Aggressive hive

[Christy Wilhelmi]

My bees have been growing more aggressive since winter. I couldn’t even inspect them today. They started stinging me through my clothes as soon as I took the lid off. What are the remedies for this? This is a feral hive, and I don’t know the first thing about re-queening, if that’s what you’re doing to say.

[Karim Sahli]

Hi.

You have to requeen or get ride off the hive — either by killing it or simply give it away to another beekeeper.

LA bees are industrious but often are very defensive (let’s refrain to use the word aggressive). I recommend getting a suit from ultrabreezesuits.com as well as short gaiters.

Karim

[Dennis]

Smoke the bee entrance and under the board before trying to inspect the hive and wait 10-15 minutes before looking inside. Then more smoke when you do. If you have not been in the hive for a while it is possible they are crowded. Have a super ready to put on the hive. If 7 or more frames in the top of the hive are full swap two frames in the top box with two empty frames from the new super. Close it up and give a few days to adjust.
If they are still aggressive at your next visit then consider your options to requeen, dispatch the hive or give them away.

[Christy Wilhelmi]

I smoked but didn’t wait very long, and was attacked immediately. Then I walked away leaving the hive open, and returned about 5 minutes later (better dressed) and smoked again. They would have none of it. The hive is 4 medium supers tall, the uppermost super being recently added. There are only 2 frames with comb drawn on that 4th super, so space isn’t the issue. I’ll smoke them more next time…if there is a next time.

[Christy Wilhelmi]

Karim, I’m sticking with “aggressive” because they are attacking my family while we’re out in the yard minding our own business, and while I’m trying to garden far away from them. If they were acting this way while we’re trying to inspect them, I’d say defensive but they’re stinging us when we’re nowhere near them. I wear by bee suit while harvesting blackberries nearby and digging up weeds in a raised bed near the hive. Never had to do that before. Now I have to avoid gardening during “flight school” times of day or else they’ll attack me in any part of the yard, even far away from them. They’re aggressive, not defensive. Let’s be clear about the difference.

[ceebs bailey]

Are you interested in doing a split?

[Christy Wilhelmi]

This would be our first, oh mighty mentor, but we’re open to the possibility. I’ll contact you to chat about it.

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