2 posts tagged “questions”

Alameda County Beekeepers Assoc member Jane McDermott asks,

Hi gang --My neighbor called to tell me that about 30-50 bees were in her house. I went over and sure enough, huddled on a window sill and the floor beneath it were a cluster of nearly dead bees. I swept them up and we checked out around her house -- which is brand new -- and saw that there was activity in and out of a heating vent. We figured that's probably how they got into the house. I suggested she apply a coating of almond extract around the vent and see if that discourages them.

My question is why. I don't have this problem at my house with my bees and there are any number of very easy ways to get into my house.

Anyone have any ideas about this?

Beekeeper Yvette Renee posted a question on her blog, and I'm cross-posting it here. You can answer in the comments here or on her blog:

I am a backyard beekeeper. I also have dogs and cats, and a new baby girl!

I am trying to connect with the alameda beekeeper's association, which has its own blog on vox. I need some beekeeping advice.

I have two hives. One we call Adeline, the other Betty so that we know which hive we are talking about.  Betty has always been a bit feistier than Adeline.  Both Adeline and Betty are going real strong and healthy this year.  Betty was so strong about three months ago, she had 8 swarm cells. I have never seen so many swarm cells in either of my hives!  With the baby due, and no extra honey super wax (the two supers on there were already pretty full) we decided that the easiest way to give her some more space quickly was to add a second brood box. This was a first experiment with a double-decker brood.  By the time I got through the hive and got that second box on, Betty was really angry, and I didn't have a chance to carefully space out the brood frame, which would have been a good idea since we only had 9 brood frames.

Betty went crazy and drew out the comb and filled it with honey and tons more brood in no time.  The few times that I worked through Betty's hive it was hard for two reasons, in my opinion. One, the extra space meant everytime I pulled out some of the frames I wrecked some of the free from brood Betty was happy to make in the free space.  The second reason it was hard was that it takes forever to work two brood boxes! I honestly don't understand how anyone manages it without leaving the hive open for far too long!  So Betty has not been happy with me any time I worked her boxes.

So my problem is that after the last three times I have worked Betty she  stays pretty mad. How do I know this? The hive is in our backyard. For two-three days after going through Betty, as soon as we walk out the back door  a group of bees end up buzzing around our heads.  Sometimes darting at us.  It always seems like one bee is on the lookout and she goes and fetches some of her buddies to come back with her to investigate us. They follow us around the  side of the house even!

This seems aggressive, doesn't it?  It seems like they have fixed on the area of our back door and are constantly patrolling it.  The hive is about 20 feet from the back door.

Does any beekeeper have any ideas about what to do? Betty is stressing my hormone-driven girlfriend out in a major way! She lost her bee-nerve when she got pregnant.

This weekend I reduced the brood back to one box.  The majority of the brood was downstairs anyway, and they can replace the brood with honey when the rest hatch out, hopefully. We also just got more wax, so I can put another super on her soon.

We plan to requeen Betty in the fall, since her hive seems overly aggressive. Does anyone have any other idea?
All comments and suggestions are welcome.

For background, Adeline has always been pretty chill. Betty started out as a swarm from Adeline.