At 09:15 AM 7/10/98 -0400, you wrote:
>        I started my first hive in mid-late April (here in SE lower
>Michigan). Buckfast. The bees were very gentle for the first couple of
>months. I now have a busy colony with two deep brood chambers, one filled
>medium super and another that they are taking their time drawing, for some
>reason. I have been feeding them 1:1 syrup per just about everything I
>read here (the assumption being that they will stop taking it when they
>are happy with what's available elsewhere...).
 
No, your bees will take sugar syrup as long as you provide and will in time
consume 5,10 or even 20 gallons without reward to you unless they have a
natural nectar flow to convert to honey. They will never change the sugar
water to honey but will if given enough store it and mix it with any honey
they do make but in the end it will be no more then super consecrated sugar
syrup. It is true you can feed from day one to the end of time, but why
have bees if you never intend to let them do their own thing?
 
> Of late, however, they seem to have gotten mean. They are angry
>when I gently replace the jar on the feeder; they buzz loudly and come
 
Honey bees are protective of their hives and do not recognize any
difference between friend or foe.
 
>Might it be that they are generally angrier than they were because
>they now have a real home with contents they wish to protect?
 
I think you are right honey bees are protective but you must also consider
their gender. The one's that do all the hard work including guarding the
hive are all frustrated females and as all men know it could be the best
day of your life but it will not necessary be the same for your female
lifes partner.<G>
 
>Are Buckfast queens supposed to produce nastier offspring?
 
I am not a Buckfast fan myself but I have tested them, (who would'nt if
they are free), for a Texas breeder years ago who has cut a fat hog selling
them since. I found they were indeed a tad more aggressive then the other
dark bees available at the time and about the same as the Mongol Italian
queens one sees now and then, but not the junk yard dog grade as could be
found with one line of so called Carnolian's around at the time.
 
>Are they feeling grumpy
>because the flow is bad (I don't really think it is, but then again they
>are taking lots of syrup)? A friend about three miles away with Italians
>in their second year is doing fine, saw them last week and they were
>gentle as could be, and productive.
 
Bees respond to all kinds of stimulus when it comes to displaying
aggressive behavior the major one being the change in atmospheric pressures
from storm fronts moving about. In many areas beekeepers are able to
predict tomorrows weather change by the behavior of their bees which is
normally demonstrated a day or two before a visual change actually occurs.
I am sure this is more a magnification of what is going on in the field as
flowers not only can close up at night but stop and start producing nectar
and/or pollen with the changes in atmospheric pressures and are very
sensitive to this.
 
>Do Buckfasts like to build burr comb?
 
If there is a flow or you are feeding them any bees will build wax and use
it to make brace and burr comb.
The production of wax is involuntary during a nectar flow and if your hives
were full of capped honey and had a 5 gallon can of b&b comb they would
still make more wax and add it, sometimes over capped honey but more times
then not between the frames and the cover. Sometimes they make wax faster
then they can use and you will find the wax scales on the bottom board, not
to worry as bees can pick up and reuse beeswax when they need it. Old
timers used to add dry wax capping back to hives knowing they would use it,
but I don't know of anyone doing that this day as wax is a valuable
product.
 
>Should I worry about the loss of their gentleness (and my innocence)? You
know,
>gotta have something to worry about.
 
What me worry? No but you have graduated into the 2nd level of beekeeping.
I would like to suggest that if you can each and every day light up your
smoker and take your bee hive apart always looking out for the queen as if
you know where she is you are less likely to accidentally crush her putting
the combs in and out of the hive. After the first week you should try this
with just a hat on to keep the bees out of your golden locks but with the
veil at the ready and by this time the bees will know you and be easier to
handle. You will find that by doing this you will develop the timing and
eye coordination that will serve you well when you reach the advanced
beekeeping level.  When you can do this two days in a row without having
both eyes swelled shut by bee stings you will be advanced to the 3rd level
of beekeeping and ready for the advance instruction.
 
ttul, the OLd Drone
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