Strange Behaviour

[Japey Edge]

Hi everyone,

So my bees haven't been noticeably different temperament-wise. I keep quite gentle bees and I only requeen to make them more gentle.

My neighbour went for a walk today, into a field about half a mile away and a hedge was audibly buzzing. Then some bees flew out, chasing the family and stinging the dog.
Meanwhile, I notice one or two bees flying in my face and my wife's face when we are outside - our hives being 7 or 8 metres away from us. All our bees are acting normal otherwise.

I walk with the neighbour (socially distant) to the field. No bees in hedge. He says it's not what it was like earlier. I tell him I'll suit up and open each hive when I get back without smoke and see what happens.
I do so, the bees barely notice I'm there. I was expecting at least one colony to boil out if they were the culprits.

Am I right in thinking that the "nosy" bees around our houses, acting out of character, are most likely from this strange hedge colony?
We have never had this issue before.

I am thinking of closing up all the hive entrances tonight and seeing what the bees are like tomorrow, but I'm not sure it's a fair test. If it is hedge swarm and they've moved on, then it will be quiet anyway.

One thing I know is I need to make my decision last thing at night or first thing in the morning.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated as I really want to understand what's going on. No stings so far, just irritating bees flying in our faces and around our heads. Really not sure of their intent.

[NigelP]

They are most likely guard bees that have enlarged their perimeter of operations. They do tend to get a bit defensive this time of year as the OSR goes over and the flow finishes. I have one hive in the garden that has done that for the past few weeks. Everytime I go near the hives I get 1 or 2 bees buzzing me. Fortunately it's only when I go near the hives or they would be off....if I could find the hive....I think I know which one.
Once had some local bees whose defensive perimeter was my whole garden, you couldn't go out of any door without being attacked. They were moved.

Also noticed at the out apiary site where I keep my "bad boys" (until requeened) they usually "greet" me as I walk into the apiary through about 10ms of wood from the track. Today they greeted me as a I got out of the truck.....most unusual. Even more unusual one hive their follows me off site, so I walk round filed to shake them off....not today they follwed all the way back....drove off in bee suit.
I'd give it a few days and see if the forecast cooler weather stops them.
Only way to know for sure which hive it is, is lock suspect hive in for a day and see if it stops, open up and if it reoccurs then you are sure which one it waS.

[Japey Edge]

Thanks Nigel, it doesn't help that three are Q- at the moment. I'm hoping to requeen ASAP but the queen supplier that emailed me a "next day delivery" guarantee haven't dispatched yet since my order last week.

I appreciate that. They didn't do this last year so I'm hoping it was the weird field swarm feral thing. Worst case I'm hoping it's just because they're queenless and the scent of a new queen will make them puppies again.

[AndrewLD]

Swarms are not normally defensive except if they are queenless (when they usually return to the hive) or have been out overnight and are getting dehydrated and worried.
Hives that are normally placid can become agitated because of queenlessness (I have 3 of those!) and/or about to have a new queen emerge - I picked up that warning on one hive just the other day and went no further than getting the dummy board out.
Bees that are looking for a home (perhaps in a bait hive) can be very defensive of a chosen location before the swarm even arrives!
Thing about OSR is that everyone rushes to get it off the hive to avoid granulation, the June gap appears and the bees become defensive - no surprise there. I resign myself to leaving honey on the hive just to keep the peace.
I think the worry for someone keeping bees in such close proximity to the house is that one or other hive will go into this state - if it continues - I'd screen the hives even though I think you have yours facing a fence, if the bees are flying back over the garden.
Last thought - if I inspect and get a few followers then I back off a few metres and wait with my hands up in front of my veil - and swot them! Once they get it into their little brains that you are the enemy, they don't seem to forget.

[NigelP]

Swarms are not normally defensive except IF

.... they are in my area......Last year I went to pick up a cast swarm from a friend's place that they had just watched arrive couple of hours previous. Buggers attacked as I went out their back door. Cast was size of a grapefruit. Gave to Jazz for learning curve /sly grin/
But that's our local mongrels for you in our area....

Generally agree Andrew, that even with the exceptions, most swarms are fine.

[Japey Edge]

Well this swarm has been hived a week and drawn 11 deep brood frames. They were made queenless because of my daft uniting manoeuvre.
They are the only queenright colony now - with a BS Buckfast but none of the bees are hers yet, just two different colonies and her.
My local colony was made queenless because I don't like the traits and I was expecting a queen through the post today..
My queenless nuc needs to make a queen.
Then I found out my GM buckfast queen is no more

Now I'm about to close all entrances and think up my plan for tomorrow. A 6 frame nuc and 3 Abelo poly nationals with two supers to move to the association apiary. Been told it won't be open until 5pm either. Can the bees wait that long?

I do like Andrew's screening idea but they go into next door's garden so I'm not sure if the screen would cut it.

[Patrick]

Jazz, had a. chuckle with you this evening as found a feeder full of cappings I had left on and forgot. Some great architectural brace comb - easily cut out with hive tool though.

Swarms are generally very easy going when they have just settled but if they are hot and bothered, or been emerged several days ago they can be a very different proposition. I think you temperament issues are a combination of weather / state of flow and state of queenless ness.

You are entirely right to remove them. They will come good again but you can’t afford to let them cause a nieghbour issue in the interim. Time for the decisive action you are taking.

[Japey Edge]

Cheers Patrick, that brace comb made me laugh when I read it. Just what I needed. I still think it was that miscellaneous swarm in the fields and not my bees. Not enough to be 100% sure. Still, they're all locked in now. Tomorrow they will be going to the association apiary at 4 or 5pm. Each has open mesh floor and inspection trays out (thanks Steve).

Now - any tips on moving three Abelo poly national hives, each with two supers, in a Citroen C3?

Just to make sure they were really locked up, I made long blocks for the tunnel entrances with 50mm thick polystyrene - wrapped in foil tape (I'm using a lot of foil tape recently). Then since these blocks were too small I covered them over with duct tape and then foil tape for good measure. The Abelo entrance and the Maisies nuc entrance were much easier....
Do we think they'll stay put?

[Japey Edge]

I have just checked and the association apiary is 2.24 miles from where my hives are now - as the bee flies.

3 miles by car

[NigelP]

I have just checked and the association apiary is 2.24 miles from where my hives are now - as the bee flies.

3 miles by car

More than far enough.
Do you have any Abelo crown boards? If so open up the top vents so they get a good draught of air through the hive whilst moving them. Or if you can stick a few matchsticks under current crown board i.e create a gap that air can get through but not bees (about the only sensible use of matchsticks in modern beekeeping). A disadvantage of poly hives in the moving situation is their heat retention.
Technically you should be fine with just an open mesh floor as it acts as a travel screen, albeit underneath the bees. But is another warm day.
I remove roofs before ratchet strapping everything tight, 2 per hive parallel to one another one either side of the Bottom recess.