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Large Invaders
Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 7:28 pm
by Bill Hansen
I recently requeened a hive. Yesterday when I looked, I saw they were being invaded by a different species of bee -- larger. I presume they are robbing honey. I've documented my work with this hive on three blog entries. Especially notice the photo on the entry titled "Blue Hive Under Attack."
Does anyone know what kind of bees these are? I have tried a temporary solution using an excluder. If anyone has a better idea, please let me know.
http://sufficient-for-our-need.blogspot ... -hive.html
http://sufficient-for-our-need.blogspot ... d-way.html
http://sufficient-for-our-need.blogspot ... ttack.html
Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 7:51 pm
by ski
Bill,
From the picture in your blog the bees look like drones but, sometimes pictures are difficult to interpret.
You could try a robber screen kind of like the queen excluder you are using just use a screen or #8 screen hardware cloth and make it so they can only go in by going over the top and then you can close the top down to a smaller opening. I attached a poor picture of a robber screen but maybe you will get the idea.
Brushy also sells a moving / robber screen.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w45/ ... 008003.jpg
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Mo ... tinfo/517/
I went out and took a few pictures of my homemade robber screen. I have a theory that the taller you make them the better they MAY work.
I used #8 hardware cloth or 8 squares per inch screening over the front.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w45/ ... een001.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w45/ ... een002.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w45/ ... een003.jpg
Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 9:03 pm
by Doug Shaw
Bill,
Given the large amount of drones we have seen in this hive Ski thoughts that they are drone makes sense. You did not see any fighting going on right?
Doug
Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 10:10 pm
by Bill Hansen
They could well be drones. Doug is right, the hive was loaded with drone cells before we requeened. I just never thought I would see drones being so active in a hive. It was hard to tell what the relationship with the workers and drones was. I caught one and set it aside. Doug, you can look at it and let me know what it is.
