Angry Bees or Africanized Bees?

Angry Bees or Africanized Bees?

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Are you dealing with angry bees? Are they Africanized bees or is something else going on? Find out the possible issues and how to fix them.

Think you have Africanized honeybees? Not to worry; many beekeepers have entered their yard only to be ambushed by previously docile bees, often before popping the first lid. This sudden aggression causes many to wonder if they’ve been overtaken by the dreaded Africanized honeybee (AHB). However, in most regions of the U.S., Africanized honeybees aren’t a current threat, so other factors are often at play when our bees suddenly become aggressive. The good news is, with a bit of detective work, the causes can be discovered and corrected, bringing the bees back to their normally docile nature in short order. So, remember the following the next time you find yourself the target of bee yard warfare.

Weather conditions can make angry bees

Perhaps one of the least understood aspects of beekeeping for those new to the hobby is how the weather affects honeybee behavior on any given day. Maybe it’s too hot, perhaps it’s too stormy, or maybe it’s just too windy. Even the amount of rainfall affects honeybee behavior. Regardless of the weather you’re having, if the weather isn’t pleasant to you, it’s likely unpleasant to the bees. And this can cause “angry” bees in otherwise calm colonies.

But you can’t change the weather, and your bees still need checking, so what to do? First, determine if the weather is expected to clear up later or even the next day. If it is and time allows, postpone that inspection for fairer weather. If it’s raining or about to storm, wait until tomorrow. If it’s extremely hot, work the bees first thing in the morning when it’s cooler. If it’s too windy, wait until the winds die down. In a nutshell, wait until fairer weather and your bees will likely not mind your visit quite as much.

Are predators a problem?

Not every beekeeper has to worry about bears. However, while bear visits definitely cause colonies to become aggressive, so do much smaller predators like mice, skunks, raccoons, wasps, hornets, and even squirrels who think the tops of beehives make great landing boards (true story: It drove several of my colonies crazy that first season!). However, even non-animal “predators” such as a low-hanging branch hitting a hive when it’s windy, acorns falling on top of colonies, or machinery operated nearby can cause a colony to think they’re being attacked and make for angry bees.

To return the colony to calm behavior, determine which pest is responsible, if any, and take measures to remove or reduce the impact. For example, skunks and raccoons often leave scratch marks near the entrance as they work their tiny paws inside the opening to grab as many bees as possible. Raccoons love to knock off loose lids and often attempt to remove inner covers to better reach the goodies inside. Mice leave plenty of evidence as well; most often, it’s a neat little bundle of fluff right inside the hive and plenty of damaged comb. And wasps and hornets are most easily detected during inspections as they fly back and forth attempting to get inside.

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Once the pest is identified, place live traps for mammals and baited traps for wasps and hornets throughout the vicinity. Use heavy bricks or rocks to weigh down lids. It’s also helpful to use carpet tacking strips placed upside down at the hive entrance to keep little paws from reaching inside. Cut any low-hanging branches and scoot colonies further from nut trees or other vegetation that may drop hard objects onto the tops of colonies. If machinery is being used nearby, consider waiting for a day when the machinery isn’t moving. Use reducers to attempt to prevent mice from entering colonies, as well. Any effort made to reduce disturbance by predators or other “pseudo-predators” is time well spent in any bee yard.

Lack of food/robbing can cause angry bees.

Any time a creature goes hungry, it can get angry. The same goes for bees. So, any colony with little to no food stores can become highly defensive in its attempt to ensure no one steals their remaining food. To make matters worse, if the stronger colonies in the area also need food, they can bully their way into weaker colonies, robbing any remaining food stores. This robbing activity increases the already-stressed colony’s defensive mode, often putting the entire yard on alert, regardless of overall food stores. Left unchecked, this vicious cycle of angry bees will continue until only the stronger colonies remain and the smaller ones are dead.

Out of all of the causes for angry bees, beekeeper movements are perhaps the most common.

Robbing occurs any time of year, with spring and summer dearth periods being the most common. Keeping colonies well-fed and never allowing them to go dry is paramount not only to overall colony survival but to temperament as well. As you learn to predict and detect nectar flows and dearths, hungry bees become less of an issue.

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However, until this is learned, it’s best to keep a supply of 1:1 with you as you inspect colonies. That way, should a colony need supplemental feeding, you have at least a small amount to help them out until you can return with more food. Even more importantly, if robbing is or has occurred, reduce all entrances, remove tiny colonies from the yard (if possible), and consider holding off any inspections until the bees are well-fed and calm again.

Beekeeper movements can cause angry bees.

Out of all of the causes for angry bees, beekeeper movements are perhaps the most common. Too often, we have too little time to do the things in the bee yard that need doing, causing us to move a little too quickly. Or it’s the new beekeeper still learning to move slowly and gently. Maybe frames are getting knocked together too often. Or maybe we squashed one too many bees, causing a release of alarm pheromones. Perhaps the lid was popped open too quickly, and the bees startled. There are even certain odors, like bananas (which mimic the alarm pheromone), perfumes, some chewing gums, and even some deodorants that can agitate the bees. Even inspections that take too long for the bees’ preference can be cause for angry bees. Overall, anything you do or don’t do as you move throughout the bee yard may agitate the bees.

The best way to avoid these issues is to not eat bananas before inspecting colonies, avoid perfumes/deodorants/gums, and learn to move slowly and with intention. I was once told to move no faster than the bee moves, and this pointer has served me well. These slower-than-the-bee movements not only help avoid other beekeeper-related catastrophes, such as killing a queen or squashing nice queen cells, but they also allow the bees to continue doing what they’re doing, thus reducing any agitation or alerting too many guard bees. Practice using the various hive tools for moving frames to determine which version allows you to work more easily and with less disruption to the bees. Another good way to learn how to move is to visit the bee yard of an experienced beekeeper and watch how slow their movements are and how they correlate to bee behavior.

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However, for those times when delaying an inspection isn’t an option, the use of a little extra smoke often helps when combined with extra-smooth movements and extremely short inspections — think less than 2 minutes — just enough time to check a frame or two for food to rule out starvation and maybe see an egg or two. Any manipulations, such as splits or frame movements, may need to be delayed.

While this list isn’t by any means exhaustive, it’s a good starting point for determining why the bees went wild on inspection day. However, be aware there are other potential causes, such as queenlessness, trespassers, nearby fires, and, yes, even genetics. However, for most of us, the intrusion of Africanized honeybees is usually not on the list. But if it is, contact your state inspector to determine what your state does, if anything, when AHB is suspected.

Just don’t get discouraged if you experience “pissy” bees on occasion. It’s perfectly normal behavior that’s trying to tell you something is amiss within the yard. And it’s the beekeeper’s task to discover and correct it. Your bees will thank you for it.


Kristi Cook lives in Arkansas where every year brings something new to her family’s journey for a more sustainable lifestyle. She keeps a flock of laying hens, dairy goats, a rapidly growing apiary, a large garden, and more. When she’s not busy with the critters and veggies, you can find her sharing sustainable living skills through her workshops and articles.


Originally published in the September/October 2023 issue of Countryside and Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

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