Stressed Out Queen = Aggressive Bees ??

[Jen]

A beek friend and I were discussing his aggressive spring bees. His second year beekeeping and his hive made it thru the winter. He's a real trouper and works hard to keep his bees healthy. All last spring and summer his bees were content and easy to manage. A month ago, I was helping him with his first spring inspection. The bees were pretty good at first but by the time we were at the bottom box we were getting a lot of stings in our suits and gloves. Queen was present, capped brood, eggs, larvae, no mites, beautiful healthy hive.

He is planning a 3 way split, so yesterday he got into the hive and the bees were so aggressive that they clung to him all the way down the street. He wants to leave the original queen in the hive, and put new queens in the 2 splits. It is his understanding that if the hive is split that that reduces stress on the queen, calming her, therefore calming the bees.

I haven't heard this before... What do you guys think?

[Barbarian]

Has the nectar flow stopped ?
Has there been a spell of confining weather ?
Is he checking the hive too frequently ?
Has he washed his suit and gloves since the last stinging ?
Change of washing powder or fabric conditioner since last year ?

[Perry]

Has the nectar flow stopped ?
Has there been a spell of confining weather ?
Is he checking the hive too frequently ?
Has he washed his suit and gloves since the last stinging ?
Change of washing powder or fabric conditioner since last year ?

Great questions.

[riverbee]

"It is his understanding that if the hive is split that that reduces stress on the queen, calming her, therefore calming the bees.
I haven't heard this before... What do you guys think?"

me either, haven't heard this one.

great questions by barbarian.

[Barbarian]

Missed a couple.
Pests scratching at entrance ?
Vegetation banging on hive ?

[Jen]

This is Great! And I will share with my beek friend.

But it doesn't really address the question of "Does a stressed out queen make her bees stressed out and aggressive?"

And, If the hive is crowded with bees, does that stress out the queen? And would a split relieve the bee congestion, then calming the queen?

[riverbee]

what stresses bees and queens?

pests and diseases
queenless hive
weather
lack of forage pollen/nectar; a dearth
beekeepers continual disturbance

if i missed something, someone please add.

jen, i am not sure or not understanding this concept  of a 'stressed' queen that would make bees aggressive.  aggressive bees are genetic, and in the queen's sperm from the drones she has mated with.  there are other reasons the bees may be aggressive, as already mentioned and sometimes in the spring, bees can get a little snarky.

dividing a hive, especially a very strong hive does relieve congestion, but primarily helps us in swarm management, to keep the bees from swarming. it's the beekeeper that gets stressed......

[Riverrat]

splitting a hive and reducing the numbers will sometimes calm a hive.  Stronger larger hives tend to be more aggressive especially if bothered by things mentioned above or during a dearth.  I havent heard of splitting a hive for the reason of only calming them down. I would really encourage the friend to join the forum.  It would not only help us help them but also allow us to get information and input directly from the keep.  Its a win win for all as we all learn

[apisbees]

As river rat stated a smaller hive is easier to manage but once the population expands the issues will return if the problem is an aggressive hive genetics. It is still early in the season so the hive could be defensive against robbing if there is little resources coming in. they could calm down during a good flow.

Strategies for working an aggressive hive.
Smoke them well and leave them to suck up and fill their honey stomach for 10 to 15 minutes before entering the hive.
Break down the hive first. pull any honey supers off or supers above the queen excluder. take the brood boxes and place them on separate bottom boards 20 feet or more from where the original hive was. place the honey super in the original location to catch the returning bees and guard bees. Now you can go through the brood boxes. each brood box will be manageable in population to do an inspection. remember to keep the parts of the hive that you are not working covered with a lid to reduce robbing from starting. after inspecting of pulling nucs return the brood boxes and supers to the original place.

[Jen]

Hi Rrat and Apis 

This particular fellow is a member of this forum, but I don't know what his forum name is. I'm working on him to chime in.

Apis, this strategy sounds good, I like the idea of setting the brood boxes away from the original location. Seems like a lot of work and extra steps, but some of my own inspections are a lot of extra steps anyway.... and the stinging might calm down.

[Riverrat]

Pm me the guys name and I can look up his user name.  If he's on the forum he should really be the one posting the question.  When things are relayed from one to another then posted details get lost and bad information can be given.  Although there is bad information given on all forums we try to keep it from happening here.  And with forum traffic shrinking across the board in all forums, now is the time to encourage all people who are not regularly active on the forum to get involved