I was carrying a wheelbarrow to the shed in back of my yard when I realized at 8 PM that there were angry swirling bees all above my deck and in my yard. I put on my jacket and gloves and went out to see. Bees were angrily swirling around all three hives. My largest hive seemed fine, but the smaller two had some fights going on in front of the hive.
I dropped the propped top on all the hives, put robber screens on the two smaller hives but the swirling continued - it's almost dark - what gives?
The angriest bees were by the door to my sunporch where I enter the deck. Now my sunporch has at least 50 bees inside it - and more outside the door.
Help?
Linda T with angry bees in Atlanta
Any update Linda? How did things work out today?
My single hive got robbed about this time last year, and I had a pile of bees on my Florida room as well...I don't think mine were angry though, we didn't get any stings while helping them out..I think they were my bees that had had their buts kicked by the robbers, and were seeking refuge in my house....this hive is in it's second year now and stronger..I hope I don't have the problem with mean robbers this year!
Best of luck! :)
Well, I left the screens on all day today - the bees aren't liking it, but I couldn't let that go on. If it hadn't been about to be dark, I might have tried removing the top covers from all three hives - I've read on here and on Beesource that that sometimes works. I've been swamped with other things today and haven't paid much attention, but tomorrow I'll be home in the middle of the day for a couple of hours and I'll see what's going on - maybe remove the screens. I'll post a follow-up after that.
Thanks for replying - I was feeling bad that nobody posted for more than a day on this topic in the middle of my panic!
Linda T in Atlanta
Any ideas on what set off the robbing? I am very interested in this behavior in the bees and why it starts. I hope it stops for you. Do you think this is a war among your own hives, or are there outside invaders?
I couldn't even tell for certain that it was robbing - it was so strange for there to be swirling bees when it was that close to dark and so many crowded around the door to my sunporch.
The bad news is that I took about 20 outside with the glass/postcard routine, but I had to give a wedding shower today and was too busy to look out there again. I did have to vacuum up the bees that were on my sunporch - which made me feel cruel - I counted 102 that I sucked into the vacuum. I hated it but with 20 people coming to my house this morning I couldn't take the risk of having 100 bees flying around indoors.
Linda T sad and blue in Atlanta
Michael Bush has some very good information on his site about robbing. I really don't think they care what time of day it is.
Linda
Sorry to hear about this robbing situation. Could it be a dearth going on now?? I know I have a dearth right now, and I am thinking seriously of closing up the entrances a bit smaller. This is the time of year for robbing. From now until Fall. I have seen bees fighting well into the evenings some times on warm summer nights.
I hope you got the situation under control now.
Sincerely
Annette
Yep...probably not much nectar in Atlanta for the duration of the summer......and I also wonder how much research there is on what really causes bees to exhibit the robbing behavior.....for instance, I think they might be strong hives with plenty of honey...just lots of greedy and aggressive bees...?????????? People with big beeyards..multiple hives should be able to enlighten us..?
As mentioned, in my circumstance, I only have a single hive, so I know the robbers weren't my bees.. It sure can be a heck of a battle can't it?? Apparently, there becomes a turning point in the battle where the robbers just pretty much get their way and take what they want..it seems like intimidation.. My incident happened in the first year, and once I reduced the entrance, I did not have another occurrence that I know of..You gotta think that with a reduced entrance, the home hive would have to have the upper hand...unless it was very weak..
Looking forward to your update.
Quote from: annette on August 03, 2009, 02:24:55 AM
Linda
Sorry to hear about this robbing situation. Could it be a dearth going on now?? I know I have a dearth right now, and I am thinking seriously of closing up the entrances a bit smaller. This is the time of year for robbing. From now until Fall. I have seen bees fighting well into the evenings some times on warm summer nights.
I hope you got the situation under control now.
Sincerely
Annette
That was what I was thinking Annette.