gone2seagirl Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Hi all, Currently we have a beehaus with a buckfast 2010 queen. The bees were lovely and calm last year and didn't bother when I was moving around near the hive doing the gardening. They only seemed to take an interest if i was within about a meter of the hive. This year however they seem to be a lot more aggitated/aggressive. Twice they've flew into my hair and they've also stung my husband when he was minding his own business and sitting in the garden. Could this aggression be caused by the OSR that they are working or could it have another cause. Hope you can help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 We've encountered the same thing - last year the bees were complete sweeties, the year before they weren't and this year they stung my co-beek 3 times in one inspection which is unheard of. This time in our case its probably because one of the hives is queenless. I have wondered though if its the time of year as well, with more going on and everything being crucial, a bit like a cockeral getting aggressive as the hormones rise even if he's normally placid. However, I'm sure somebody else with more knowledge will be along shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Is it the same queen? RAB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2seagirl Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 Yes, we had her marked, they definatley haven't requeened. Could the problem be that we have started washing our clothes in fabric softener that smells of flowers?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Perfume is a no no when inspecting but I would have thought it wouldn't be an issue being near the hives. I thought that bees got tetchy when the OSR stopped. My lot in three hives have been angels but I would never keep a hive in the garden without an out apiary option after hearing so many tales of apis horribilis Let us know how you get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kermit Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 First thought is queenless. After that - are you inspecting too soon into the season? Depends on where you are. If you are in Devon then fine. However, up here in Northest Yorkshire we aren't going in for another week or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Perfumes (fabric softeners), mobile phones, perhaps it is because it's now a full sized colony. OSH, I am wondering why you would think that perfumes would only be an issue very close to the hive? Bees have a very seriously sensitive sense of 'smell'. I have already moved one colony away from my garden because they were a little defensive - I got a sting which closed my eye. The bees that gave me my first sting of the year (about 04 Jan) were really very good today, no pinging, stinging or anything, really, when I took their home apart. They will be foraging on OSR, but at a fair distance. My other bees on local OSR, along with the asbos removed from the garden, were fairly calm, but I only made minor adjustments/checks on those. I did position the ones from the garden on a geopathic curtain line, so that may have helped. On the subject of 'going in' or not for another two weeks, I might add that I will be doing my first A/S tomorrow. I may have been a bit late in sorting them with extra space, so A/S it is. Better than losing a queen and possibly the replacement not getting mated if the weather is not good in early May. I am in Lincolnshire and the hive is 14 x 12. from a small split last summer. I have supered (or made equivalent increase in space) on over half my colonies already. They will all cope easily, even if the weather is cold, because they are all strong or very strong. Regards, RAB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 OSH, I am wondering why you would think that perfumes would only be an issue very close to the hive? Bees have a very seriously sensitive sense of 'smell'. Regards, RAB Yes they do have a very sensitive sense of smell but I hazarded the opinion that maybe they would ignore you near the hive unless they were gunning for intruders anyway. Just a thought. I haven't yet met any bees from hell but I guess my time will come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2seagirl Posted April 17, 2011 Author Share Posted April 17, 2011 Thanks for all the replys. In my stupidity I'd put a sense and sprays airfreshener (mango flower) in our downstairs toilet and everytime we walked past we were gettting covered in it. Now that we've realised and got rid of it the bees have stopped bothering us so I can continue to potter in the garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 And just to add to this - last time my co-beek was wearing new gloves (some sort of thin black plasticy gardening gloves) and they might not have liked the smell. This time he went back to his usual ones and the bees were as good as gold. The hive we thought was queenless has got larvae in it, but not much and its a pretty lethargic hive compared to the other 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 And just to add to this - last time my co-beek was wearing new gloves (some sort of thin black plasticy gardening gloves) Yes, I was taught not to wear black gloves.....bees don't like black. When my collie got too close once they came out and attacked his black bits. He's never come close since Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
