"Dave Hill" wrote in message
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Many years ago now I was done over by bees,
I was rotovating with a treactor mounted rotovator and went about 3 ft
from 4 hives, they didn't like it one bit.

They are threatened by vibration.

The Drt took around 40 stings from my head, and next day I was back at
work, feeling a little battered, For some reason they went for my head
but not my face,
My own fault.

A few weeks later I was rotovating outside the estate wall when a
swarm came over the wall and went passed me only aboyt 6 ft away. I
didn't stop shaking for almost half an hour.

Swarming bees aren't in defensive mode, they have no brood or 'home' to
defend and are so full of honey that it's difficult for them to curl their
tails round to sting. If you see a swarm just stand still and marvel at the
sight and noise.

The pictures of 'bee beards' which abound use bees in swarming mode.

Mary