Not Good!!!

Just been to look in my Bee's and start the process with the meanest, nastiest hive from hell and found this:

I have picked up the BB and the first supper and put them on my bigger stand slightly to the right which you cant see in the picture.

I thought it strange as soon as I got out of the truck I was ping'ed by a group of bee's and I was a good 60 mtrs from them and out of site.

As you can imagine, it was absolute chaos, they went completely nuts the moment the laid eyes on me and true to form, it got worse the longer I spent trying to sort the ungrateful gits.

A good point is its sorted part of my problem out however, the Question now is what do I do now and when? I need to go and recover the other five or six supers.

Ps not sure if it was wind or deer or a badger. Taking a quick look in the fallen suppers I can't see any animal like damage yet.

Hachi said:

Just been to look in my Bee's and start the process with the meanest, nastiest hive from hell and found this:

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Concrete slab and strap called for! Any livestock about?

No livestock only me. I mentioned it at the time to my mate when he brought them over the stand was crap. I'll get a new stand sorted.

Given the evilness of these lot whens the best time to go back and recover the other suppers?

Just spoke to the Farmer, he looked over to them last night and they were fine so it happened last night.

A quick observation and it would appear not to be badgers (they would likely have devoured the contents and spread it around) and looking at the vegetation, not too much livestock around.

The stand looks to be too tall for that many supers and any rain and earlier dry-cracking could have caused the topple-over. A nudge from a passing deer would easily have started the collapse.

Those supers are going to be robbed, so need attention soon. Move them away initially and sort them out, but seems like you are going to get 'bombers and pingers' wherever you do it nearby. Have fun!

Top heavy weight, a gust of wind and soft ground is all it needs!
I feel for you tho, wouldn't sirs me if the queen isn't still there, they seem to have this nack of surviving crashes!

I think the quicker you get them sorted the better.....the longer you leave the supers the more robbing will go on and increase the possibility the 'hive' may come under attack.
Think it is time to suit up, sort super by super, add back to colony if possible, reduce entrance to help them defend themselves......then leave be for the week.

Hachi said:

No livestock only me. I mentioned it at the time to my mate when he brought them over the stand was crap. I'll get a new stand sorted.

Given the evilness of these lot whens the best time to go back and recover the other suppers?

Just spoke to the Farmer, he looked over to them last night and they were fine so it happened last night.

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Best time to do it is when the least number of bees are there. So during the early afternoon. Do you have access to a petrol blower. If so take the supers a hundred yards or more and blow the bees out. Also always strap the hive to the stand, I had mine pushed over by kids but the strap still held the hive together although it was on its side.

VEG said:

If so take the supers a hundred yards or more and blow the bees out.

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Why would you do that? There are young bees in supers who will just cluster on the ground and die.

The OP stated they were the meanest nastiest bees so I gave an option. Young bees normally stay with the brood.

Its raining here can I do it now or leave it to the better weather tomorrow?

Don't open in the rain- they will let you know if you do!

donaldb7340 said:

Don't open in the rain- they will let you know if you do!

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Wasn't talking about opening Donald, I mean going to sort the suppers that are still lying on their side covered it real nasty bee's.

Couple of concrete blocks and some thick bits of wood as a temp hive stand, ratchet strap or similar to hold everything together.

Something (thick material?) to cover those supers to protect them from robbing? (Until you can deal with them?)

Somebody with a personal death wish to give you a hand!

I would go at dusk, chances are that the flying bees will have gone to new location(assuming the queen was still in the brood box) .
Give supers a good look see , if they are full of bees ,it could indicate the queen being in the supers !. Stack these on a floor and place on a crown board and roof.
Next day revisit and observe the bees behaviour !
Report back
VM

victor meldrew said:

I would go at dusk, chances are that the flying bees will have gone to new location(assuming the queen was still in the brood box) .
Give supers a good look see , if they are full of bees ,it could indicate the queen being in the supers !. Stack these on a floor and place on a crown board and roof.
Next day revisit and observe the bees behaviour !
Report back
VM

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VM Thanks wilco. I can put the supers back on the stand on a floor will make a roof now.

I think (hope) the Q is still in the BB as the first super and QE were still intact and mating with each other.

Happy days......

Hachi said:

not sure if it was wind or deer or a badger. Taking a quick look in the fallen suppers I can't see any animal like damage yet.

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With six supers on a single hive stand I think that if the queen f@rted it would have toppled over - no criticism just a learning point - now going out to check my six supered hive (says he sheepishly ) although it is on a three hive stand and well sheltered i will be on the lookout for any Easterlies!

jenkinsbrynmair said:

With six supers on a single hive stand I think that if the queen f@rted it would have toppled over - no criticism just a learning point - now going out to check my six supered hive (says he sheepishly ) although it is on a three hive stand and well sheltered i will be on the lookout for any Easterlies!

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To be fair JBM I did mention this to the geezer who placed it in my out apiary and we discussed it but he was adamant it would be ok. His bad.

Hachi said:

To be fair JBM I did mention this to the geezer who placed it in my out apiary and we discussed it but he was adamant it would be ok. His bad.

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Best of luck ... it just gets worse and worse for you ! I think you just need to get as suited up as much as you can .. think bomb disposal ... and get on with it. It's not going to be much fun ...

Is there someone, another B keeper who could give you a hand ?