Hi All
 
Chris mentioned that before swarming bees get angry. This is for a
number of reasons.
 
In our bees here, and this will apply for most bees I am sure, as
bees become older they are more aggressive. Hence after a dearth they
can be rather ratty as the hive populations average age has drifted
towards a higher number of weeks. A young hive population is
conversely less aggressive.
 
Often people say if the bees have lots of honey they are cross. This
I have found to be rubbish as I have had hives of aggressive lineage
that had four supers ful with two brood boxes of brood and they were
no less aggressive than when they only occupied one brood box.
However, many will have noticed that a honeybound hive is more
aggressive, especially just before it swarms. Thereafter it is very
peaceful.
 
Also, a failing queen willl cause the pop to age, but a failing queen
who fails pheremonally will cause the workers to develop ovaries and
then aggression goes down (laying worker syndrome).
 
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)