Yeah you ticked them all the way off without smoke. Even watching it on half speed, the frame pulling was a little rough. With more experience you will have fewer situations like this. We've all been there.
A number of factors could make them more aggressive than usual. Hot humid weather, if they've been pestered by some critter or they could be hungry? I've had aggressive hives that settled down once I got some food in them. I don't usually kill the queen as a first option. Could also be something only the bees know? I have also got them to settle down by doing a walk away split. It doesn't matter which box the queens in. Just split the boxes and walk away. Again, I like to feed them which I think makes them mellow a little. They are a mystery !
I feel sorry for you as I had same thing happen to me. Quick inspection with no smoker turned into nightmare. Face veil wasn’t fastened to suit well and propped open while holding a deep in my hands. Bees surged into face mask. I ran at least 50 yards away slapping and flailing to get bees out of mask. Fearing they were going to sting my eyes I pulled veil off and covered my face and eyes. They can sting me on my head but not my eyes. Made it to a shed approximately 200 yards from hive and bees finally left me. Wife pulled 30+ stingers from my face, neck and head. I understand your pain. I always use a smoker now and got a new suit and an Eppy pen. Tough lesson to learn. Hope you are doing well.
We all learn from our mistakes, hopefully. If you are going to pull frames always have a lit smoker within reach. Better to have smoke and not need than need it and not have it. I learned that through pain therapy.
You definitely should look into getting a three layered mesh suit. I had a very "defensive" hive that would swarm me every time I opened them up (smoke or not) and that's when I got a mesh suit. I'm not selling them or anything like that, but the ultra breeze suit is awesome in MHO. Three layers, breeze blows right through them, the zippers are great quality, the hood (it's not even a veil) is a very solid zippered connection with secondary velcro closures to insure the "seal". I love it, can't say enough about it! Best of Luck!
Ooo I hate that feeling. I have 140 hives, I still put everything down when I get a few in my veil. Certain times of year a few puffs from the smoker can make a big difference so you don't have so many after you once the inspection is done
Poor lass, owchie. Luckily you will fully recover. Personally, I always change the Queen, for a breed one, from a reputable supplier, if I get nasty bees. Don't give up on the bees. If your bees are re-queening themselves each time they do the bees will get nastier.
After we lost our original queen from the bear attack we had one sent to us from our breeder. After a week she was gone and a new queen cell had appeared! This was my first time in the hive since the “bee made” Queen. Hopefully they have calmed down a bit. Thankfully they didn’t seem Africanized. This was a my fault situation but will assess this weekend when I go back out! Usually I find they are just curious. Very active when I’m in there but most of the time just checking things out.
A bout 3 weeks ago I went to just peak into a hive because I wanted just to see how the top super was doing and I thought I didn't need a smoker for such a quick inspection. Wrong they came out mad as heck. one stung me through my vail in the neck. I backed off a walked away they also followed me farther than usual once they all left I took off one of my gloves to make sure I was all zipped up. I then turned to go get my equipment when although I was still far away from the hive one darn bee attacked and got me on the hand. Bees are way more aggressive in the fall so you need to be careful. If you do not want to smoke them try spraying sugar water on them to keep them busy. Stay safe another Hurricane is headed your way.
The bees at this time of year are super aggressive especially when you have multiple hives. best to do inspection early when they are still clustering and not all warmed up. having a water source nearby and already running such as the sprinkler. they and no joke once triggered for aggression
Oh my gosh! So glad you are okay! I’m a wannabee bee keeper…ordered bees last month for pick up in April and your story absolutely will get a doc appointment and epi pen
A very painful experience. Some friendly pointers from a fellow keeper, the first thing I noticed was the lack of a smoker. Even the calmest colonies can have a bad day and it's just best to always have a lit smoker when opening a hive. Second was your handling of the frames, as a new beekeeper it takes time to build up the speed you work at while still being gentle. It is always best to work slower when you are still finding your feet, remember that bees are very sensitive to even the smallest vibrations. Bumping the box or even slightly knocking the frames together can irritate them. Something I see a lot when beekeepers put the supers back on hives, is that they simply put the super down directly on top of the hive. Even if you are using a smoker to move them bees will still be squashed using this method, making them more defensive. When putting the super back on, try sliding it back onto the hive from the back/front and use your smoker or bee brush to move the bees out of the way as you do so. It's far more gentle and you squash way fewer bees in the process. Lastly, something a bit unusual that I don't ever see mentioned with regard to bees being defensive but that can sometimes be a reason is alcohol. Bees hate the smell of alcohol. Not suggesting that you had had any alcohol I'm just sharing some knowledge, but say you work with a colony today and you had a drink or two or even several (not judging anyone) at a party yesterday. If there is still a lingering trace of that alcohol in your system your bees will pick up on it. Hope all this helps, I wish you the best of luck with your bees going forward!!
Thank you for this! Appreciate any advice I can get. Very careful with what is on/in my system when I inspect. Usually try to do it in the morning before I’ve eaten anything, just water, no perfume etc. looking forward to inspecting again. Been about 2 weeks since this happened and now we have a hurricane so next sunny day I’m headed out there. Thank you again
@@Kennedyalger You're very welcome! Always happy to share knowledge and tips. I think you will make a very good beekeeper as it's clear to me that you truly care about your bees. It's wise of you to avoid perfumes and anything that has a slightly strong scent, but I wouldn't worry about eating anything before working with your bees. I always eat something before doing an inspection and have never had a problem.👍 I hope you and your bees make it through this terrible hurricane safely!!!🙏🙏 Good luck with your next inspection.🐝😊🙌
You have shown your inexperience and lack of knowledge in an honest recounting for which you should be applauded. Your experience should inform other beginners (like myself) and could save lives. This has once again impressed upon me the importance of learning. You and I both need to find a class for beginners. If that isn’t possible for you then befriend and or pay an experienced and qualified beekeeper who is willing to take on an apprentice. For myself, I am certain of only one thing right now - any success I have had to this point is largely luck and because I make every effort to let the bees guide my actions, which are not often and always very gently carried out. I’ve been studying for about two hours a day for months now and I still don’t have a full picture of all there is to know. Good luck to you.
I work bees that can get aggressive even with smoke I would get a better bee suit probably the guardian. And make sure all zippers are closed. I live in Texas so one day bees can be fine the next time inspection they are aggressive probably African genetics have entered the pool.
Good info. Knock on wood, I’ve never been stung once. I’ve heard stories like this from other beekeepers, where they panic and take all or part of their bee suit off. I’m so sorry this happened to you, but thank you for sharing!!!! I’m sure it will help others.
Thank you! Good on you! My breeder told me you become a seasoned keeper once you’ve been stung lol! Not sure I love that metal but such is life. Totally panicked and probably wouldn’t only had a handful of stings if I didn’t unzip.
So glad you are doing some better. Keeping a two pack of pens on hand is very smart . I started Bee keeping in 68 an no the stings do not mess with me YET BUT tomorrow may be a different day . BUT BUT BUT we never know from second to second just what can or will happen . How many colonies do you have .?? How long have you been keeping Bees .??
Thank you for the comment! Been keeping for less than 6 months. Started with 2 colonies, lost 1 from the bear attack and hoping to get another in the next month or so
Do not open your suite, 1 bee can sting 1 time. Find the leak as seal it. Think of it like a space suit, and your in a vacuum, no matter how bad the leak opening the visor will not help.
It was noticeable that there were a lot of flying bees early on in the inspection, sometimes its better to beat a strategic retreat and close up the hive, also they may have been more defensive through being queenless. As others have suggested a smoker could/should have been used before things got out of hand but I've found that an even better solution to calm a roused hive is a spray bottle of 1:1 sugar solution, works like magic. Unless there are other compelling reasons for keeping that queen bloodline in existence, split the hive so its easier to find the queen and replace her with a gentler strain, though be aware it may be the patriline genetics causing the problem. Strive to be cool, calm and collected and sense how the bees are behaving, adjust your plans accordingly. It might sound contrary but also I'd ditch the gloves, because the multiple stings into the gloves release so much attack pheromone that it makes it impossible to continue, going gloveless really makes you aware of the bees' mood and react by changing whatever behaviour is annoying them. One other point, when replacing frames in the brood box esp, try to be smoother and slower, that avoids agitating the bees. Anyway, its all a good learning experience, adjust and adapt, try smoke and sugar syrup in a spray bottle and when you're confident, go gloveless.
Thank you for this! I usually am pretty calm but obviously not that day. I find that the bees are active during inspections but do not seem aggressive if that makes sense. I have heard about the spray bottle with sugar water and will try that next time! Thank you again for the comment! This was my first inspection with this new Queen.
Ya needed smoke an absolutely never take your Veil off while you're being swarmed you got super lucky you didn't die from this being a smaller person and getting stung so many times
Yes and no. I’ve got mixed reviews about it. A week prior to this I put in a new queen from my breeder and then saw a queen cell so whatever queen is there had only been in there for a handful of days. They were queenless for about 2 weeks after their bear attack so want to at least see how they are next time I inspect before making that call
Oh dear, that must have been terrifying for you, one bee got into my veil and stung me on the side of the face , I panicked so I can’t imagine how you must have felt. I’m sure you won’t let it happen again though. 🇬🇧
I’m new to beekeeping so just wondering why you weren’t using a smoker. That seems to calm them down considerably. Personally I dont use it. I have it smoking ready to go but never pumped it into the box. My bees are very calm I guess. But my friend has very aggressive bees and we use his smoker a lot when working his hives.
Congrats on getting into beekeeping! I have a smoker and have used it several times. The more comfortable I get with my bees, the less I use it. From the video they usually are very active during inspections but never “aggressive” per se. Usually when I start to walk away, they go back in their box. This day was different!
@@Kennedyalger From what I keep reading, fall is such a unique time of year for bees. I’m glad you didn’t suffer worse. What state are you in? I’m in Central CA and its still 100’s here and bees are still full speed ahead making honey. I’m so confused at my timing for harvest, treatments, Etc etc compared to everywhere else that has a ‘normal’ autumn.
The same reaction happened to me. Got stung just once though under the chin. Doctor said the bee hit some glands and nerves but I lost my vision and all the same symptoms you experienced. No fun but now I have epi pens handy just incase, though not allergic as well. Glad your doing well now
Hi from southern New Zealand 👋 everyones said it, im gonna say it too...Smoke!!! Smoke!!! Always, Always have a smoker lit. If you don't like traditional smokers you can get a electric smoker. Castle hives and beekeeping with Natalee have video reviews of electric smokers, it might be a solution for you to have smoke on hand without having to light a smoker. I always have a smoker lit even if i don't use it, sometimes i don't need too but its always lit and ready because honeybees will defend themselves if they feel threatened and a lot if things can put them in defense mode. I got a wallop in the right eyeball this year 😂 from a hobbyist hive, using a borrowed poorly fitting veil and that was novel 😂 yes, actually in the eye, it hurt, don't do that. Ive seen a really aggressive hive when I was apprenticing in the 80s, a queenless Italian, two hundred stings and once was enough. Next week they were fine. In forty years its the only hive ive ever personally seen do that so its not common for hyper aggressive attacks to happen but its always been a good lesson for me.
How on earth did you take 100+ of stings though your suit.🤭Oh you had a zipper issue😂I've done that before, no fun. I think the most I have taken is about 20 or 30 I stopped counting at like 28.🤨That is a LOT of stings for someone your size. Hose and water is about the only thing you can do, smart. Now you are Graduated, make sure you have an EPI Pen and Benadril on hand.😁I know it's hard to stay calm in those situations, you did great. It's difficult to stay calm in situations that the girls GO🤬ANGRY! Hose off, go in side and then remove the suit, that is about all we can do when/if they get riled up like that. You can also just go straight to the shower with the suit on, I have seen beekeepers do that in the South. I am glad that you are sticking with Beekeeping, I'm sorry for what ya went through but it'll make you a better Beekeeper in the long run. May I ask how long have you all been keeping bees?.👍 Thanks you for sharing your time with us, Blessed Days...
That soon after that many stings you definitely look waaaaayyyyy better than most people would - great venom resistance which will get even better the more you get stung. Most of the time during summer I work my bees in shorts, no shirt, no veil, no gloves. But there are times I don't dare to go near them without at least a veil and a jacket. The weather did not look too bad at least from the video - unless there was a major weather front coming. So my guess is that a bee "attack" pheromone triggered that "attack action" from the rest of the bees. It only takes a bee or two to sting you and the rest react pretty fast if you don't cover it with lots of smoke and they actually focus on the area of the first sting. Did you smell bananas? :) Like I said, my bees are very calm and easy to work most of the time when the conditions are right but I remember one occasion when they chased me over a hundred yards to the house, at least a dozen got through the first door of the house and 4 or 5 even got into the bathroom before I had a chance to close the door behind me. So with bees, timing is everything and that goes for all aspects of bee keeping. Keep up the good work :)
I appreciate the comment! Truly grateful to have healed so quickly. A week later and almost 100% We were getting bands from hurricane Helene only a few days later. My guess is that mixed with the pheromones. They usually are very active during inspections but will go right back to their boxes as soon as I start to walk away. Thank you for the input! I do not intend to quit. Very much a learning experience
I had a situation like u with bees in my veil and I tell u I got stung only face and head my head ,ears ,eyes .I was expecting to look like the pills berry doh boy . But didn't swell at all.
Any chance you may have Africanized bees? I noticed immediately in the beginning of your inspection that there was a large number of bees flying around which is not normal. The series of events that you described are hallmarks of Africanization. Any open mated queen in south Florida has a potential of having Africanized genetics. Reputable queen breeders included as it is in the environment. Your state apiary inspector can give much more information as it’s normal to find those genetics in apiary inspections down there. As a newer beekeeper, I hate that you’ve had this traumatic experience. I really do think you might want to check your genetics. It can be tricky to requeen Africanized colonies as well. A typical inspection rarely has the amount of activity that I saw in the beginning with bees already flying all around. Fall bees can be a little more grumpy but the reaction of your bees seems overly reactive…especially since you say that’s normal for them. In a perfect world, your bees shouldn’t pay any attention to you when you’re in there. U of Florida has great info regarding Africanized bees and they are amazing and so helpful. I hope you find some relief and that you have positive experiences moving forward! Thank you for sharing your experience
I do on and off! If it’s a more in depth inspection or they seem irritated I will. If they are minding their business, I usually find it unnecessary. Smoking from now on 😅
Hi, I don't ever comment on youtube but feel I need to take the time and reach out. Your bees look like Africanized honey bees to me. The fact that they pursued you aggressively is how these Africanized bees react to intruders. Africanized bees often overtake managed colonies like yours, overwhelm the native colony, kill the queen and then move in. This is very common behavior for Africanized bees, it is called usurpation and is a form of reproductive parasitism that allows Africanized bees to overtake and displace European (i.e., western) honey bees in the Americas. Even "hot" Italian bees would not be this aggressive. Please be cautious if you go into this hive again. (smoking them with a smoker may help) I haven't watched your other bee videos yet but just wanted to get this out to you. I would urge you to contact a local bee club and get help inspecting the hive. I'm so glad you're okay, please be careful!
Thank you so much! They are Italian bees from a reputable breeder in my area. They have had a stressful month. Survived a beat attack, I requeened, then they requeened themselves and this was the first inspection with the new hatched queen. They are usually active during inspections if I don’t use smoke but have never seemed aggressive. I think this was absolutely my fault but going to thread lightly when I go back in!
@@Kennedyalger Wasn't your marked queen missing? And a brand new queen cell mysteriously appeared? I'll have to re-watch, maybe I missed something. I'm not sure where you're located geographically but the palm trees indicate you're in a zone with potential Africanized bees. Hopefully I'm wrong and they're extra crabby with the recent bear incident. I'd suggest using a lot of smoke next time just in case, this will mask their alarm pheromone.
![ตีสิบเดย์ [FULL] | อาจารย์โอเล่ ญาณสัมผัส ผ่าดวงคนดัง ประเทศไทยจะเป็นยังไงหลังจากนี้!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gszT2O76fL4/mqdefault.jpg)
Yeah you ticked them all the way off without smoke. Even watching it on half speed, the frame pulling was a little rough. With more experience you will have fewer situations like this. We've all been there.
A number of factors could make them more aggressive than usual. Hot humid weather, if they've been pestered by some critter or they could be hungry? I've had aggressive hives that settled down once I got some food in them. I don't usually kill the queen as a first option. Could also be something only the bees know? I have also got them to settle down by doing a walk away split. It doesn't matter which box the queens in. Just split the boxes and walk away. Again, I like to feed them which I think makes them mellow a little. They are a mystery !
I feel sorry for you as I had same thing happen to me. Quick inspection with no smoker turned into nightmare. Face veil wasn’t fastened to suit well and propped open while holding a deep in my hands. Bees surged into face mask. I ran at least 50 yards away slapping and flailing to get bees out of mask. Fearing they were going to sting my eyes I pulled veil off and covered my face and eyes. They can sting me on my head but not my eyes. Made it to a shed approximately 200 yards from hive and bees finally left me. Wife pulled 30+ stingers from my face, neck and head. I understand your pain. I always use a smoker now and got a new suit and an Eppy pen. Tough lesson to learn. Hope you are doing well.
Consider getting a 3-layer bee suit. (ventilated)
Two years ago I started keeping bees and getting stung in the start would swell me but , now I don't swell up no longer
We all learn from our mistakes, hopefully. If you are going to pull frames always have a lit smoker within reach. Better to have smoke and not need than need it and not have it. I learned that through pain therapy.
Totally! Not wanting this type of therapy again
Learn to slow down. You will be amazed how calm the bees can be.
You definitely should look into getting a three layered mesh suit. I had a very "defensive" hive that would swarm me every time I opened them up (smoke or not) and that's when I got a mesh suit. I'm not selling them or anything like that, but the ultra breeze suit is awesome in MHO. Three layers, breeze blows right through them, the zippers are great quality, the hood (it's not even a veil) is a very solid zippered connection with secondary velcro closures to insure the "seal". I love it, can't say enough about it! Best of Luck!
Ooo I hate that feeling. I have 140 hives, I still put everything down when I get a few in my veil. Certain times of year a few puffs from the smoker can make a big difference so you don't have so many after you once the inspection is done
Poor lass, owchie. Luckily you will fully recover. Personally, I always change the Queen, for a breed one, from a reputable supplier, if I get nasty bees. Don't give up on the bees. If your bees are re-queening themselves each time they do the bees will get nastier.
After we lost our original queen from the bear attack we had one sent to us from our breeder. After a week she was gone and a new queen cell had appeared! This was my first time in the hive since the “bee made” Queen. Hopefully they have calmed down a bit. Thankfully they didn’t seem Africanized. This was a my fault situation but will assess this weekend when I go back out! Usually I find they are just curious. Very active when I’m in there but most of the time just checking things out.
Even watching at speed I was getting nervous not seeing a smoker and then seeing all the bees have a look about them in the air....
Yep i also learned the no smoker quick check mistake.
A bout 3 weeks ago I went to just peak into a hive because I wanted just to see how the top super was doing and I thought I didn't need a smoker for such a quick inspection. Wrong they came out mad as heck. one stung me through my vail in the neck. I backed off a walked away they also followed me farther than usual once they all left I took off one of my gloves to make sure I was all zipped up. I then turned to go get my equipment when although I was still far away from the hive one darn bee attacked and got me on the hand. Bees are way more aggressive in the fall so you need to be careful. If you do not want to smoke them try spraying sugar water on them to keep them busy. Stay safe another Hurricane is headed your way.
The bees at this time of year are super aggressive especially when you have multiple hives. best to do inspection early when they are still clustering and not all warmed up. having a water source nearby and already running such as the sprinkler. they and no joke once triggered for aggression
Oh my gosh! So glad you are okay! I’m a wannabee bee keeper…ordered bees last month for pick up in April and your story absolutely will get a doc appointment and epi pen
Yay! Hi from southern New Zealand 👋😃 bee's are awesome 👍 this situation isn't common, in forty years I've only personally seen it once
A very painful experience. Some friendly pointers from a fellow keeper, the first thing I noticed was the lack of a smoker. Even the calmest colonies can have a bad day and it's just best to always have a lit smoker when opening a hive. Second was your handling of the frames, as a new beekeeper it takes time to build up the speed you work at while still being gentle. It is always best to work slower when you are still finding your feet, remember that bees are very sensitive to even the smallest vibrations. Bumping the box or even slightly knocking the frames together can irritate them. Something I see a lot when beekeepers put the supers back on hives, is that they simply put the super down directly on top of the hive. Even if you are using a smoker to move them bees will still be squashed using this method, making them more defensive. When putting the super back on, try sliding it back onto the hive from the back/front and use your smoker or bee brush to move the bees out of the way as you do so. It's far more gentle and you squash way fewer bees in the process. Lastly, something a bit unusual that I don't ever see mentioned with regard to bees being defensive but that can sometimes be a reason is alcohol. Bees hate the smell of alcohol. Not suggesting that you had had any alcohol I'm just sharing some knowledge, but say you work with a colony today and you had a drink or two or even several (not judging anyone) at a party yesterday. If there is still a lingering trace of that alcohol in your system your bees will pick up on it. Hope all this helps, I wish you the best of luck with your bees going forward!!
Thank you for this! Appreciate any advice I can get. Very careful with what is on/in my system when I inspect. Usually try to do it in the morning before I’ve eaten anything, just water, no perfume etc. looking forward to inspecting again. Been about 2 weeks since this happened and now we have a hurricane so next sunny day I’m headed out there. Thank you again
@@Kennedyalger You're very welcome! Always happy to share knowledge and tips. I think you will make a very good beekeeper as it's clear to me that you truly care about your bees. It's wise of you to avoid perfumes and anything that has a slightly strong scent, but I wouldn't worry about eating anything before working with your bees. I always eat something before doing an inspection and have never had a problem.👍
I hope you and your bees make it through this terrible hurricane safely!!!🙏🙏 Good luck with your next inspection.🐝😊🙌
Other bees can smell the sting never so that wear the zipper come together in you Val Maybe
Glad u ok and not thinking of giving up on the bees , I also hope your body don't react as bad next time .
You have shown your inexperience and lack of knowledge in an honest recounting for which you should be applauded. Your experience should inform other beginners (like myself) and could save lives.
This has once again impressed upon me the importance of learning. You and I both need to find a class for beginners. If that isn’t possible for you then befriend and or pay an experienced and qualified beekeeper who is willing to take on an apprentice.
For myself, I am certain of only one thing right now - any success I have had to this point is largely luck and because I make every effort to let the bees guide my actions, which are not often and always very gently carried out. I’ve been studying for about two hours a day for months now and I still don’t have a full picture of all there is to know. Good luck to you.
I work bees that can get aggressive even with smoke I would get a better bee suit probably the guardian. And make sure all zippers are closed. I live in Texas so one day bees can be fine the next time inspection they are aggressive probably African genetics have entered the pool.
Smoker is king.
Good info. Knock on wood, I’ve never been stung once. I’ve heard stories like this from other beekeepers, where they panic and take all or part of their bee suit off. I’m so sorry this happened to you, but thank you for sharing!!!! I’m sure it will help others.
Thank you! Good on you! My breeder told me you become a seasoned keeper once you’ve been stung lol! Not sure I love that metal but such is life.
Totally panicked and probably wouldn’t only had a handful of stings if I didn’t unzip.
So glad you are doing some better. Keeping a two pack of pens on hand is very smart . I started Bee keeping in 68 an no the stings do not mess with me YET BUT tomorrow may be a different day . BUT BUT BUT we never know from second to second just what can or will happen . How many colonies do you have .?? How long have you been keeping Bees .??
Thank you for the comment! Been keeping for less than 6 months. Started with 2 colonies, lost 1 from the bear attack and hoping to get another in the next month or so
Do not open your suite, 1 bee can sting 1 time. Find the leak as seal it. Think of it like a space suit, and your in a vacuum, no matter how bad the leak opening the visor will not help.
It was noticeable that there were a lot of flying bees early on in the inspection, sometimes its better to beat a strategic retreat and close up the hive, also they may have been more defensive through being queenless.
As others have suggested a smoker could/should have been used before things got out of hand but I've found that an even better solution to calm a roused hive is a spray bottle of 1:1 sugar solution, works like magic.
Unless there are other compelling reasons for keeping that queen bloodline in existence, split the hive so its easier to find the queen and replace her with a gentler strain, though be aware it may be the patriline genetics causing the problem.
Strive to be cool, calm and collected and sense how the bees are behaving, adjust your plans accordingly. It might sound contrary but also I'd ditch the gloves, because the multiple stings into the gloves release so much attack pheromone that it makes it impossible to continue, going gloveless really makes you aware of the bees' mood and react by changing whatever behaviour is annoying them. One other point, when replacing frames in the brood box esp, try to be smoother and slower, that avoids agitating the bees. Anyway, its all a good learning experience, adjust and adapt, try smoke and sugar syrup in a spray bottle and when you're confident, go gloveless.
Thank you for this! I usually am pretty calm but obviously not that day.
I find that the bees are active during inspections but do not seem aggressive if that makes sense.
I have heard about the spray bottle with sugar water and will try that next time!
Thank you again for the comment!
This was my first inspection with this new Queen.
Ya needed smoke an absolutely never take your Veil off while you're being swarmed you got super lucky you didn't die from this being a smaller person and getting stung so many times
Just curious, does it make sense replacing the queen and trying to repopulate the hive with a calmer strain?
Yes and no. I’ve got mixed reviews about it. A week prior to this I put in a new queen from my breeder and then saw a queen cell so whatever queen is there had only been in there for a handful of days. They were queenless for about 2 weeks after their bear attack so want to at least see how they are next time I inspect before making that call
Guardian sting proof suit would work a lot better
Oh dear, that must have been terrifying for you, one bee got into my veil and stung me on the side of the face , I panicked so I can’t imagine how you must have felt. I’m sure you won’t let it happen again though. 🇬🇧
I’m new to beekeeping so just wondering why you weren’t using a smoker. That seems to calm them down considerably.
Personally I dont use it. I have it smoking ready to go but never pumped it into the box. My bees are very calm I guess. But my friend has very aggressive bees and we use his smoker a lot when working his hives.
Congrats on getting into beekeeping! I have a smoker and have used it several times. The more comfortable I get with my bees, the less I use it. From the video they usually are very active during inspections but never “aggressive” per se. Usually when I start to walk away, they go back in their box. This day was different!
@@Kennedyalger From what I keep reading, fall is such a unique time of year for bees. I’m glad you didn’t suffer worse. What state are you in? I’m in Central CA and its still 100’s here and bees are still full speed ahead making honey. I’m so confused at my timing for harvest, treatments, Etc etc compared to everywhere else that has a ‘normal’ autumn.
The same reaction happened to me. Got stung just once though under the chin. Doctor said the bee hit some glands and nerves but I lost my vision and all the same symptoms you experienced. No fun but now I have epi pens handy just incase, though not allergic as well. Glad your doing well now
Thank you! Sorry to hear you experienced something similar
Pretty shocking in the moment!
This time of year some of my colonies are REALLY DEFENSIVE I call it MEAN . Carry an epipen just in case.🤕😢
Hi from southern New Zealand 👋 everyones said it, im gonna say it too...Smoke!!! Smoke!!! Always, Always have a smoker lit. If you don't like traditional smokers you can get a electric smoker. Castle hives and beekeeping with Natalee have video reviews of electric smokers, it might be a solution for you to have smoke on hand without having to light a smoker. I always have a smoker lit even if i don't use it, sometimes i don't need too but its always lit and ready because honeybees will defend themselves if they feel threatened and a lot if things can put them in defense mode. I got a wallop in the right eyeball this year 😂 from a hobbyist hive, using a borrowed poorly fitting veil and that was novel 😂 yes, actually in the eye, it hurt, don't do that. Ive seen a really aggressive hive when I was apprenticing in the 80s, a queenless Italian, two hundred stings and once was enough. Next week they were fine. In forty years its the only hive ive ever personally seen do that so its not common for hyper aggressive attacks to happen but its always been a good lesson for me.
I have anaphylactic reactions. My doc told me to take Pepcid and Zyrtec and keep the epi pen handy
How on earth did you take 100+ of stings though your suit.🤭Oh you had a zipper issue😂I've done that before, no fun.
I think the most I have taken is about 20 or 30 I stopped counting at like 28.🤨That is a LOT of stings for someone your size. Hose and water is about the only thing you can do, smart.
Now you are Graduated, make sure you have an EPI Pen and Benadril on hand.😁I know it's hard to stay calm in those situations, you did great. It's difficult to stay calm in situations that the girls GO🤬ANGRY!
Hose off, go in side and then remove the suit, that is about all we can do when/if they get riled up like that. You can also just go straight to the shower with the suit on, I have seen beekeepers do that in the South.
I am glad that you are sticking with Beekeeping, I'm sorry for what ya went through but it'll make you a better Beekeeper in the long run. May I ask how long have you all been keeping bees?.👍 Thanks you for sharing your time with us, Blessed Days...
Thank you so much!! I definitely am not giving up. Learning a ton and will be getting epi pens!
That soon after that many stings you definitely look waaaaayyyyy better than most people would - great venom resistance which will get even better the more you get stung.
Most of the time during summer I work my bees in shorts, no shirt, no veil, no gloves. But there are times I don't dare to go near them without at least a veil and a jacket. The weather did not look too bad at least from the video - unless there was a major weather front coming. So my guess is that a bee "attack" pheromone triggered that "attack action" from the rest of the bees. It only takes a bee or two to sting you and the rest react pretty fast if you don't cover it with lots of smoke and they actually focus on the area of the first sting. Did you smell bananas? :)
Like I said, my bees are very calm and easy to work most of the time when the conditions are right but I remember one occasion when they chased me over a hundred yards to the house, at least a dozen got through the first door of the house and 4 or 5 even got into the bathroom before I had a chance to close the door behind me. So with bees, timing is everything and that goes for all aspects of bee keeping. Keep up the good work :)
I appreciate the comment! Truly grateful to have healed so quickly. A week later and almost 100%
We were getting bands from hurricane Helene only a few days later. My guess is that mixed with the pheromones.
They usually are very active during inspections but will go right back to their boxes as soon as I start to walk away.
Thank you for the input! I do not intend to quit. Very much a learning experience
I had a situation like u with bees in my veil and I tell u I got stung only face and head my head ,ears ,eyes .I was expecting to look like the pills berry doh boy . But didn't swell at all.
Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!
What a story!! Wow wow wow!
Any chance you may have Africanized bees? I noticed immediately in the beginning of your inspection that there was a large number of bees flying around which is not normal. The series of events that you described are hallmarks of Africanization. Any open mated queen in south Florida has a potential of having Africanized genetics. Reputable queen breeders included as it is in the environment. Your state apiary inspector can give much more information as it’s normal to find those genetics in apiary inspections down there. As a newer beekeeper, I hate that you’ve had this traumatic experience. I really do think you might want to check your genetics. It can be tricky to requeen Africanized colonies as well. A typical inspection rarely has the amount of activity that I saw in the beginning with bees already flying all around. Fall bees can be a little more grumpy but the reaction of your bees seems overly reactive…especially since you say that’s normal for them. In a perfect world, your bees shouldn’t pay any attention to you when you’re in there. U of Florida has great info regarding Africanized bees and they are amazing and so helpful. I hope you find some relief and that you have positive experiences moving forward! Thank you for sharing your experience
Get a better quality suit. I’ve never ever had bees in my suit.
You look great for getting that many stings. I look worse with one sting
What breed of bee do you have?
Italian!
requeen
never take off yiur vail use smoker
How did they get in in the beginning was the suit open
A few snuck in, I panicked and unzipped my veil :/
What? No smoker?
Sometimes I’m a little too confident with my ability
Is there a reason you don`t use smoke.
I do on and off! If it’s a more in depth inspection or they seem irritated I will. If they are minding their business, I usually find it unnecessary. Smoking from now on 😅
Didn't see any smoke
Not for this inspection. Next time!
Hi, I don't ever comment on youtube but feel I need to take the time and reach out. Your bees look like Africanized honey bees to me. The fact that they pursued you aggressively is how these Africanized bees react to intruders. Africanized bees often overtake managed colonies like yours, overwhelm the native colony, kill the queen and then move in. This is very common behavior for Africanized bees, it is called usurpation and is a form of reproductive parasitism that allows Africanized bees to overtake and displace European (i.e., western) honey bees in the Americas. Even "hot" Italian bees would not be this aggressive. Please be cautious if you go into this hive again. (smoking them with a smoker may help) I haven't watched your other bee videos yet but just wanted to get this out to you. I would urge you to contact a local bee club and get help inspecting the hive. I'm so glad you're okay, please be careful!
Thank you so much! They are Italian bees from a reputable breeder in my area.
They have had a stressful month. Survived a beat attack, I requeened, then they requeened themselves and this was the first inspection with the new hatched queen.
They are usually active during inspections if I don’t use smoke but have never seemed aggressive.
I think this was absolutely my fault but going to thread lightly when I go back in!
@@Kennedyalger Wasn't your marked queen missing? And a brand new queen cell mysteriously appeared? I'll have to re-watch, maybe I missed something. I'm not sure where you're located geographically but the palm trees indicate you're in a zone with potential Africanized bees. Hopefully I'm wrong and they're extra crabby with the recent bear incident. I'd suggest using a lot of smoke next time just in case, this will mask their alarm pheromone.