I was somewhat amused to read a recent paper in the Journal of Apicultural
Research which compared the relative reliability of four methods of
assessing defensiveness.
To summarise, the methods were:
1. Rate them on the basis of nervousness, flying off the comb, hitting your
veil and stinging.
2. Wave a flag (black, suede pouch) over the broodnest.
3. Wave a flag at them in a perspex box (the mind boggles!).
4. Apply alarm pheromone to the entrance and see how many bees come out to
see what is going on.

...and the winner was - No 1!  Proving, I think, what we all knew already:
if your bees attack you, then if it safe to say that they are defensive.

Peter Edwards (getting more cynical as each day passes)
[log in to unmask]
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/

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