Inspecting angry hives

[LazyBkpr]

  I have seen many people post this, and was a bit curious/confused..

   {The bees made it clear I was unwelcome so I close up the hive without finishing my inspection.}

   This confuses me a bit..   Mostly because it means you have to RE open that hive a day or two later to finish the inspection?
   Why would you not put the veil and gloves on and finish so you didnt have to bother them for another two weeks? Is there a purpose in giving in to the bees if they get upset?  Maybe it is just me..  If my bees are upset I still finish the job. I take two days to go through my hives each time inspections come around, and they WILL be inspected so I do not have to spend more time at a different time to finish that inspection.   
   Just wondering what is gained by closing up when you are already half way done?  Thanks!!

[apisbees]

Scott you have passed over the hive threshold of having to get the job done when it needs to be done and not put it off till it is more agreeable with the bees. Most all that will close up the hive will already be wearing the gloves and full gear. A lot of times the temperament of the bees can be caused by time of the day changes that are about to happen with the weather other pests disturbing the hives other bees trying to rob the hive. for a new beekeeper it is unnerving to open and face 50,000 bees. And if they are getting bombarded and warned off by angry bees their anxiety  level is going to increase. It is better to close up the hive and let the bees and the nerves of the beekeeper settle.
-If the bees are getting testy because other bees and wasps are trying to rob the hive should be closed up to avoid full robing from getting started.
-If the bees are getting testy because the time is getting to be later in the day the nectar flow has stooped for the day and all the foragers are returning empty the guard bees are being more vigilant checking the ID's of the returning bees that they do belong in the hive as the time gets later the testier the bees will become. Instead of fighting with bees that are getting more defensive every minute, It is smarter to close the hive up and resume the inspection at an earlier time on another day.
-At times the bees go from sweat to testy in a few minutes The day in nice the bees are flying but if we were paying attention to the weather barometer we would know about the change that is happening in the weather that the bees has sensed is happening and they are not thrilled that some one has decided to open their hive at this time. I have found out many times reason to explain the testy behavior after the fact. Bees were testy and the day looked fine but a late afternoon thunder storm goes through explaining why they may have been aggressive.
 
Most hobbyist keep bees for the enjoyment and getting stung is not enjoyable to most people.
My advice to nervous beekeepers is. If the bees don't want you in the hive on that day or time of day, and you don't want to be in the hive with the bees in the mood that they are in. Close them up and come back when it is more agreeable to both of you.

As your confidence grows and the hive numbers increases the time demand doesn't always affords you the time to come back a later time, so perseverance is required. But also as you become more experienced you also get to recognize conditions as they are changing and can react to limit robbing, Planing when you start and how much time you can afford each hive so the task is done before the foraging conditions change for the day. Beekeep with in your comfort level If the bees temperament is outside your comfort level re-queen to get a gentler stock. Beekeeping should be enjoyable, so avoid having to push to far beyond what you are comfortable with.
Sorry for the long response. I under stands Scott"s point of view and will stick with aggressive bees and get what need to be completed done, but then I don't mind getting stung or having the bees bouncing off my head neither. It all comes down to what you are comfortable with.

[LazyBkpr]

Apis.. Thanks!   That just brought back more than I wanted to remember, but took me back to a time I did pick and choose when i went into a hive to inspect..   Now I need to get the job done because of the amount of time it takes. I schedule inspection days, and unless it is raining the inspections get done.   Sometimes it is easy to overlook the obvious, and I have done just that.  I do enjoy going through the hives, and as Perry said in another post, Time does seem to vanish, but I still need to get through the inspections..    Thursday and Friday every other week. Every Wed I mow for about 9 hours. Weekends are for the wife, the rest of the time is taken over by projects.
   Maybe it is time to cut back on some of those projects that I take on without thinking..   I might have the time to once again choose when I go into the hives.
  I think i will do that.   As soon as I get the Mini Mo finished up and the engine in my truck..  and the harley rebuilt... The wifes Firebird needs injectors and her 69 chevy truck needs rebuilt from the ground up. Then theres the stalls built for the horses, they will be foaling by next May, and the insulation over the wood shop, and the sheetrock in the candle shop.. and the wood for winter cut.... Then there's hay for the horses to move here and the wood stove to install in the back of the store, Pastures and draws to mow and the fences fixed and ready for another winter, and, and, and...    and..    Yep, time to decide what it is I want to do and start making more time for it.   No wonder that end of the day Rum and Coke is so good...

[Jen]

Apis- "As your confidence grows and the hive numbers increases the time demand doesn't always affords you the time to come back a later time, so perseverance is required. But also as you become more experienced you also get to recognize conditions as they are changing

   This is the point right here, I think! I can get past the bees aggression when they are telling me to 'Get Gone Lady!' I can even identify the moment when they have had enough. I have grown to where I can stay steady and finish up my purpose in the hive, it takes time to acquire that skill. My turning point was this night:

    It was a night during my swarming episode, it was cold outside, I was instructed by Scott to go and get a frame of brood and be hasty about it. I was exhausted, intimidated and worried about opening up the hive on a cold night to snag a frame of brood for my newly hived swarm sitting in the garage. He could sense that I was delaying the process.

This is where a mentor comes in. He said "Jen! Get out there and get that frame of brood! You have to get this done!" I grabbed hubby's hand and marched out there on a cold rainy night and got the frame of brood, closed it up, and was back in the garage in about 5 minutes. That was a turning point for me, that event showed me that I can stay steady and get the job done, it's gonna be okay    to Scott

[Jen]

Scott- "I think i will do that.   As soon as I...

   And don't forget your ever increasing apiary 

[pistolpete]

Scott, I wonder if you've considered reducing your inspection schedule.   It's not my style, I like to poke around in the hives every couple of weeks, but there are plenty of bee keepers out there that recommend just 4 inspections/ year for each hive.   The rest are just a pop the lid and take a peek inspections.   

For me it's absolutely up to the bees whether an inspection gets done.  I haven't put on my protective gear in over a year and have just a couple stings to show for it.   Then again, I seem to be blessed with exceptionally calm bees.

[Jen]

Pete- This year I felt I needed to inspect frequently for awhile, about every 10 days, because my four hives got whittled down so far due to the swarming. Then, I moved to 2 or better weeks apart when I saw that they were getting ahead on pulling wax, it's taken them 4 months to get the wax pulled. I have learned a tremendous amount this year by checking so frequently. Might be different next year, I do have two swarmy queens left.

[iddee]

It's like wearing protective gear. Do what makes YOU comfortable. Each person is different, and any person will do differently at different times. Hobby beekeeping should be fun. Do what you want to do at the time you want to do it. It may be different than your neighbor does, but it is right for YOU..

[LazyBkpr]

After mid July or so I would be comfortable with less inspections. Before then they are necessary if your are trying to push the bounds of crowded hives for production.   From a 3 day old egg to a capped queen cell is 6 days. Inspecting once a week is on the edge of enough. Granted, some hives, I know will not swarm in a two week time frame and notes are made so I am not always inspecting every hive..  In all honesty, I enjoy it, so I think the things that will be reduced will be the things that keep me from it, or restrict when I can inspect.

   The purpose of the thread was to understand why anyone would let the bees intimidate them into getting out of the hive.  When I posted that, I felt that they had wasted their time and riled the bees for nothing if they just closed up without finishing.  Apis perfectly pointed out that there are folks who have one or two, or ten hives that have the choice of inspecting a different time or day. It is easy to lose sight of the simplicity of beekeeping amidst its great complexity.