# Do bees get cranky in the Fall?



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I have been feeding bees since robbers took the stores from a small hive. This was not a WEAK hive: it was small because it was from a package this Spring. Also the queen that came with the package had a poor laying pattern, and the bees decided to replace her. They did not swarm: they simply built a queen cell in the middle of a frame and made a new queen. The new queen appears to be doing a good job for them, too.

At any rate, they lost their winter stores to robbers about a month ago before I got it stopped, and I have gotten about 20 pounds of sugar down them this last month in the form of heavy syrup.

Today while I was giving them fresh syrup they head-butted me, hovered in front of me, and 2 of them followed me back to the house. This is unusual for them: I have not needed my bee suit or gloves since mid-summer.

What gives? Might they be cranky because there are only scattered asters to work? They are still going foraging: I would have thought the extra flying to find goodie would wear them out! And, there is plenty of syrup inside the hive, as they still had about pint let from the LAST feeding!


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## k9 (Feb 6, 2008)

Yes. Yes they do.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Sure do, protect what they can no longer replace mode.

 Al


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

That makes sense.... so it's back to the suit for me!


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