Author Topic: mean removal (Read 5393 times)

rober · « **on:** August 22, 2016, 07:11:52 pm »

I'm always amazed how with the exception of few guard bees that most hives are completely indifferent to my presence when i'm opening a wall or chain-sawing open a log while doing a cut out. today I had a removal that was in a soffett/ceiling over the side entrance of a church. as soon as I opened a hole in the ceiling they were on me en masse!!!! I vacuumed some but they just kept getting more aggressive so I just packed up & called an exterminator. the bees i'd vacuumed I left in the box in the sun & killed them off. I have no use for bees that are this mean. I probably had 1000 stingers in my sleeves & gloves & had to walk thru some trees for 30-40 minutes to get enough off me so that I could remove my suit & still took 15-20 stings before I could get into my truck.

Perry · « **Reply #1 on:** August 22, 2016, 07:20:53 pm »

Some days..........................

Sorry you had to deal with that.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #2 on:** August 22, 2016, 08:08:48 pm »

Scary!

Have Africanized bees made it that far North?

lazy shooter · « **Reply #3 on:** August 22, 2016, 09:11:01 pm »

That sounds like AHBs. I wouldn't think they were that far north, but that sounds like some of our real hot bees that I think have some AHB genes. For sure, bees can be so mean that all the fun is gone.

lazy

Jen · « **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2016, 11:26:24 pm »

Rober! I'm on your page

It sure sounds like African bee genetics. But sometimes they are just mean. I'm glad you sent them down river. There wouldn't have been a way to tame them down, and with the time of year and all...

Are you feeling okay?

Michelle · « **Reply #5 on:** August 23, 2016, 06:40:00 am »

wow that must of been scary!

rober · « **Reply #6 on:** August 23, 2016, 08:01:11 am »

the worst I've seen was that hive I posted about last year. that hive was started from a swarm cell that came from a gentle queen. my best guess is that there were some africanized drones in the area. I was covered in bees. bees were bumping me. it was quite an experience. I was stung thru my suit at least 100 times & there were 1000's of stingers in my suit. I was already covered with bees so I went thru that hive until I found that queen & snuffed her & re-queened the next day. today I could work that hive without any PPE.
in this situation finding the queen was not an option. I've said it before that I believe these aggressive bees are brought here when the E.M.B.A imports several hundred nucs from Louisiana every spring. they've been doing this for 5-6 years now. there's another guy not too far from me that has some ( claimed )Russian bees that are mean as snot. myself & others got some nucs 2 years ago from him & we all had problems with them. mine did not survive the summer or i'd have re-queened them. 2 of my yards are near neighbors so I cannot take chances. I've yet to have a problem & want to keep it that way.

Jen · « **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2016, 12:45:49 pm »

Glad your okay Rober

I've mentioned before on forum that I had a mean hive last year and a mean one this year. I also live on a court of 8 houses, very close neighbors. When a hive of mine has bees that are stinging randomly, even when I just step out the door, just can't have that in my neighborhood. That hive goes down river.

However, I'm pleased to say that my apiary now has 3 full hives, and 6 nucs and they are all gentle and smile and wave at me when I remove the lid

CBT · « **Reply #8 on:** August 23, 2016, 05:18:03 pm »

Video please

Riverrat · « **Reply #9 on:** August 23, 2016, 05:29:25 pm »

One of the worst cutouts I ever did was in a church. The local news station was down to do a story. They retreated across the street and was still getting stung. I took about 20 stings through my golden bee suit which is rare. This was a news station in Topeka 200 miles away that picked up the story on the local news in Wichita. I even had AP news people call out of new York to talk about the incident. I will look and see if I can find the story and video from the local news

http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/49608897.html

Les · « **Reply #10 on:** August 23, 2016, 09:03:58 pm »

I hope I never encounter bees like that! Jen, I am with you....my neighbors are probably 50 - 60 yards away, I've told them to please let me know if they ever get stung if it was unprovoked.

neillsayers · « **Reply #11 on:** August 23, 2016, 10:01:03 pm »

Rober and RRat,

All i can say is if that didn't break you of this beekeeping lunacy, nothing will!

Jen · « **Reply #12 on:** August 23, 2016, 10:29:54 pm »

Ya know Neil?... for some reason all the stinging stories including mine, with the worst being 30 stings in about 5 minutes this year, and when I had to deal with stinky American Foul Brood...those didn't faze me. But if I pull out a frame of Small Hive Beetle Sliminess..

I think I'll puke and throw in the towel ~

rober · « **Reply #13 on:** August 24, 2016, 07:48:05 am »

I did another cut out yesterday. these bees were kittens. 1/2 way thru though a front moved in with some intermittent light rain & some got a little cranky which is to be expected. luckily the storm was not electrical. I rubber banded the brood into 4 frames
& put them in a nuc. I put the comb with honey on a piece of plywood & let them rob it. this was a healthy hive with fairly few SHB.
neil-it's all part of the deal. while looking for that queen last year I was feeling a lot of anxiety. I had 2 frames on a frame hanger while I went thru looking for that queen. after looking at the frames twice I thought I was going to have to look thru the bottom box too & was not looking forward to that!! then as I looked thru the frames on the hanger I found & snuffed her. what a relief. then I had a nuc act the same way 3 weeks later. i'm sure it has to do with all of those louisiana bees being brought in.
one thing I decided is that if i'm doing a cut out where I have to reach overhead i'm wearing my bibs too. I wear a jacket & when I reached up yesterday I took some hits on the belly & even had one IN MY UNDERWEAR!!!! I felt her crawling & rubbed the area firmly & killed her before I got stung. a neighbor & the homeowner were watching & looked puzzled until I explained.

neillsayers · « **Reply #14 on:** August 24, 2016, 07:26:45 pm »

Rober,
I barely notice the odd sting or two anymore but an onslaught like that may make me retreat. I have decided to save up my pennies to get a ventilated full suit. The cotton jacket I have gets awful hot and sweaty. I have taken it off before when I decided getting stung would be better.

Jen · « **Reply #15 on:** August 24, 2016, 11:13:07 pm »

I hear ya Neil, after a mean hive last year and mean hive this year, I have thought to save my penny's as well. What kind of suit are you looking at?

neillsayers · « **Reply #16 on:** August 25, 2016, 02:15:31 am »

Jen,
I don't really know for sure. I've heard a lot of good about the ultra breeze but there are others that are more reasonably priced. Have to research it this winter, I guess.

rober · « **Reply #17 on:** August 25, 2016, 02:53:00 am »

I tried on a couple of those suits & they seemed really heavy.

lazy shooter · « **Reply #18 on:** August 25, 2016, 07:15:48 am »

I have an Ultra Breeze bee suit, the coverall style. It is sting proof, and it is cooler than most bee suits. I have ventilated jacket from Mann Lake and it is a good suit also. It has larger, and I think more durable zippers than does Ultra Breeze. If I had it to do over, I probably would go with Mann Lake and save some bucks.

My hot bees get on you and crawl. They will find the weak spots at your ankles and gloves if you do not pat attention to dress.

I live on 60 acres and have to get on the county road and drive my Gator a good half mile to get away from my hot hives. Mean bees stay with you, and again, they take the fun out of beekeeping.

lazy

Jen · « **Reply #19 on:** August 25, 2016, 02:39:46 pm »

Lazy, I live on 60 acres and have to get on the county road and drive my Gator a good half mile to get away from my hot hives."

That was my mean hive last year, I've said it before and I'll say it again... My mean hives go down river