Sweetest colony I own turned into a nightmare the week the flow ended — dearth crankiness or requeen?
Third year in Kent, four hives. My gentlest colony — the one I show visitors — has turned genuinely unpleasant in the space of two weeks. Following me across the garden after inspections, pinging my veil while I'm just walking past, three stings through jeans on Sunday doing nothing more than filling a water station.
The timing lines up exactly with the blackberry finishing. Nothing else changed: same queen (2025, marked, still laying well), no queen events I can find, no signs of robbing, wasps not bad yet.
I know dearth makes everyone defensive and robbers put hives on a war footing. But how do you decide between 'this is temporary dearth crankiness, wait it out' and 'the colony's true temperament is showing, requeen'? Is there a rule of thumb for how long you give them before judging?
#defensive-behaviour#dearth#requeening
▲ 11 votes💬 4 replies
4 replies
muglabalci · Jul 31, 2026
My rule after 15 years: never judge temperament during a dearth, a robbing period, or bad weather — you're seeing the alarm system, not the personality. Reduce entrances, stop opening them so often, and reassess when the ivy or your next flow starts. If they're STILL hot on a warm flow day with income coming in, that's the true colour and I requeen without hesitation.
AbejasCarla · Jul 31, 2026
Agree — and check the small stuff that amplifies dearth defensiveness: are you inspecting at the same frequency as during the flow? Cut it right down. Every opening during dearth invites robbers, which keeps them on edge for days after. Also water station near the hives means guard bees consider that area theirs; I'd move it further away for now.
MieleMarco · Jul 31, 2026
One more angle: a colony that was genuinely gentle for two full seasons under this queen has earned the benefit of the doubt. Requeening decisions in August are also just badly timed — mated queens are scarce and acceptance is worse during dearth. Give them until the autumn flow; I'd bet money they're back to normal.
KentishBee · Aug 1, 2026
This is reassuring, thank you. Entrances reduced last night, inspections dropping to bare minimum, water station is moving to the far fence today. They get their appeal hearing when the ivy flows.