Hive Robbing

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 6:14 pm

Can someone give me a little insight on robbing? Will there always be some robbing between hives?? And I kept hearing in the class that a strong hive will rob a weak hive and kill it off by robbing. Now, is that a weaker hive numbers wise or disease wise? Will a hive with 45 thousand bees do damage to a hive with 35 to 40 thousand bees? I am seeing a few bees every once in a while go to the other hive and vice versa. Just wondering.

Kurt Bower · Post by **Kurt Bower** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:29 pm

It isnt so much a problem between two strong hives. 40k vs 45k wont encourage robbing. You will more likely see it when you have a severe disproportionate amount of bees between weak vs. strong.
This time of year shouldnt be much of an issue and certainly not during the honey flow.
Watch out in July/August when nothing is coming in.

Kurt

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:05 pm

Thanks again for the info Kurt. I was wondering if I should put a small entrance reducer on the hive that appeared to be getting robbed. I don't think I will.

Post by **Wally** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:20 pm

I don't think you will see robbing in Apr., May, or June. Like Kurt said, it will only happen when there is a dearth and they can't find food elsewhere.

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:48 pm

I guess it is because of the cold snap but there is 100% robbing going on at my house. Mainly this evening around 7:00pm. There was some pretty major activity going on so I decided to check it out. They would come out and instantly go into the others hive. It appeared as though one was robbing from the other but hard to tell. Would any of you guys take any action or just let it go for now? I am feeding with boardman feeders so I am guessing that they are after the sugar water only...I hope. Let me know what you think.

Also, would you remove the feeders at night due to the cold spell???

Post by **Wally** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:09 pm

I would remove all feeders and reduce the entrances to less than one inch. I would leave them that way until Monday, at least.

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:02 pm

Will do Wally. Thanks for the help.

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:07 pm

Closed up the entrance to about three inches. That is all I could find to do it with. There still seems to be some minor robbing going on. I want to ask this, I went out last night to remove the feeders and the bees were still on the feeders and on the entrance. This was at 9:30pm!!!! It was freezing. What were they doing????

Post by **Wally** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:49 pm

Eating.

It wasn't freezing at the hive entrance.

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 7:47 am

Thanks for the tip Wally. It seems they are not up to robbing lately. I plan on removing the reducers in the morning. What do you think? The weather is suppose to be warmer and I don't want any traffic jams.

ski · Post by **ski** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:50 am

I use a hive top feeder that has been on with 1:1 sugar syrup since I set the hive in place March 23rd. Last night was near if not below freezing.
This morning around 10ish it was 53-55 outside. I measured the temp of the sugar syrup in the hive top feeder and it was at 60.
I measured it with a digital thermometer I use for grilling.
The bees did not take much syrup when it was cold but they pick up a lot when it gets around 60.
I am thinking that the syrup in the hive top feeder was kept warm by the cluster and never came close to freezing. They are also great for cutting back if not stopping any robbing.

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:59 am

Ski... I would prefer the hive top feeder for several reasons, but the wife said no more money in the bees till she gets some honey.

That will probably be my next investment for the hive. Until then I will use the boardman feeders. I think the only reason I had robbing was the cold snap stopped the nectar flow and they reverted to stealing from the other hive. I will put the boardman feeders back on tonight. What do you think??

ski · Post by **ski** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:43 pm

I have not used the boardman feeders. No experience just what I have read.
Since you put them back on I would watch them closely for robbing and I would spend the $12 for the hive top feeder. Need to verify the price I can't find Wally's price list. Tell your wife if the bees steal what little honey there may be there will not be any left for her and you would so much like to please her and make her happy and its only $12. lol L&H what ever you think is best.

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:14 pm

I have removed all feeders and they seem to be just fine. I will definitely need to get a couple of hive top feeders before June. There is no way to stop the robbing. I used entrance reducers with my boardman feeders and they still robbed in the evening. I have persuaded my wife to go along with the program.

ski · Post by **ski** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:47 pm

I hope you will like the hive top feeders, I do.

Post by **Wally** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 8:15 pm

L&H, I trained your bees to only allow hive top feeders. I need the money... .

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 5:23 am

That has got to be one of the funniest things I have heard

My wife and I are laughing right now

I will be in touch to get one soon. That was too funny, Wally.

ski · Post by **ski** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 8:38 am

I only have one hive top feeder, so I may be requesting a hive top feeder as well.
But first I am going to try this inside a hive body on top of the hive as a feeder.

http://www.sweettimeapiary.com/pics/feeder.jpg

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 4:17 pm

That looks pretty neat Ski. I think that will work well. You are going to put that into a deep super, right??

ski · Post by **ski** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 4:26 pm

I have it in 2 med right now until I get a box painted that I made. A deep super would be real tight. The one I made is 12 inches tall. Getting that screen to fit in the bottom of the water jug is frustrating. Mine does not look as good as the picture. But its in the hive. We shall see how it works.