I have had the russian bees in their new hives since noon on Saturday, (48 hours). Each hive has two deeps. I have the entrance reducer in with about a 3" entrance. Today I witnessed a huge amount of activity around one of the hives as I went out to do some yard work. I thought to myself, "I hope they are not trying to swarm." But I dismissed that since they have plenty of room and no swarm cells were present when we installed them from the nucs.
When I was walking back by the hives about an hour and a half later, there was again a huge amount of activity around the other hive. When I walked up for a look I noticed that some of the bees (mostly the ones flying) were not russians.
Was I witnessing a robbing event? Things have calmed down again and both hives are active and seem ok. I dont want to open the hives since we just installed them. Do I need to do anything about the robbing?
I am feeding with a hive top feeder on both hives.
Robbing event
OK - There's Something New to Me
What time of year does or can Robbing take place if not anytime? No need for some of us to worry about something if it isn't the right time of year for it.
You experienced keepers do you ever close the entrance to stop bees from coming in and the bees inside could be killed by the hive guards?
You experienced keepers do you ever close the entrance to stop bees from coming in and the bees inside could be killed by the hive guards?
-
Kurt Bower
- Guard bee
- Posts: 692
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 2:04 pm
- Location: Julian, NC
- Contact:
truthfully, I believe it is possible any time of the year.
But it rarely happens except in the case of a dearth. Robbing during a honey flow does not make sense because the bees can obtain nectar easily anywhere.
If you had several hives and were only feeding 1 with the wrong type of feeder you could cause robbing.
Yes, you can try to stop the robbing by cutting down the entrance. This rarely works and the other bees will keep at it until the death of the colony. The best option I have found is to move the hive to a different location.
Kurt
But it rarely happens except in the case of a dearth. Robbing during a honey flow does not make sense because the bees can obtain nectar easily anywhere.
If you had several hives and were only feeding 1 with the wrong type of feeder you could cause robbing.
Yes, you can try to stop the robbing by cutting down the entrance. This rarely works and the other bees will keep at it until the death of the colony. The best option I have found is to move the hive to a different location.
Kurt
What kind of time period are talking about here? Once a robbery starts how long does it take?
I think if I ever saw somethng like this taking place at one of my 2 hives I would stop the entrance and at night hopefully when they all go home they won't come back in the morning. Thoughts??? Will they come back? Something would have to deterr them. Maybe with me sitting there with a flyswatter ! lol
I think if I ever saw somethng like this taking place at one of my 2 hives I would stop the entrance and at night hopefully when they all go home they won't come back in the morning. Thoughts??? Will they come back? Something would have to deterr them. Maybe with me sitting there with a flyswatter ! lol
-
Kurt Bower
- Guard bee
- Posts: 692
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 2:04 pm
- Location: Julian, NC
- Contact:
It does appear that some robbing is going on. I stepped out at 5:45 a.m. this morning to see a huge amount of incoming activity on my strongest hive. All other hives within a few feet of it were calm with normal activity. I did not see wrestling or dead bees out front. It looked like defenses may have been overwhelmed quickly. I did not notice anything abnormal with the hives yesterday evening. I put in an entrance reducer and blocked the openings with leaves. As of 7:00 a.m. things are much calmer and it is much quieter in the bee yard. I put entrance reducers on my other hives at the large opening level in fear that if the robbers were stopped from entering the target hive, they might take the next target of opportunity.
I was more concerned about the strength of this hive and the possibility of swarming and not about it being a target. Has anyone read or seen anything about how bees select a robbing target?
I was more concerned about the strength of this hive and the possibility of swarming and not about it being a target. Has anyone read or seen anything about how bees select a robbing target?
As of 9:30 a.m. things are much calmer with some crowding at stronger hive entrances and the bees trying to figure out the new entrance pattern. I have reopened the hive that was being robbed to about 3 inches of opening. I have watched out for it for about 45 minutes and activity seems normal with bees coming in and out and some bringing in pollen. Much less noise and none of the straight flights into the entrance. If the robbers return while I am at work hopefully the hive will be able to mount a successful defense.
I guess you folks were too polite to suggest it, but it did occur to me that I was seeing all of the frenzy of a robbing event without the entrance defense and attempts to enter at other spaces. Were my bees out doing the robbing? If so, at least they had the good grace not to be attacking my other hives.
-
Kurt Bower
- Guard bee
- Posts: 692
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2004 2:04 pm
- Location: Julian, NC
- Contact:
I decided to watch things progress this morning. At 5:00 a.m., I could see the bees but it was too dark for them to fly. At about 5:30 a.m. the strongest hive began sending out bees, and about 5 minutes later the other 2 stronger hives began sending out bees. At about 5:40 a.m., bees were returning to the strong hive in significant numbers and many were not making the landing board, but were dropping to the ground. There was no fighting and the bees were not in any distress. They walked away from the entrance area a few inches, took off and flew into the hive. My best guess is that they are coming in heavy and fully loaded with something and can't make the initial landing.
Looking up toward the clouds, I was able to see that the vast majority of bees were going out in one specific direction and the returning bees were coming in in a similar tight pathway. There is a definitely louder buzz on this hive than at the others. I don't know what the bees have found, but it looks like there is some major source that they are expoiting early.
Has anyone seen robbing from the robbing hive perspective and if so, does it look like what I have described?
Looking up toward the clouds, I was able to see that the vast majority of bees were going out in one specific direction and the returning bees were coming in in a similar tight pathway. There is a definitely louder buzz on this hive than at the others. I don't know what the bees have found, but it looks like there is some major source that they are expoiting early.
Has anyone seen robbing from the robbing hive perspective and if so, does it look like what I have described?
Well I guess if you city folks can afford them new fangled gadgets like "robber screens"....
Whitsett a city
I made the robber screens (they look home made)from scrap wood and window screening when I had a half a dozen hives. I think thats another reason for me to stay under 10 hives you get to have gadgets for each hive and pretend your city folk. :
I hope the robber screen is a gadget that works. 
I am going to add them on mine in the next few weeks. May have to make some with #8 hardware cloth to see if they work any better if at all.
I would think that if you are being robbed that some evidence of less nectar in the hive between two and three day checks and maybe cappings being torn open and some pieces of cappings on the bottom board. I saw torn open cappings last year. I also hear that city folk can afford robber screens. But if you have the robber hive, glad you don't live close to me.
Whitsett a city I made the robber screens (they look home made)from scrap wood and window screening when I had a half a dozen hives. I think thats another reason for me to stay under 10 hives you get to have gadgets for each hive and pretend your city folk. :
I hope the robber screen is a gadget that works. I am going to add them on mine in the next few weeks. May have to make some with #8 hardware cloth to see if they work any better if at all.I would think that if you are being robbed that some evidence of less nectar in the hive between two and three day checks and maybe cappings being torn open and some pieces of cappings on the bottom board. I saw torn open cappings last year. I also hear that city folk can afford robber screens. But if you have the robber hive, glad you don't live close to me.
You guys are a total riot... I don't know what I would do if mine ever get attacked but I won't sit with a movie camera catching it all. Those robbers will be taking me on too. So any robbers out there take a look at me before you attack my girls. I'm pretty big.
I need to do some research on that robbing screen or whatever it is. Nothin' too good for my girls in the country too... After all - If I don't stick up for those girls..... who will??? lol I can't even get Wally to come sneak a peek on them. I have cateracts and don't even know what I see......
I'm just being a little silly today for some reason...
I don't know what I would do if mine ever get attacked but I won't sit with a movie camera catching it all. Those robbers will be taking me on too. So any robbers out there take a look at me before you attack my girls. I'm pretty big. I need to do some research on that robbing screen or whatever it is. Nothin' too good for my girls in the country too... After all - If I don't stick up for those girls..... who will??? lol I can't even get Wally to come sneak a peek on them. I have cateracts and don't even know what I see......
I'm just being a little silly today for some reason...