Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: Novice on March 31, 2014, 11:06:49 am
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My bees do NOT like my husband. Any time he is near the hives (6 Ft) guards start after him. He has been stung several times for no apparent reason. He doesn't wear cologne, aftershave, or such. What might cause such behavior? The bees to don't react this way to others, not even my dogs.
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My bees do NOT like my husband. Any time he is near the hives (6 Ft) guards start after him. He has been stung several times for no apparent reason. He doesn't wear cologne, aftershave, or such. What might cause such behavior? The bees to don't react this way to others, not even my dogs.
Some say the bees can sense fear or aprehension. Perhaps that is true.
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I would like to know also, i had an uncle that all he had to do is walk buy a stinging insects nest or hive and they would nail him :o. That's where i learned most of the words that got my mouth washed out with soap. :laugh: Jack
PS. uncle Bob wasn't afraid of anything or anybody. O:-) except maybe stinging bugs. :D
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Does he eat bananas?
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Does he eat bananas?
No, not very often.
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As jack said bees can sense fear and uneasiness the same as dogs can. Him being near the hive while you are working it, can make the bees more defensive against you.
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put one of his used undershirts near or underneath the hives if he doesn't typically work bees. They'll be used to the smell at least.
Not sure if this actually works but sure wouldn't hurt.
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He can't be around when I work the hives! He stays in the house and watches through the window. I am talking about just being outside near the hives on a typical day. They do NOT want him near the hives. Now, he IS a big guy with a full beard, I wonder if they think he is a bear?! :D
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Also Novice- my hubby still has some hesitancy with the bees, he's learning slowly to more and more comfortable with them.
I like DL's suggestion of putting a used, not washed tshirt near their hive. Good Idea!
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could this also becaused by the indiviual amounts of pharamons each person produces some have higher levels of testosteron ect? very interesting subject this is.
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Yes, it can be a person's anatomy.
Example: My father was an avid outdoorsman all his life, but would laugh at others when the mosquitoes got bad. He was never bitten by a mosquito in all his 60 years.
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about the fear thing, if you're afraid your body chemistry changes, it generates an odor unique to being afraid. that's why dogs and many other animals key on it, and use it to get himself prepared for a fight against something that's afraid of them. have a dog can smell the fear, I would think bees would have no issues with it. around bc its a combination of are you afraid, and how do you work them. you were am slow and deliberate, acting like you belong, you will be treated like you belong. if your motions are fast and jerky, that is the behavior of a predator. you will be treated accordingly, and if you're afraid and that's what's making you behave that way you got problems coming your way
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He doesn't work the bees. He never has. He builds my equipment. He isn't, or wasn't afraid of the bees, but is now upset that they react to him negatively. He has never done more than stand back and watch. I try to be as slow and deliberate as possible. I am not afraid of the bees, so I really don't think I am triggering anything. And like I said, this has happened when no one is doing anything in the hives. One day he was raking leaves 7 feet away and they got him twice. t
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I'm just gonna throw this out there. I read an article where everytime this family set up bee hives in their back yard. Any time a member came out the back door, the bees were after them. Long story short she changed the laundry soap to unscented and the problem was solved.
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It is something specific to him. They do not do this with anyone else. Not me or my kids, not neighbors or friends, just him. It is the strangest thing. There is something about him they just don't like. We use the same soap, laundry detergent, shampoo. He and my son even use the same kind and scent of deodorant.
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It's probably a vicious cycle - they sting him, he gets nervous/upset, they sense that and sting him more. :(. No good.
I'd suit him up real good with protection and have him come work the hives a few times. I think 2 things may happen. One - hubby may lose some of the (conscious or unconscious) nervousness as he gets more familiar with them, and Two - I really think the bees get to know the beekeeper and they may start to realize that the big bear guy is just like the little nice lady who comes to look at them.
That's my 2 cents. The first few years we had bees, I worked them much more often than my husband, and he always got stung more than me. Same thing - sometimes he'd just be standing up by the house and ZING! Then as he started taking more interest and learned more and started doing more, it's much better, and even when they accidentally buzz or bump him, he doesn't get automatically stung like it seems he used to.
Tell your husband to forgive and forget. The girls will come around eventually!
love,
ziffa
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"the big bear guy "
well, maybe that's it, he looks like a big bear?..... :D JUST KIDDING!
novice, does he wear a hat, say, like a straw hat or a baseball cap?
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novice, does he wear a hat, say, like a straw hat or a baseball cap?
Yes he does wear a baseball cap, but so do I. I just wear mine under my veil. Why do you ask Riverbee?
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has the baseball cap ever been washed and what color is it? :D
also, i have observed for myself, bees will nail anyone, including me, wearing certain types of straw hats, and guys wearing smelly, ragged baseball caps....
for example, last summer, we had mr. rivers nephew do some siding and roofing on a garage near my hives. he is a very gentle soul, but wears a twins baseball cap (maybe that was it.... :D he's from wisconsin, what a crime!) anyway, his wife is not allowed to wash that cap very often, and it is the most ragged looking thing i have seen. my bees kept nailing him up on the roof. i told him to take his hat off, and gave him another. they didn't bother him after that.
i had to quit wearing an old straw cowboy hat, i'd get nailed everytime i wore the thing. had a neighbor who sported a brand new stetson straw hat, and everytime he came over and we were in the garden my bees would not leave him alone until he took the hat off......
not a scientific experiment but........makes you wonder!
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clothing color is also quite important, wearing lighter colors, the bees find less intrusive them darker colors. which makes sense, most of the predators of bees are really dark colored, black bears and skunks to name a few. so tan pants and white shirt, rather than blue jeans and a black shirt I once stupidly approach to while hive I was trying to trap out. the screening was not holding up for the cone, and then disgust I grab the screening and pull it off, I was wearing a navy blue coveralls. they came after me and numbers and ran me all over the place caught six stings in the face.
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i had to quit wearing an old straw cowboy hat, i'd get nailed everytime i wore the thing. had a neighbor who sported a brand new stetson straw hat, and everytime he came over and we were in the garden my bees would not leave him alone until he took the hat off......
not a scientific experiment but........makes you wonder!
That may be what was going on with me on Saturday. I was planting a couple of plum trees and was about 15-20 away from the hives and there was one bee who was incredibly annoying! It was constantly flying around my head. I did have an old straw hat on and that might be what was doing it. There was even a few times that I tried to kill it with my gloved hand and she was too fast. Anyway, if that happens again, I may try to work without that hat and see what happens. Darn, I like that hat too!
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I wonder about their sense of odor. Prior to keeping bees, I really never had a honeybee come up and literally check me out. I have bees come up to me daily now. I am out of my patrol car often through out the city and it's not just one spot. I eat honey heavily, use beeswax lip balm, have propolis and wax and hive on my nails I am sure. But, I have never had aggression unless I am absolutely in the top of their hive or in a flight pattern within the distance you are describing.
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I have some hives close to my truck garden and when i'm working in it and sweating i'll have bees on my arms licking sweat. Moving my arms with the hoe or tying up tomato's don't seem to bother them and they have never stung me. I guess i'm sweeter than the plants around. :D Jack
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I cant wear my hat to look at the bees, and I also noticed that wearing my watch with a leather wristband always got me stung near the area. Salt? Sweat?
I am not overly fond of getting stung, but I do not fear it or try to avoid it. A sting now and then is a good thing. I shower, use a mild deodorant, make sure I wear a clean hat. I gave up on the watch some time ago.. since then we get along fine. My baseball style hats are black or camouflage, but I usually wear white T shirt.
I have a beard spring and fall, a goatee through the summer. Hasn't seemed to make a difference in how they react. Maybe its because of the gray?
My bees are like my wife. Reverse psychology works. When I want to get a sting or two they usually ignore me completely.
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has the baseball cap ever been washed and what color is it? :D
Riverbee, you may be on to something! His cap is almost as old as our marriage! We've done the light clothing, but never thought about that ragged old baseball cap! We will purchase a new hat and see if that solves the problem!
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"Riverbee, you may be on to something! His cap is almost as old as our marriage! We've done the light clothing, but never thought about that ragged old baseball cap! We will purchase a new hat and see if that solves the problem!"
.......... :D what is it with guys and ragged baseball caps?, oh well, works for me.......i hope for him it is a simple as that!
let us know if the cap change made any difference... ;)
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I doubt it is his size or the beard. I'm 6'3" and 330 with a full beard. My bees love me! :laugh:
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It could be some specific chemical with hubby.
Some thoughts ---- spicy food, booze, particular cheese, medication, diabetes (ketones).