Angry Bees or Lazy Beekeeper?

I will let you be the judge on that.  Last year I was certain that by smoking my bees less that I was not disrupting the hive as much and that by not being so intrusive that they were happier and less aggressive.

I have decided that is NOT the fact.  I had two hives last year (Carniolans) that I would RARELY if ever smoke.  Even when I stole honey from them I would simply brush them off and be on my way.  Sure, I would have headbutting and a few angry bees but no direct attacks (I will explain that later) or viciousness.

This last time out to the farm hives I packed my smoker and bundled up ready for an all out war.  I was convinced that I had the angriest hives in the west!  Let me explain why.  I have never seen a honeybee directly attack me without a warning.  Usually the warning consists of Angy buzzing around the bee keepers head or head butting.  Continual bouncing into the bee keepers veil and hat.  This year I have been stung twice by a vicious little bee that gave no warning and headed directly for my hand or arm slamming his stinger into anything that would take hold.  (I have not been stung through a glove before but if they are mad enough they can!) The viciousness therein is best described by what I lovingly call "Bum Bouncing".  The bee bounces his little rump around until the BARB TIPPED VENOM PRODUCING WEAPON OF MINI-DESTRUCTION grabs and holds.  When I saw this I couldn't believe my eyes!  They were on the war path and I was the target.  I have to admit that I was almost in a panic but mostly very upset that I had a few hives from the devil himself.

Well I was not going to chance this again so with sweats on over my slacks and a nice pair of Gloves and my smoker BOOMING with smoke with a small campfire going on inside I went for the hive. 

It is amazing what smoke will do!  They were Calm, gentle and ignored us entirely!  I still prefer not to smoke but I think I will have to from here on with my ungentle giants.  The name I gave one of them really fits - BRUNHILDA 

So here it is mid JUNE and I have just barely added the first medium honey super.  That is exciting but it seems like a slower year.  I just looked back at a few older blogs and it appears that we are still on schedule for a package of new bees.  But the hive in the backyard should be exploding and it is not.

I lost my queen and just recently placed a swarm cell in the hive to see if a new queen will take over.