I have been told they don't sting

I was mowing a dirt road easement today. I came to a low hanging branch that had a big swarm of bees. I was heading right for them, I did a quick left turn around the bees. I didn't look back, gave a little more throttle, and I was gone. There must have been thousands of them hanging on this branch, The swarm was about the size of a football. I was told when they are like that, they are looking for a new home, and will not sting. I wasn't going to hang around to find out. Stan

When they ball up on a limb like that with no hive, it is a swarm. They have left the hive they derived from, and are looking for a new place to establish a new hive. Kind of homeless at that point, so to speak. When balled up like that, they actually got scouts out during daylight hours looking for a new home. When ones found, the scout that found it will return and direct the swarm to it. That's kind of the gist of what's going on.

Not sure that I believe the non-stinging part of being in that phase. Because I've seen it happen. I'd say they are less likely at that point if left alone, but still likely to sting if you mess with them.

Hostility varies from one swarm to another. I have honey bee hives in my yard. Mostly pretty docile. Friend of mine actually does the bee keeping. He has caught multiple swarms right here in my yard. I call him to come over if I see a swarm. He caught a swarm here last Friday. I think he could of boxed that particular swarm without wearing his bee suite. But, I have seen him get stung 3 or 4 times catching a swarm, even though he was wearing a bee suite.

Depends on the day. Depends on the hive. And probably more importantly, depends on what type of bee's. Some breeds are way more aggressive.

I spotted a swarm once from my grandma's hives. It was on a low hanging small branch of a Walnut tree. Grandpa cut the branch off & carried it to a empty hive we'd set out. No stings, no bee suit.

Honey bees (most breeds) are not real aggressive, but when they swarm they become less aggressive. They will sting but you would almost need to swat at them or run into them. When swarms have left their hive, they don't have the instinct to protect their home. They will still protect themselves and their queen though. They also consume a lot of honey before swarming, making it more difficult to them to sting, a fat belly makes it harder to curl their butt to aim the stinger forward.

I was moving round straw bales a couple years ago they were already about 3 years old setting outside along a field I was carrying them down in the woods and rolling them down a deep hollar I would set them down then pull out then use the tip of the bale spear to kinda flip them over the edge of the hollar soon as I pulled out to flip it all I could see was a cloud of little bees coming out of the bale I had to shut the tractor off and run they chased me out of the woods and half way across a field wife counter forty places on my back neck and ears where I was stung.i was still hurting the next day. My son went out after dark and got the tractor. I guess it's a good thing I wasn't allergic to bee stings.

I have a wild hive in a tree behind my house and often see them swarm like that. The only worry I have is if someday they convert into killer bees. I often have hundreds flying around me but they never sting me. The worst threat here is horse flies.

Rick, those we're likely not honey bees. Most likely yellow jackets which look almost like honey bees. Also that was not a swarm but a hive in those bales.
Dave

Last winter in Arizona when hiking I had to walk through some bushes that were just full of bees, I just carefully worked my way and didn't get stung. Now mosquitos here in MN this summer, with all the rain , they are terrible! And last year it was so dry there weren't any!

As a kid I helped corral a few swarms for our neighborhood bee-keeper and only got stung once when I grabbed a swarm-laden branch that was being handed down to me out of a tree and I squashed a worker. I didnt drop the swarm, but I banged it on the ladder and they all took flight, swarming around me as I stood still. In a few minutes they settled back down and returned to the branch and we put them in a box for a quick trip to the apiary.

Since nobody ever had protective clothes or veils, the best thing to do in such a predicament was to keep your mouth shut and try not to breathe in any bees!

Before they cast a swarm, theyll load up on honey and since they no longer have a hive to protect, theyre pretty docile.

Rick, that sounds like ground hornets, small, black, extreme ill tempered!

They will sting for no needed reason!

I have been told by a beekeeper when they are filled with honey they can't sting you.

When I was about 8yrs old, I walked under a swarm hanging on a tree branch. I knew they were there, but I was looking down stepping on every rock in the rock path, and had forgotten. I suddenly remembered them and looked up, knocking the swarm with the back of my head. They fell down my back inside my shirt, and began to sting me and I ran as fast as I could, but they stayed with me. My Mom and Dad were walking behind me, saw it all happen, and Dad yelled for me to roll over- so I did for about 50 feet. Dad took me inside and raked the stingers out of my back with his pocketknife. Mom took me to the ER and I got a shot. The DR. was talking about someone dying from bee stings recently: not what we needed to hear! For a few years if anything buzzed near me I jumped 3' sideways! So I say they will sting you! Mark.

When I was about fourteen I got sent up to the neighbors to mow hay, His junk was busted. I had a Farmall M with a side mount IH mower. That thing would really mow, first round I hit a bee hive. A different dumb azz neighbor set three of them over the fence. I got stung a few times but don't remember it being too bad.

My wife got honey bees 2 years ago and here is what I have learned: they are some bad stings. Ive been stung by yellow jackets, brown wasps and hornets. I would say honey bee stings are the worst if the stinger stays in. And, when they swarm, they are protecting their queen. So, they go after any perceived invaders very aggressively.

Last year I was out trimming a treeline that was overgrowing the fence. I used a hand held hedge trimmer and was only a foot away from cutting a branch that had a bee swarm hanging on it. I did't see it until I was that close. Next day I got back that branch was covered in some white waxy stuff where the bees had sat.

I plowed up a yellow jacket nest once, boy does that make them mad!

I did that too, and they don't buzz-all of a sudden you're getting stung! And they will chase you a long ways. Mark