Goodwood
House Bee
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2011
- Messages
- 221
- Reaction score
- 19
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 30
I have been suffering worsening behaviour amongst all of my colonies this year.
It was just one hive to start with about a month ago and I am in fact in the middle of reQueening it due to hive from hell syndrome. This i thought at the time was due to the daughter of an orange queen which was the product of one of my nucs two seasons ago.
Mongrelisation and all bad stuff which goes with it....
However, now i am not so sure as quite a number of my hives have devloped the same traits.
Previously calm hives have turned horrible. Effervescent hives, pinging, huge attack pheromone release, following for a hundred yards at least, etc.
This behaviour seems to have also cropped up in my nuc apiary which is well away from main apiary.
I am now wondering whether this is simply the result of a poor season.
The temps here in west wales have been very low for the time of year with poor nectar flows.
So large colonies with little forage available.
Stores are indeed light so I am adding in frames of stores where needed.
Has anyone else had similar problems?
TIA
It was just one hive to start with about a month ago and I am in fact in the middle of reQueening it due to hive from hell syndrome. This i thought at the time was due to the daughter of an orange queen which was the product of one of my nucs two seasons ago.
Mongrelisation and all bad stuff which goes with it....
However, now i am not so sure as quite a number of my hives have devloped the same traits.
Previously calm hives have turned horrible. Effervescent hives, pinging, huge attack pheromone release, following for a hundred yards at least, etc.
This behaviour seems to have also cropped up in my nuc apiary which is well away from main apiary.
I am now wondering whether this is simply the result of a poor season.
The temps here in west wales have been very low for the time of year with poor nectar flows.
So large colonies with little forage available.
Stores are indeed light so I am adding in frames of stores where needed.
Has anyone else had similar problems?
TIA
Last edited: