While working the bees at the Tates, I have discovered when to just walk away. If you have a keen nose you can smell the alarm pheromone and then things get crazy. If the bees are a bit upset, and one decides to mark you, all hell breaks loose and about 100 guard bees will start headbumping you for quite some distance.
I know this because I went to pass off a frame to Janice and it bumped the hive hard enough to get them all stirred up. They seem to go after Larry and me more than Janice. I dont know why. Maybe testosterone or sweat?
They can actually spray the pheromone to get more bees after you. It smells just like Bananna Runtz or the way Bananna popcicles taste. Sweet and bananna like. If that happens, no amount of smoking will help. I am wondering if Febreeze might help. I will give it a try and see.
I wash my overalls (minus veil) in something called Charlie's Soap. Its local (made in Rockingham County) and it is odorless. It will clean the crud off your suit but not leave a detergent smell. I don't know but Febreeze may be asking for more trouble because of the smell. Hell, even I don't like it, haha. I smelled the bananas once while working my colony, it was late last year when they went nuts on me. I shut the hive up and left them alone for a week. Next time I checked them, they were like little lambs.
ReplyDelete