One of my beehives was going crazy
Talk about unsettling! Two days ago I looked out of the window and saw one of my beehives going crazy. I instinctively thought, “Oh no, they are going to swarm!” Then I remembered I had just added another hive box, so there was plenty of room for them to build more comb. What was going on?
I ran out to the hive and looked at the bees buzzing around the entrance. I could see that some of the bees were fanning, which means only one thing…The Hive Is Being Disturbed! Sure enough, at that moment I saw something yellow streak into the mass of bees at the hive entrance and grab a bee. It was a yellow jacket. There were yellow jackets attacking the beehive and eating honeybees!
A Yellow Jacket (Genus Vespula) - Source: Wikipedia
The honeybees fought back bravely. I saw two or three bees attacking one yellow jacket. They rolled around on the ground in a ball, trying to sting each other…a battle to the death. Then, another yellow jacket joined the fight and started to sting the honeybees. Sadly, it was all over for the honeybees in that skirmish. Two yellow jackets against two honeybees is certain death for the bees. But, in this case it was also curtains for the yellow jackets. I squished them with my boots. For the next five minutes, I stomped on yellow jackets. I must have killed twenty or more. The dying yellow jackets emit a scent which draws other yellow jackets to the fray. I had a regular stompfest there in front of my beehive.
After a while, the beehive settled down, and peace once again reigned in the kingdom of Apis. The bees returned to gathering nectar and pollen and I returned to my other tasks of the day. Since then, I have been watching my hives more closely than before…still wary of the lurking yellow predators who want to eat my bees.
6 responses so far ↓
Trackback // September 11, 2008 at 3:22 am |
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Greg // November 9, 2008 at 6:51 am |
My hive is currently experience a yellow jacket invasion. I have killed dozens but they still keep coming. I put the bee excluder in the entrance with the smallest opening available to assist the bees to guard the entrance. Any other suggestions on getting rid of the yellow jackets?
Nick // November 13, 2008 at 4:05 pm |
Greg – That is about all you can do. You can try to trace the yellow jackets back to the yellow jacket nest. Once you find their nest, you can destroy it. Other than that, there is not much more one can do to help the bees in the battle.
Paul // November 21, 2008 at 5:17 pm |
I had the same issue two years ago with my hives in Wilton California. The yellowjackets actually attacked the hive and robbed it of much honey. I had not looked at the hive for about 2 months and when I saw it the bees where out of the hive except for a few frozen bees. I found about 20 yellowjackets nesting in the hive. Of course I killed them quite easily since it was cold. That was the last time I was going to allow that. Since then I usually narrow the hive. That reminds me I better narrow the hives this week.
Nick // November 22, 2008 at 12:04 pm |
Paul – Wow. That is sad. Yellow jackets are nasty!
Like you mentioned, minimizing the beehive opening is the best method to combat yellow jacket attacks.
Chuck // April 18, 2010 at 11:51 am |
I have a topbar hive in town. We have quite a few yellow jackets around. I use a hornet trap near my hive. I took a quart jar, drilled a few 1/4 inch holes in the lid, and put in a cup of water with a couple tablespoons of jelly. The bees aren’t interested. When the hornets come looking around the hive, they become attracted to the trap, and drown themselves.