New subscriber from Canada. Your videos are entertaining and informative- thanks! I have 10+ years experience as a hobbiest with 12 colonies at present. Just thought I'd mention the caveat re. angry bees. I bought two imported queens from Chile as an "experiment" (not my best idea ever). You could not get within 150 metres of the apiary without getting literally attacked. Then they would chase you for another 2 or 3 hundred metres. They were africanized and I don't use that term lightly. I later found out others who purchased the same queens had similar experiences. I chose to euthanize both colonies after seeking opinions from other experienced beekeepers. Requeening, as you pointed out, would have fixed the problem in time but the drones, in the few weeks the new queen would need, could have passesd on undesirable genetics to my apiary or worse- to someone else's. It's rare, indeed, virtually unheard of, in Canada to hear of truly Africanized bees. A good argument to buy local queens whenever possible. Due to the time of year I did not have that option. Cheers!

100% agree. I view highly defensive/aggressive colonies as an opportunity. I’ve only been keeping bees for a little over 2 years, but living in an area with a good bit of africanization it’s easy to pick up those genetics. I’ve had two colonies that were absolutely buck-wild and absolutely no fun to work. Took a little bit of willpower and a full bee suit but after finding and killing the queens I ended up taking four splits from one and 3 from the other. I do highly recommend either splitting down an aggressive colony or at the very least moving them to a new location to reduce forager population. Either method will produce an immediate reduction in aggressive behavior that new genetics will ultimately fix.

in many states here in the US its *illegal* to spray pesticides onto any honey bee colony, whether its wild, swarm, or even managed (people have been known to commit this type of bee vandalism). i think most pest control companies here will take one look at what they've been called to and know they are honey bees, and most likely have someone they know to call out who can recover them without being sprayed.

@BlackMountainHoney

2 жыл бұрын

That's fantastic! I did not know this! Well done USA 🇺🇸 👏 👍 😀 👌

I hope you got back by 5. Our local pest control guy refuses to kill bees. He actually try’s to educate people on other ways to either live with them or ask the local association to remove them if they’re honey bees.

Hi Lawrence, why would you kill a colony of bees it just doesn’t make sense to me as I explained a few months back I had a swarm of bees make there home in one of my bait hives and on the first inspection I was stung a good few times, this colony was mean i couldn’t even get within 20ft and they would let me know this was a really late in the season swarm so was too late for me to requeen them but I know this coming season because they are still alive I’ve seen them flying on sunny days I will definitely be dispatching there queen and giving them a mated queen, I’ve even been lowered half way down a chimney to get a colony of bees out of there on a demolition job I’ve been in the tightest of roof spaces to do a cutout so I will try my hardest to save bees none of this oh my gosh these bees are mean split them down requeen them there is plenty of methods to get that mean traits outta them. Thank you Lawrence mate your live chats and the amount of new content your giving us is so amazing.

Love this video. I keep one mega grumpy colony at home, why? They have taught me more than any other colony, they have taught me how to read bees and i continue to learn from them every season. I now understand that if they lynch me it's 90% of the time because of me and the other 10% because they are just ********😂. Still have to take a few deep breaths before I pop the lid though😂

@BlackMountainHoney

2 жыл бұрын

Answered on live stream 17/02/22

I never killed a colony because of agression, there is no need indeed. Although with the really agressive colonies i never introduce a queen only, i will only unite them with a bigger colony. I never had AFB thankfully and i hope i never encounter it in my apiaries.

We had UKBR turn up to one of our BKA meetings to do a presentation. It was really interesting to see how they remove colonies and places they have got them out of.

I could not even imagine calling in pest control. We have a multitude of people who remove bees at a small cost ...some in my area are totally free of charge... As a bee keeper I think if you can you should offer it as a service...

😂😂I got to ask did you get home by 5 that made me chuckle top marks great video content 👍👍👍

@BlackMountainHoney

2 жыл бұрын

Ha! Of course! My sister in law was coming round with my birthday pressies! 😉

@ollysue69

2 жыл бұрын

@@BlackMountainHoney was it a beer glass with no nonsense beer drinking on 😉😉

@BlackMountainHoney

2 жыл бұрын

@@ollysue69 ah I'm afraid not. It was a nice hoodie, box of chocolates and a miniature boxing set! 😉

@ollysue69

2 жыл бұрын

@@BlackMountainHoney that will do nicely you had me at chocolate 😂😂

@honeyhousehold9480

2 жыл бұрын

@@BlackMountainHoney Hope you’ve had a good birthday!? 🥳 Household birthday here today, chocolates and new jumpers all round! ☺️ I hope you got cake too???!🤔🎂

100% agree breaks my hart knowing people do ,one reason I built my bait hive was to providing as many I could a home . never killed a colony for temper either I like them wild

Unfortunately had dop a black colony today, hive was powerful and highly aggressive , fine in the countryside but moving to an urban environment so couldnt have that sort of behaviour .Will repopulate with some calm buckfast from the other hives.

I agree with you buddy never kill honey bees. Except for afb. Thanks for sharing I appreciate it.

There is always a reason for aggression.

Glad you mentioned the humane removal. 👍

AFB is not a reason to kill bees just put all the bees in anew box leave them 3 days to use all food they have then put them in a new box with frames feed if needed and let them build new frames all the old frames with brut must be distr

@BlackMountainHoney

2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately in the UK you are required by law to destroy the colony and enforcement can be taken against you if you do not comply. EFB can be managed like that though

I just want them away from my house

I have a rule, don't fly directly in my face and I won't kill any bees. So far it's been a very unsuccessful campaign so I will continue to kill bees and not feel the least bit bad about it.

Don't EVER kill bees.

@BlackMountainHoney

2 жыл бұрын

We are required by law to destroy any colonies with AFB