Hi Mike
 
You question whether rough handling can in fact make bees bad
tempered.
 
I recently removed a swarm of bees from withing the joyces (sp) of a
bridge over which a constant stream of heavy trucks thundered.
 
They were, despite their large colony size, one of the nicest swarms
I have ever worked with. In total the colony comprised well over
twelve large combs (three pizza areas at least) and had at least half
of that as brood - normally such a colony would be quite agro but
these were friendly.
 
I believe frequent handling calms bees.
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
Eastern Cape Prov.
South Africa
 
Time = Honey
 
After careful consideration, I have decided that if I am ever a V.I.P
the I. may not stand for important.
(rather influential, ignorant, idiotic, intelectual, illadvised etc)