
  • Galactic Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 4512
  • Gender: Female
  • Traveler of the Multiverse, Seeker of Knowledge
Re: Help I?m in trouble with my hive.
« Reply #84 on: October 25, 2023, 11:14:11 am »
Sorry to hear that, Guitarman, that can be frustrating.  Something I have done if I have a very long post and I'm worried the posting page will time out on me, is I'll type out my post on a Word file and then copy and paste it. 
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.