Does anyone have thoughts on why an entire hive would empty itself &
come flying out at me (during daylight without a cloud around) for 15
minutes?  Literally 20,000-30,000 + bees in the air trying to find their
way into my suit!   This is the kind of time you'll find any holes in
your beesuit or veil...which I did, AFTER the bees (10-15 gaining
entrance).....They stung my chin so bad that it's actually puffing to 3
times the size, even though I normally show an immunity to stings now.
I look like the Nutty Professer about now.
 
A small bit of rolling smoke was used on the top, front & cracked the
middle for a bit ....& waited 2-3 minutes.  Splitting the hives only
made it easier for them to take flight from the top of the frames.  They
stung me over & over & over again before I finally got their hive back
together &  ran off.  Try killing bees inside your facemask when there
are 1000's trying to get in.   ONE good thing I learned today is that
running into a bush or thicket confuses the chasing bees - with all the
branches & leaves to contend with.
 
This hive has been a problem since pulling them out of someone's shed 3
or 4 months ago.  They're treated with the same care as all my others
(most of which I only need a facemask to touch) and this sole hive
stings me at every chance.  Today I was extra careful with them as the
slightest noise sets them to air.  They've always ignored smoke before
but today I saw how it enraged them.  I was hoping to requeen today with
a new Carnolian.  Tomorrow I'll try again, though I have a new plan:
 
First, I'll set out a new bottom board next to the old hive.   I'll
screen the entrance so bees can't escape.  Ontop, I'll set two(2) new
hives (with frames) under a queen exluder followed by a third new
fully-framed deep.
 
I plan to quickly move the two existing deeps (with queen & majority of
bees) ontop of the three new deeps.  I'll use a fume board to send the
bees running down into the next deep.   One at a time,  I'll remove the
two old deeps and then trap them with their cover.    If all goes well,
I should find the queen squirming on the queen exluder.
After removing the queen, I should have a good shot at requeening.  If
this fails, I'll move them to a far corner of my out-apiary  (queenless
or queenright) & be done with them.  These kind of bees take all the fun
out of it!
 
PS...Anyone who wants to help me after I take off the fume board &
reassemble the hive is welcome to join me....
 
Any suggestions welcome.
 
 
Matthew Westall in Castle Rock, CO