Gary asks:
Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

Sure! Why we always warn new beekeepers not to drop your guard. Your big
problem *in my opinion* was not using smoke. you had no way to mask the odor
of the first sting. With each sting the other guard bees became aware of an
intruder/problem.

I doubt your bees are the problem but keep a close eye on the bees and
requeen if indeed very aggressive. I was checking hives yesterday and in
areas in which the honey flow was not going on and all bees were in the hive
smoke was needed. I took over twelve stings in one location I was popping
lids without smoke. My mistake for being lazy and not firing up the smoker.
When the honey flow is on I rarely need to fire up a smoker.
The Missouri highway department guys were working on my highway entrance
today and I had to chuckle when I showed my arm with all the yesterday bee
sting marks when asked if I ever get stung. Beekeeping was not something
they would be interested in they said. They said they had heard the bees
would not sting their beekeeper.
Bob
"the lowly bee sting will always limit the membership in the craft of
beekeeping" Richard Taylor from the book "The Joys of Beekeeping"

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