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D. anon
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 Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 10:15 pm Post subject: bees get aggressive |
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Hello.
A couple of wild honeybee colonies have resided in the wall of my house
during the last few years. The current colony is about 1-1/2 years old. The
bees had been docile until a few days ago, when I was attacked by a single
bee while on my front porch. The bee followed me into the house and stung me
on the wrist. It then flew back out the door.
Two things odd here: (1) The bee appeared somewhat larger than a normal
worker bee. (2) It did not leave a stinger in my wrist.
In spite of #2, this was a nasty sting.
The next day I had a couple of these larger bees come at me while opening a
door to my garage. In this case they did not follow me inside.
The colony lives below our kitchen window. In the days before the attacks I
noticed what I thought were some unusually large bees hovering around the
window.
It's been a few days now, and things seem back to normal. I can walk past
the hive within a few feet without incident.
Any explanation?
Thanks,
D |
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beekeep
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:43 am Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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On Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:15:08 -0700, "D. anon" <anonymous@no.where> wrote:
| Quote: |
Hello.
A couple of wild honeybee colonies have resided in the wall of my house
during the last few years. The current colony is about 1-1/2 years old. The
bees had been docile until a few days ago, when I was attacked by a single
bee while on my front porch. The bee followed me into the house and stung me
on the wrist. It then flew back out the door.
Two things odd here: (1) The bee appeared somewhat larger than a normal
worker bee. (2) It did not leave a stinger in my wrist.
In spite of #2, this was a nasty sting.
The next day I had a couple of these larger bees come at me while opening a
door to my garage. In this case they did not follow me inside.
The colony lives below our kitchen window. In the days before the attacks I
noticed what I thought were some unusually large bees hovering around the
window.
It's been a few days now, and things seem back to normal. I can walk past
the hive within a few feet without incident.
Any explanation?
Thanks,
D
You do not have honeybees in your wall. Honeybees leave their stinger behind |
when the sting, wasps and hornets do not.
beekeep |
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D. anon
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 5:18 am Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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"beekeep" <honeybs@radix.net> wrote in message
news:4633cd9f.209259265@usenet.radix.net...
| Quote: |
You do not have honeybees in your wall. Honeybees leave their stinger
behind
when the sting, wasps and hornets do not.
|
Hello, beekeep. Perhaps you don't remember me posting here in '03 and 04,
regarding the first colony that took residence in the wall. Here's a link I
posted in '04: http://hpaa.com/d/bees.jpg.
I've been stung by quite a few honeybees in my lifetime. I know what they
look like. I DO have honeybees in the wall, and the bee that stung me
certainly looked like a honeybee. There was no stinger left in my wrist. I
suppose it's possible that when I brushed the bee away from my arm I also
brushed the stinger out, though the poison sac usually sticks to something,
IIRC.
I was attacked again today, again by a single bee. This one came into the
garage door while I was parking my motorcycle. It chased me a long way. I
think I may have whacked it without getting stung.
There are bees dying in front of the nest. This is not unusual. But now,
there seems to be a greater variety of body types. Many look darker than the
photo from '04, with wider black stripes than orange. Some have a reddish
eye color. Some have a small abdomen but a wide thorax. Some are
significantly larger overall. I photographed a few. Will post a link when I
get a chance to digitize them.
Anyway, these all certainly look more like honeybees than any other variety
of bee. So, what's happening to screw up our 1-1/2 years of peaceful
coexistence? Our garden and fruit trees are full of honeybees. I'd hate to
have to destroy this hive.
D. |
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Chic M
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:44 am Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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On Sat, 28 Apr 2007 18:18:06 -0700, "D. anon" <anonymous@no.where> wrote:
| Quote: |
"beekeep" <honeybs@radix.net> wrote in message
news:4633cd9f.209259265@usenet.radix.net...
You do not have honeybees in your wall. Honeybees leave their stinger
behind
when the sting, wasps and hornets do not.
Hello, beekeep. Perhaps you don't remember me posting here in '03 and 04,
regarding the first colony that took residence in the wall. Here's a link I
posted in '04: http://hpaa.com/d/bees.jpg.
I've been stung by quite a few honeybees in my lifetime. I know what they
look like. I DO have honeybees in the wall, and the bee that stung me
certainly looked like a honeybee. There was no stinger left in my wrist. I
suppose it's possible that when I brushed the bee away from my arm I also
brushed the stinger out, though the poison sac usually sticks to something,
IIRC.
I was attacked again today, again by a single bee. This one came into the
garage door while I was parking my motorcycle. It chased me a long way. I
think I may have whacked it without getting stung.
There are bees dying in front of the nest. This is not unusual. But now,
there seems to be a greater variety of body types. Many look darker than the
photo from '04, with wider black stripes than orange. Some have a reddish
eye color. Some have a small abdomen but a wide thorax. Some are
significantly larger overall. I photographed a few. Will post a link when I
get a chance to digitize them.
Anyway, these all certainly look more like honeybees than any other variety
of bee. So, what's happening to screw up our 1-1/2 years of peaceful
coexistence? Our garden and fruit trees are full of honeybees. I'd hate to
have to destroy this hive.
D.
|
Keep us posted. This looks interesting. |
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D. anon
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:14 am Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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"Chic M" <toodlpip@hohumm.org.ca> wrote in message
news:nk1833lf50ul3gvf4cnjndgp3hgs3md6s9@4ax.com...
| Quote: |
Keep us posted. This looks interesting.
|
Here are 3 dead bees found on the walkway outside the nest:
http://hpaa.com/d/bees3.jpg
The one on the right looks most 'normal'.
And here is a larger bee in the same area, alive but unable to fly:
http://www.hpaa.com/d/beebig.jpg
D. |
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timrowe@eircom.net
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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| Your photos seem to be of drones. Drones can't sting. Tim |
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JB
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:07 pm Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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"beebig" looks like a drone to me.
--
"D. anon" <anonymous@no.where> wrote in message
news:1JWYh.3549$uJ6.2019@newssvr17.news.prodigy.net...
| Quote: |
"Chic M" <toodlpip@hohumm.org.ca> wrote in message
news:nk1833lf50ul3gvf4cnjndgp3hgs3md6s9@4ax.com...
Keep us posted. This looks interesting.
Here are 3 dead bees found on the walkway outside the nest:
http://hpaa.com/d/bees3.jpg
The one on the right looks most 'normal'.
And here is a larger bee in the same area, alive but unable to fly:
http://www.hpaa.com/d/beebig.jpg
D.
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D. anon
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:27 am Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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"JB" <jrbno@spamnoipa.net> wrote in message
news:526Zh.9737$3P3.4817@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
| Quote: |
"beebig" looks like a drone to me.
|
While I don't doubt "beebig" may be a drone, it is larger and darker than
bees seen in previous die-offs in front of the nest - bees which were also
most likely drones. And in http://www.hpaa.com/d/bees3.jpg, two of the bees
have such roundish abdomens they look bumblebeeish to me - again, a feature
I hadn't previously seen. Clearly, these bees do not look the same as the
drones in the photo from '04 at http://www.hpaa.com/d/bees.jpg. (apologies
for not including 'www' in previous links, which causes Firefox to not
display images)
Anyway, in my initial post I sought possible explanations for
newly-exhibited aggressiveness but instead end up defending my observations.
Apparently no one has a clue. So it goes. Thanks anyway.
D. |
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suburbanapis
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:38 am Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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Here's a theory, just to throw one out cuz no one else has. New queen,
did her nuptual flight a month ago (when did you start having sunny
days?), and bred with some bad-ass drone from the wrong side of the
tracks. If this is the case, you're stuck w/ that dna until the next
queen. A queen can live between 1 and 6 years as I understand.
I have to say, those are some weird-looking honeybees. Can I pass them
on to my group here in Sonoma, California and see if anybody has any
thoughts?
Adam
On Apr 29, 9:27 pm, "D. anon" <anonym...@no.where> wrote:
| Quote: |
"JB" <j...@spamnoipa.net> wrote in message
news:526Zh.9737$3P3.4817@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
"beebig" looks like a drone to me.
While I don't doubt "beebig" may be a drone, it is larger and darker than
bees seen in previous die-offs in front of the nest - bees which were also
most likely drones. And inhttp://www.hpaa.com/d/bees3.jpg, two of the bees
have such roundish abdomens they look bumblebeeish to me - again, a feature
I hadn't previously seen. Clearly, these bees do not look the same as the
drones in the photo from '04 athttp://www.hpaa.com/d/bees.jpg. (apologies
for not including 'www' in previous links, which causes Firefox to not
display images)
Anyway, in my initial post I sought possible explanations for
newly-exhibited aggressiveness but instead end up defending my observations.
Apparently no one has a clue. So it goes. Thanks anyway.
D. |
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beekeep
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:14 pm Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 21:27:37 -0700, "D. anon" <anonymous@no.where> wrote:
| Quote: |
"JB" <jrbno@spamnoipa.net> wrote in message
news:526Zh.9737$3P3.4817@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
"beebig" looks like a drone to me.
While I don't doubt "beebig" may be a drone, it is larger and darker than
bees seen in previous die-offs in front of the nest - bees which were also
most likely drones. And in http://www.hpaa.com/d/bees3.jpg, two of the bees
have such roundish abdomens they look bumblebeeish to me - again, a feature
I hadn't previously seen. Clearly, these bees do not look the same as the
drones in the photo from '04 at http://www.hpaa.com/d/bees.jpg. (apologies
for not including 'www' in previous links, which causes Firefox to not
display images)
Anyway, in my initial post I sought possible explanations for
newly-exhibited aggressiveness but instead end up defending my observations.
Apparently no one has a clue. So it goes. Thanks anyway.
D.
Knowing your location might help. This is the world wide web and we don't know |
if you are going into spring or fall.
The pictures looked like carniolan or "midnight" drones. Midnights are hybrids
which are extreamly gentle however when they swam the new mixed queen can
produce some pretty mean bees.
beekeep |
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Jock
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:50 pm Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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"beekeep" <honeybs@radix.net> wrote in message
news:4635b224.1293562@usenet.radix.net...
| Quote: |
On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 21:27:37 -0700, "D. anon" <anonymous@no.where> wrote:
D.
Knowing your location might help. This is the world wide web and we don't
know
if you are going into spring or fall.
The pictures looked like carniolan or "midnight" drones. Midnights are
hybrids
which are extreamly gentle however when they swam the new mixed queen can
produce some pretty mean bees.
beekeep
I am wondering if there may be a drone layer on board? This is worth a |
thought.
Jock |
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Walter
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 4:53 pm Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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On Apr 30, 12:50 pm, "Jock" <the-nospam-bl...@bigpond.net.au> wrote:
| Quote: |
"beekeep" <hone...@radix.net> wrote in message
news:4635b224.1293562@usenet.radix.net...
On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 21:27:37 -0700, "D. anon" <anonym...@no.where> wrote:
D.
Knowing your location might help. This is the world wide web and we don't
know
if you are going into spring or fall.
The pictures looked like carniolan or "midnight" drones. Midnights are
hybrids
which are extreamly gentle however when they swam the new mixed queen can
produce some pretty mean bees.
beekeep
I am wondering if there may be a drone layer on board? This is worth a
thought.
Jock
|
It is obviously a very unhappy colony under stress of some kind. Could
be disease.The big one might have Nosema.
Walter |
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D. anon
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 11:36 pm Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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"suburbanapis" <suburbanapis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1177907920.207297.304890@y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: |
...New queen,
did her nuptual flight a month ago (when did you start having sunny
days?), and bred with some bad-ass drone from the wrong side of the
tracks.
|
Uh oh. My partner saw a swarm (massive blob of bees) in one of our orange
trees (which was just coming into blossom) about a month ago (nest is in the
front of the house, tree about 250 ft south, in the back yard). She viewed
the swarm with binoculars and claims the bees were almost black - not the
usual honeybee coloration. A few days later she saw a large group of bees
circling above our house.
| Quote: |
I have to say, those are some weird-looking honeybees. Can I pass them
on to my group here in Sonoma, California and see if anybody has any
thoughts?
|
If you're asking for the fat-bellied bee carcasses, photo (video still) was
shot on front walk and ants have since removed evidence. I found a couple of
big drones this morning, but not with the very round abdomen. I'll look
again later.
In the meantime, here's a video clip of the nest opening taken this morning.
Note the 3 large, very dark (one almost black) bees just hangin out, along
with a smaller one to their left.
http://www.hpaa.com/d/bees.wmv (224kb)
http://www.hpaa.com/d/bees.mov (281kb)
Location: S.Calif. Temp in low 70s F (temp was hi-90s F a few days ago).
Thanks for the contribution.
D. |
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D. anon
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| Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 12:13 am Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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"beekeep" <honeybs@radix.net> wrote in message
news:4635b224.1293562@usenet.radix.net...
| Quote: |
The pictures looked like carniolan or "midnight" drones. Midnights are
hybrids
which are extreamly gentle however when they swam the new mixed queen can
produce some pretty mean bees.
|
Thanks for reply. So she'll be making mean bees til she kicks off? Check my
reply to suburbanapis. "Midnight" drone at the nest opening?
Late spring in S.Calif.
D. |
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timrowe@eircom.net
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| Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 9:51 pm Post subject: Re: bees get aggressive |
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Apologies if comments came across as critical, but from where I'm
standing being followed around by a drone just didn't seem very
aggressive.. Living next to a colony has to lead to stings from time
to time - and that doesn't mean it's aggressive, just doing it's job.
(I regularly get 40-50 stings a day, despite wearing all the gear.)
The problems your bees may have will need you getting more involved -
treating them against Varroa or Nosema will be much easier if they're
in a moveable-frame hive, similarly checking for a drone-laying queen.
But to move established bees into a hive is a complicated job and
would mean you familiarizing yourself with many aspects of bees and
bee-keeping - not least, identifying drones!
It's well worth it though, and we all need to look after bees as never
before..
Good luck, Tim |
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