Hot hives

[tedh]

Needed to do deep inspections (check each frame) in two yards that had four hives each.  Each hive consists of two ten frame deeps and about half of them have a medium honey super on.  The first hive I puffed the upper and bottom entrance, lifted the tele cover, gave a couple light puffs of smoke, closed the telecover and waited about a minute then removed tele cover.  Raised the inner cover gave another puff or two, wait a bit, removed the inner cover.  Removed the inner cover, puffed the top deep and removed it.  Gave a light puff to the bottom deed and began the inspection. As soon as I pulled the first frame they came BOILING out. Worked my way through both deeps.  By the time that hive was done my veil, pants and gloves were pretty well covered with angry bees.  I put a super on that hive and moved on.  Rinse and repeat.  By the fourth hive, I check 5 frames and gave up.  It was crazy!  Bees followed me fifty yards.  I finally said to heck with it, called the dog and we both got in the truck.  Me in a cloud of mad bees and the dog getting stung several times.  The second yard was the same way.  I'm not sure what's going on.  We do have a couple colonies requeening themselves and the rest are VERY STRONG hives.  We are waiting on queens so we can slim them down a bit by pulling frames.  I started about 10:30, it was 74°F, sunny with very light wind.  Was it too much smoke?  Is it the time of year?  Something about me just pisses them off?

The yard here at home hasn't wanted us within 30 feet of them for the last couple of weeks.  I'm used to different hives at different times being meanish, but this was ALL of them, impressively angry.  Any ideas why?  Thanks, Ted

[Perry]

Dearth maybe? Bees can get miserable during a dearth. Once you stir a hive up in a small yard it can set the rest off.

[tedh]

Hey Perry!  I was thinking about dearth too.  Fruit trees and dandylions are in full bloom, and we've had rain so I'm doubtful. They aren't filling supers as of yet though, so maybe.  I understand the "snowball" effect of  upsetting one hive and moving to another so after the first yard I changed pants, gloves and veil as the originals were covered in stingers.  I also smoked myself pretty good after changing.  The second yard, the one here at home, went the same way.  I mowed last week and wore protection while mowing that area, man was I glad for that stroke of brilliance!  They were bumping me every step of a hundred yards!  Crazy protective.  I'm hoping that when we pull a few frames, and the clover blooms, they'll settle down.  I quit smoking recently, maybe they can sense all the anxious, irritable, nonsmoking waves rolling off me.  Thanks for suggesting some possibilities.  Ted

[Some Day]

I went through mine today and the one hive that was hot last year was very mellow.  Actually all of them were mellow.  I don't think there is a dearth here. One super had two frames of nectar and all of the hives are bringing in pollen like crazy. 

Ted, have you been using a new after shave or deodorant by any chance?  I am just about 45 miles West of you.

[Wandering Man]

Ted, have you been using a new after shave or deodorant by any chance?  I am just about 45 miles West of you.

And you can smell him from there?   

[Jen]

Well that's just miserable Ted.. Geez! It's miserable with just one mean hive for cryin out loud...

Have you got Africanized honey bees there yet?

[Riverrat]

It may have been the first hive stinging at you and releasing the alarm pheromone that set off the other hives.  I have seen this happen more than once

[vvand111]

Ted    I have no answers. Wish I did   Another day it might work?? 

[Jen]

Hey Ted... Ya know Iddee said that if there is even a dark cloud on the horizon that the bees would get cranky...

Now, I have done plenty of inspections with dark clouds from one degree or another in the sky and did just fine. And other times... cranky bees. Shrug. A thought.

[Barbarian]

My first thought was like Jen. A threat of thundery weather.
Are there any overhead power lines near the apiary ?

The hives seem to have two bad traits ---- aggression and following. One of my hives was aggressive at my first inspection. Fortunately there was very little following.

[Jen]

Barb, last year and the year before I had aggressive hives that followed and stung me all over my property, didn't dare take my bee jacket off. So discerning! I live in a tight neighborhood, so that's when I get mad and send that hive down river.

However, Ted has the opportunity to 're-wire' his hives, and can save many of them. I'm sure hoping so. AND! I know that Ted has an awesome beesuit to help him out 

[tedh]

Hey Everyone.  I've had a rough couple days so have not posted back.  I have been reading though.  Thank you all for the responces I DO appreciate it.  I'm going to give these hives a few weeks to settle down before making any big changes.  They don't pose a threat except to the dog and I can leave her at home.  I'll let you know how things work out.  Thanks again, Ted

[riverbee]

"Needed to do deep inspections (check each frame)"
ted, was this the first time this season cracking the lid and going through?

"I'm not sure what's going on.  We do have a couple colonies requeening themselves and the rest are VERY STRONG hives.  We are waiting on queens so we can slim them down a bit by pulling frames.  I started about 10:30, it was 74°F, sunny with very light wind.  Was it too much smoke?  Is it the time of year?  Something about me just pisses them off?"

it's the time of year ted, hives in the spring can be testy and if you have colonies requeening themselves, will add to being snarky. also they really don't like that 'deep inspection' thing this time of year...........   it's also not about too much smoke. as far as you that pisses them off?   lol, it's not you, it's the bees, it's spring and possibly your weather. give them time, and give them time to get in their 'groove'. the queenless/requeening hives may take a little longer. you should see/experience a change the next time you crack some lids.

btw ted congrats on quitting the smoke!

[tedh]

Thanks riverbee.  We did a "lift and look " inspection previously and found swarm cells in a couple of hives.  Wasnt ready for that, being the middle of April.  Decided we needed to pull some nucs to try and save a few bees and thought we should look a little closer at the rest of the hives with the above results.  Wasn't really ready for those results either!  I'm not thinking real clear these days but do seem to recall testy bees in the spring.  Ted