Video: Re-queening a mean hive

Kirk found this great video made by TheOhioCountryBoy on YouTube.

Very occasionally a hive will turn mean to the point where the bees become unmanageable (it happened to Amy and me earlier this year). This video shows an elegant method of re-queening such a hive from brood with calmer genetics. It's a step up from Beginner's Beekeeping and requires you to put up with the mean bees for several weeks, but it has the great benefit of eliminating the bad behavior without losing the hive.

Kirk improvises with his materials

Kirk's dealing with a bunch of grumpy but very productive bees on a trap-out job:

On "Africanized" bees

Backwards Beekeeper Mike in Texas wrote a couple of posts to our Yahoo group recently about the widespread notion that all wild bees are "Africanized" and must be destroyed. His gist:

There are docile Africanized bees and there are European bees that are aggressive and will kill a horse. Apis Mellifera—same species. Stung 30 times? I was tagged perhaps 15 times on just one hand doing a cutout last weekend and didn't run around screaming like a child and got no media attention—you disturb any hive and the bees are going to be less than happy, Africanized or not. That's just a fact of life. I'm in supposedly Africanized hot Texas. Frankly, I couldn't care less—ferals is what I do and bees are bees. No, it does not make sense [that anyone] killing valuable survivor genetics under the guise of "eradicating dem bad ol' killer bees"...

"Africanized" doesn't mean much anymore except to describe mean bees—even tho there have been mean bees since we've been keeping bees and well before the Africanized thing. There are grumpy bees and docile'ish bees (all bees are defensive—we're not keeping sheep here). Reward docile colonies with multiplication and manage grumpy colonies as you grow your apiary and don't worry about this Africanized thing.

I've read them Italians can be quite grumpy. And the black German bees. Wonder if we should test for them too and eradicate their colonies. :)

Mike blogs at Natural Bee Farm.

Your Bee Rescue Hotline at work: Alhambra

Backwards Beekeeper David saw Rob's message on the Bee Rescue Hotline and headed out to Alhambra.

David writes:

Checked out Rob's hive near early evening and found it interesting that this self-contained hive chose a box measuring 18" long x 12" high x 16" wide, similar dimensions to a Langstroth deep.

I opened the door to this previous live-animal trap box & discovered a good sized healthy colony w/ about 10 combs (newer white combs on south/north & yellow brood combs in middle), was getting crowded.

Due to time constraints decided just to remove box back to my mini apiary & cut out at a later date.

I reinforced w/ L-brackets as the hive door was loosely fastened. Duct taped holes & readied to duct tape entrance as sunset approached. Contingent of bees were congregating on upper opening (like bees do when box getting crowded) & when taped over were pissy & started pouring out of hole I couldn't quite seal.

In hindsight, I should have just taken away this 50 lb box w/o sealing entrance as just made 'em more defensive & they stung me round 10 times or more (still itching & smelling banana smell wafting in nostrils,lol).

It was getting late—I picked up box w/ bees in clumps on outside of box in places & put in trunk while few stung glove & arm. I drove to a friend's & sprayed water on clumps & placed on dolly & positioned on hive stand w/ opening facing east as positioned at their old Alhambra location.

I removed the offending duct tape on vent holes & entrance & w/ red flash light viewed many bees covering the front of the hive when I departed. Hopefully the curious recently interloping skunk will have second thoughts messing w/ this hive,lol. Will cut out this week when make more frames & deep boxes.

A Great BeeRescuing weekend, Cheers, David S. in San Gabriel Valley

Mean bees in a tree trap-out

Kirk and Pshairyn tackled a very old fig tree filled with grumpy bees.

Here's Kirk with the story:

Warning Bee Emergency - Big Hive Tips Over in Rainstorm

Kirk says:

I got a call from Glenn this afternoon. My Big Hive had tipped over.

Pic #1: Upside down Bees = Pissed Off Bees.

Pic #2: Mad Bees on me.

Pic #3: You can see one of the trees that feel over during the storm, and the beehive upright again.

Pic #4 some of the bee stings in my Pants.


I had to rush over and set them back up. I had the wrong shoes on, the wrong color pants, plus they were very mad. I just picked them up and put them together...not much else you can do.

I had this happen in 1969 at my mother's house. That time I got stung on the top of my head. I remember coming to my senses laying on the back lawn and my dad screaming out through the screen door "you dumb @#%^%%$#^%^^"...it went better this time. If this happens to you be prepared for the worst.

kirkobeeo

Watch for falling debris, beekeepers.

Kirkobeeo meets some grumpy bees.

Backwards Beekeeper Penny recently let our Yahoo group know that her bees were getting very aggressive around their hive, chasing and sometimes stinging people in the vicinity.

Kirk paid a visit to Penny's bees, and here's what he found:

I went to see Penny to check out her mean aggressive bees.

Penny had added a box a week or so ago. When we checked out the hive the Bees were bearding on the outside of the hive. This is a sign of crowding and it being pretty hot. So we arranged the frames to maximize the space in the hive. We opened up the brood space some. We also put a small piece of wood under the top board to improve air circulation.

The bees were alot calmer and not attacking me or Penny like they were a week ago. Keep your hive tops open a little to help get some air. Crowding is a reason for grumpy bees. Like trying to put 40,000 people in a 10,000 person Stadium.

Now is also ant time be on the look out.