Beekeeping | How to Find Your Queen In An Aggressive Hive

Beekeeping can be frustrating when we just can't find the queen and the hive gets a bad attitude. Today, I'll show you how to keep the hive calm and a hack to find the queen in a mean hive.
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Whoa, you made it all the way down here! Thank you ♥️ Love you

[@larryjeffries8136]

My hot hive would meet me at 100 feet from the hive, and follow me 1/4 mile from it. They loved to go for ankles.

[@thetexasbeeguy]

Oh man if that’s your hot hive I’d hate to see what you call my bees. That’s tamer than a dead cat compared to mine.

[@DavidWilliams-wr4wb]

I have a bad habit of working many hives in a day and not getting butterfingers till I get to my killer bee hive , and then it’s on like donkey Kong when I accidentally drop the corner of the frame in as soon as I pick it up , yeah, killer bees love that 😝

[@wpankey57]

Great camera work. I appreciate the different angles that show what you’re doing. Great editing too.

[@Jaxiska1]

You always make splits look so easy! I have a double deep down here in Texas, and I dread having to split it. It makes me super nervous to even think about it!

[@paulineolive940]

I have a hive that got particularly hot towards the end of Summer, so it was really interesting to see how much your bees calmed down when you were inspecting the box away from the hive. Great idea!

[@MrSnapper1d]

You are right!!! Feed your bees during winter sure helps to make them healthy.

[@shegocrazy]

0:25 I was about to say "why is he leaning uncovered on a hot hive!!"

[@joetripp123]

Great video David and great advice on taking it slow, taking a box away to another place to inspect a hot hive, and how to do a split. Solid info in this one for sure! Thanks so much.

[@CaravanFarms]

I REALLY enjoyed this video. I am a sort of new beek due to my first hive being SOOOOO hot no one could work them. I am now restarting with Carniolans and a second hive of Italians. I understand the Carnis are a bit more defensive so this makes me feel more comfy about them. THANK YOU!

[@user-ly1fd3ml9q]

thank you very much David for your great videos

[@user-vf8ml3sf6m]

Love your vids, so educational and helpful! Thanks so much!

[@tonyjenkins272]

Nice thats what im doing today… finally got some weather to work in. Thank you!

[@dwren4554]

Another timely and very useful video, David…. Thanks

[@chuckgross6024]

That's a cool trick David! I'm going to try that out myself. I wouldn't have guessed that by moving only a short distance away that it would calm them so much!

[@Doxymeister]

I'm not a beekeeper (allergic) but am super fascinated by bees. I've always wondered about having to take the colonies a couple of miles away when you do splits, like I've seen some beekeepers do. This split appears to be pretty close to where you were originally? And parking the golf cart in front of the door was such a simple stroke of genius, if avoiding moving the box a long, long way away is why you did it. Very cool, thank you!

[@TinyTrailFarm]

Another great video, thanks Dave.

[@lindafox4065]

I needed this video. I've done two splits, and finding the original queen is such a challenge. Next I'm gonna use a queen excluder and try to find her.

[@kenlowrey5612]

I'm going to try moving the upper deep away and see if it helps me find my queen. Thanks!

[@sambitkumarsahoo481]

Thank you sir for nice representation

[@davidupton5252]

My bees have always been good or gentle but two weeks ago got whacked big time all the hives were on defense mode stinging my wrists under my orange wrist watch. Every hive annoyed honey flow is on was warm, I walked away with 14 stings went back the following week bees were acting as they always act relaxed no defence gentle again have no idea what upset them was no electrical storms any where no rain been keeping bees since 1983. With bees you are always learning.

[@beek]

Kinda like us I guess, some days we are happy, other days, kinda grumpy 🤣

[@thomaskoppenhaver2758]

Super video, that colony looks great for April. Good job killing the mite. It was on drone pupa, another argument for drone comb.

[@SGPbees]

Great video, David!!! Excellent advice for working a hotter hive. Nothing like being stooped over for even longer, because you had to work so slowly 😂, but it really does help!!!!

[@K-reative-Nails]

I can notice the passion, fun to watch I subscribed

[@teresaharrell6017]

Thank you David for the great video. I have an agressive hive and have not been able to find my queen.

[@shegocrazy]

10:10 Work in slow motion. Good tip! I get a bit anxious with a hot hive and try to work quickly. I'm going to try to slow it down.

[@ernielightning3218]

I was asking myself, “hey he might try moving one of the boxes away so they don’t get so jacked up.” Oh. Turns out you did. I’ve had to deal with ornery hives and that seems to settle them down. -Do you feed your offspring splits until they get going or let them grow on their own? -here in s. Minnesota we’re a few weeks behind you. The birches are just starting to bud. 6/7 of my hives are still alive. Wasn’t too bad of a winter. Had a decent summer so that helped too. Thanks for all you do!

[@cherylwyble1152]

Excellent videos & good info for HOT hives 😊

[@tedkraft6416]

David, with an easily agitated hive like that, I would be inclined to not only split it, but would replace the current queen and insert a new queen in the original hive as well. I would think that the queen cells carry the “grumpy” genes.

[@beek]

Yes, but the hive has too many other great genetic traits, and with a suit and gloves they are easily manageable.

[@jedw9496]

This was super helpful to watch. I realize that I worked too fast on my hive last time. I am going to try this slow method when I try to make a similar type split tomorrow.

[@beek]

Indeed. Glad you enjoyed the video

[@kevinarcher7701]

Ha ha that’s not a hot hive!

[@honeybeekeepers]

Great channel! Excellent tips. Work in slow motion took the cake (honey, sorry!)

[@beek]

Thanks for watching

[@Ambees_Honey_Farm]

Im glad you have a video covering a defensive hive. I have one hive just like that! Do you find re-queening helps?

[@teresaharrell6017]

what do you use in your smoker? i can never keep mine going.

[@tejaybees]

Hay David thanks for all the help iv learn alot

[@beek]

Glad you enjoy watching the video.

[@feliciachitwood9400]

I have also noticed if you can work with to have tools to keep from having to go across the box makes a big difference as well

[@beek]

Not a bad idea

[@KubotaKid]

Very nice.

[@koukouzee2923]

I have 4 hives of African mountain bees After I do some work my gloves and boots are covered top to bottom with stingers

[@Hurtzilla]

Great video

[@beek]

Thanks!

[@framcesmoore]

Ha David enjoyed the video I have 2 hives that are hot they sting me true the jeans there is nothing hot about your bees I get stung so many times they burn me up u have nice bees I will trade u anyday. they are on me as soon as the top is off. I leave them till last. But I did enjoy your videos. Have a blessed weekend

[@petrafischer6599]

Thanks for the video. Come to Southern California….we have hot hives. What you show it’s not a hot hive. I wish I would have these kind of bees.

[@beek]

Yes I’ve worked much hotter hives. But you would think you are working flies if you worked most of my hives. I only raise queens from very gentle stock. So I’m spoiled.

[@joanhuffman2166]

I have heard that giving the bees pollen patties is better for getting more brood. They need the protein to make the royal jelly.

[@yourfavoritetoy]

bee keeping seems so helpful and fun, almost like youre playing god over a small civilization, but more importantly helping the local area have healthy bees to pollinate things. cool video

[@MattKnowsThat]

Regarding slow motion movement, my mentor always told me to stand behind or to the side and that my movements should be like doing tai-chi.

[@benjamindejonge3624]

I love defensive honey bees they great producers

[@sonofthunder.]

i spritz w sugar water,and smoke, keeps em busy

[@LLT1963]

Mine would have already stung through thise jeans!

[@beek]

Ouch

[@sansomspressurecleaningpoo9519]

You rock

[@benslocum5502]

I clean off the burr comb when possible, makes the frames easier to replace in the box

[@deneandrus]

Hi David, learn so much from your videos. Question, the frames with the swarm cells went back to the old hive? Thank you?

[@ceceliadalzin5887]

approximately how much does a frame weigh ? interested in becoming a bee keeper but I can not lift too much weight ..thank you

[@jackwaau]

Why would you keep swarm cells and drone cells from a defensive colony? Wouldn't it just increase defensive bees in your area?

[@pjc952]

does a lot of drone brood indicate anything in particular?

[@herbertramsey6611]

That's pretty cool how u did that u don't put the new hive some places else

[@kylelieb2977]

Your meanest hive seems sweet compared to my nicest hives, lol

[@BestBuzzHoneyBees]

Another good video david! I feel your pain on trying to go through a hive that is really aggressive. I have 8 stands that I dread taking the top off of every time it's time to inspect. Have you ever heard of putting old chewing tobacco in your smoker to calm the Bees when they are really aggressive? I had a really old bee keeper that swore by this, I have yet to try it because I don't chew tobacco and don't know anyone who does.

[@beek]

Not a good idea at all. Neonicotinoids are a new class of insecticides chemically related to nicotine from tobacco so I would never use that.

[@shegocrazy]

16:05. Only problem with moving a box (apart from the weight & my bad back) is that sometime the queen will run away out the bottom of the box and disappear. She will be trying to get away from the light above and the smoke. It's happened to me more than once but a couple of times I've found her in the grass or under the bench.

[@AdamWorthington-xw4mw]

When a hive swarms does the whole hive leave? Is making a split the only way to prevent a swarm?

[@jillhakes8591]

I think. The metal hive lids are too noisy for the bees. I like the new lid on your hive in this video.

[@cicipine1]

New to the bees... what do you do for mites..??

[@jillhakes8591]

They don't like the smoker. You can see them moving away from the smoke.

[@christianmoser6800]

Dont get close to my hives if that'sa hot hive. Holly that a super tame hive. I would have them swarming around my head before I get it open.

[@pamhattabaugh9573]

I noticed you used drawn out comb for the new box that the queen was in. Could new frames without comb be used?

[@Haldir89]

Has anyone purchased a queen so when a split is done you do not have to wait for a queen to be raised? I would assume this will be a benefit since there would be little delay in hive production.

[@user-lp9qi4zt6m]

Question: what do you do with the extra honey left from winter?

[@beek]

Great question to ask on my livestream tonight (April 20th, 2023) at 7pm central time. Here's the link: kzbin.infobznQVxYar8c

[@timbervalleyhomestead]

Glad you brought up the smoker use. I got chewed out on one of my videos for my excessive smoker use because I have a couple very very defensive hives and yes for those I have to puff quite often and a lot. They really don’t go down like most bees do. They act like it doesn’t even phase them. I am curious, are you using dishwashing gloves? The excess comb between hive bodies I melt that stuff down and separate the bodies from the wax but I literally save everything.

[@yvonnewagner5322]

Since larvae are swimming in jelly, is there a risk of setting the box on the side and blocking the way they breath in the jelly?

[@beek]

Great question to ask on my livestream tonight (April 20th, 2023) at 7pm central time. Here's the link: kzbin.infobznQVxYar8c

[@teekaytalkscents4651]

My bees have a charged queen cup. They are a new colony from a 5 frame nuc i got last month (April 9th). They are not heavily populated, maybe 6/7 in the second brood box, and 7/8 in the first brood box. Should i split them?

[@ddifranco123]

I have a naive question.... If you removed all the frames with swarm cells, and replaced them with empty frames, would you not succeed in preventing them from swarming (because you gave them more "room" with the empty cells and because you got rid of the swarm cells)? Can you not keep this hive in their original hive that way?

[@kathrynjanes6977]

I have a hot hive to requeen, and I’ve successfully grafted my first queens(thanks for all the teaching you gave on this topic). We’re starting to get stung when we aren’t even close to the hives, just out in our yard. I’m wondering if I eliminate this queen and break up this hive in to small mating Nucs for my grafted queen cells, would they calm a bit until those genetics are eliminated? Or is it just best to simply requeen and move the hot hive to our other property until those genetics have ceased?

[@WolfDragonTamer]

I've made a decision I'm going to try and save enough money to buy a farm house and begin Beekeeping there

[@gene-sloca]

Could you explain swarm cells?😊

[@beek]

Great question to ask on my livestream tonight (April 20th, 2023) at 7pm central time. Here's the link: kzbin.infobznQVxYar8c

[@agpizz]

Like The Video Bee Army!!!

[@chuckroast7053]

Mr. Burns, within the past week, it seems that I have a few bees coming at me even though im about 30 feet away. Could it be cause of the weather we have had in So. Cal? It has been overcast, and we had a few rain showers not too long ago. I have heard that during dearth, they can get kind of testy as well. What do you think it can be.

[@pauldow1648]

I have heard if you have a queen (colony) of aggressive bees it may need the queen replaced with a queen that has better manners as shown in her workers. Queens are being offered that have better genetics in behaviour and disease resistance.

[@vernonriggle8813]

like the high end miliary say slow is smoth smoth is fast

[@melenamayson5717]

hi i am new to this: what is swarm cells?😊❤

[@beek]

When bees want to reproduce and make a new colony, they will raise new queens. These are called swarm cells because 1/2 of the colony will leave (swarm) with the old queen, and the 1/2 that's left behind will raise one of these new swarm cells and make a new queen.

[@jillhakes8591]

How do you protect the bee hives in 20 minus cold weather.

[@beek]

Great question to ask on my livestream tonight (April 20th, 2023) at 7pm central time. Here's the link: kzbin.infobznQVxYar8c

[@floydlenz2280]

I'm new so bear with me. Is it usually that tight to take out and replace frames ?? I came home with 2 nucs today so I'm as green as grass.. Thanks for your examples and info..

[@frankslaman3950]

Yes. As the bees work the frames they’ll get heavier, propolis is very sticky, and burr comb can bind 2 frames together.

[@jeannewilcox2447]

What do you do if you are left with a lot of honey in the spring? The queen won’t have anywhere to lay eggs will she?

[@beek]

It’s a great problem to have because you can then harvest it to make room for brood production or use it to strengthen starving hives.

[@trishwestberg6982]

What do you do with the heavy frames of honey the bees didn’t consume over winter?

[@beek]

Leave it for new bees or harvest it. I'm glad you liked the video. Hope you can join me on Livestream every Thursday at 7pm central. www.honeybeesonline.com/live/

[@stephenshonkwiler]

Hey David, My bees are bearding on the front of my hive. I'm in WC Indiana about 35 miles east of you. Is a swarm imminent? Inspected my hive 4/13 and bees to the top, 2 deeps and 2 honeys

[@Not_all_as_it_seems]

I am interested to know why you didn't do a ^walk away split? You of put another deep straight ontop of each... done

[@beek]

Great question to ask on my livestream tonight (April 20th, 2023) at 7pm central time. Here's the link: kzbin.infobznQVxYar8c

[@andrespazmino458]

If you see they will swarm what are you supposed to do???

[@nicholasyost2166]

My name is Nick I live in Washington state. I was wondering if bee's would steal eggs from other bee hives if they don't have a queen? I have a hive that has made it through winter with no sign of a queen and I have yet to see any egges or larva since September of 2022. I found two queen cells with two larva last week and no queen or other egges or larva anywhere else in the hive.

[@beek]

Great question to ask on my livestream tonight (April 20th, 2023) at 7pm central time. Here's the link: kzbin.infobznQVxYar8c

[@jillhakes8591]

I've heard of people using water to spray the bees. Instead of using a smoker. What are your thoughts on this l.

[@pinkelephantapiaries2058]

I use a thin sugar water to spray them when I install packages myself. like 10:1.

[@jonataseuuk]

Lol I used to work in Brazil , we had 500 colonies of africanased hybrids "killer Bee" it was nesse they all take off as soon as we open, and this small smoker doesn't work. My bees killed everything you can imagine chickens,horses,pigs and other farm animals we had to move the years 3 miles away from the property inside Eucalyptus wood even there we found a dead Nasua 😢 , I love my pure bred buckfast alot easier to work and I don't need a space suit.

[@douggarfield2164]

Do you have your Combo Kits available now?????

[@auroraglacialis]

Why would you want to make a split of this? The reason I would go there and find the queen is to replace her...

[@user-fq4vw5pt1c]

Have a hive that has a queen problem. You said in a Video about worker bees laying eggs. Have tried to re queen this hive and it won’t take. What do you recommend?

[@Sheep4Tamar]

At 14:05, you lift a frame that looks like it has a string of beads along the top of the frame. What is that?

[@beek]

A row of capped over drone pupae.

[@wadebarnes6720]

I have a question when people have one box of bees only yard that's usually a little bit spicier then everything why don't they put a queen in there out of the other box

[@beek]

Great question to ask on my livestream tonight (April 20th, 2023) at 7pm central time. Here's the link: kzbin.infobznQVxYar8c

[@genamiller2851]

What do you use for smoker fuel?. TIA

[@beek]

I love food grade burlap. Here's my amazon affiliate link: amzn.to/3LYrbYT

[@christinegilligan1723]

I need to get a shirt and hat and gloves for my son. I like the one that your wearing can you tell me what brand that is? wear you bought it from?

[@georgegoertzen4723]

Are you not going to lose the older foraging bees back to the old hive when they leave to forage? I'm worried you are not taking enough bees for you new hive. Other keepers I've seen making this kind of split, have shaken the frame into the 'new hive' so the older foragers take wing and return to the old hive leaving the newer emerged bees behind to nurse the queen and larva and become the new hives foragers.... attached to the new location.

[@n5sra]

Death to mites and long live the Queen!

[@Huntnlady7]

Why don't you have a frame hanger hanging off the side?

[@yourfavoritetoy]

he is absolutely right about feeding them in winter. science shows that its healthier if the animal doesnt need to hibernate, we have a black bear thats fed every two days and he just celebrated his 24th birthday and they feed him during his hibernations, he wakes up eats and goes back to sleep and he looks like a young bear, beautiful fur, well kept, great 300 lb weight.

[@gingerkelly7257]

Helpful video David. I like the idea of moving a box of bees away from the mother hive. Very helpful. I usually take splits to another apiary, at least 2-3 miles away. Why did you leave this split in the same apiary? Another question: Will you requeen this colony later, replacing the old queen with a new queen?

[@beek]

Great question to ask on my livestream tonight (April 20th, 2023) at 7pm central time. Here's the link: kzbin.infobznQVxYar8c

[@stephenluna7932]

how far away to do that trick?

[@beek]

Great question to ask on my livestream tonight (April 20th, 2023) at 7pm central time. Here's the link: kzbin.infobznQVxYar8c