I dumped in some bees that were gathered around the outside of my hive last night - all in a wad. I think they were robbers, not sure. Do robbers stay put like that? Anyway, I added them to the hive (a nuc), and you could tell there was quite a brew-ha-ha in there. I left it sealed for today. Wondering how long till they become part of the hive? Thanks!
Quote from: ScoobyDoBee on April 25, 2012, 10:51:05 AM
I dumped in some bees that were gathered around the outside of my hive last night - all in a wad. I think they were robbers, not sure. Do robbers stay put like that? Anyway, I added them to the hive (a nuc), and you could tell there was quite a brew-ha-ha in there. I left it sealed for today. Wondering how long till they become part of the hive? Thanks!
If they were robbers, they will forget where they came from in 3 days or less and switch allegiance. But robbers can be a danger to your queen so I wouldn't want to dump a large number in at once. You could dump them in an empty box with some syrup and hold them for 3 days. Then they would be model citizens.
Robbers go home at night. They could be a small queenless swarm that was looking for a home, or just a group that decided to stay out for the night. I would open them today.
Thanks Frameshift. I got home last night and there was serious discussion going on in and around the hive. I made a makeshift robber screen and had put that on before I left to work. I know it thwarted their efforts but not sure it did what it was supposed to do. Except the wad of bees was suspicious. So all in all I added maybe a cup of bees in two different dumps. Didn't know what to do about water for today so I poured a bit in a lid and stuck it on the inner cover and wet down the bandana I put to block the entrance. I guess I'm saying all that to say I didn't think the robbers would quit and I may have already lost the queen so I hoped this was the best solution. Already when I left at 8:30 this am there were a few uninvited guests lurking - but they didn't stay long. I owe all this to a syrup spill. Ugh.
I wondered about that, iddee. I didn't think robbers would hang but I wasn't sure why my bees couldn't find their way back into the hive.... I'll just bet it was my "makeshift" robber screen. I'm at work already. Left it blocked. Luckily, today is a cloudy day. Maybe that will help.
"I added them to the hive (a nuc), and you could tell there was quite a brew-ha-ha in there."
I think this is called war. In my experience most will die along with some of your 'home' bees.
Y, I have a deep, sinking feeling you are right.... Oy again.
could those bees have been from your hive & they were just bearding? what was the temperature?
I kinda don't think so.... it was a new nuc....think the queen had just started laying and I was feeling it was a bit sparse to start. Who knows what I've done to the poor girls.
So....If I go home and open it up and all the same stuff starts all over, I'll lose the population. If I don't let them out, they may suffer heat exhaustion (screened bottom board tho).
Better to err in favor of the bees and let them out I think? Think I could tell by the noise from the hive? If all is quiet, means everyone is happy?
I need a nuc mentor! Dern Eye-talian robbers!
Quote from: ScoobyDoBee on April 25, 2012, 11:14:44 AM
Thanks Frameshift. I got home last night and there was serious discussion going on in and around the hive. I made a makeshift robber screen and had put that on before I left to work. I know it thwarted their efforts but not sure it did what it was supposed to do. Except the wad of bees was suspicious. So all in all I added maybe a cup of bees in two different dumps. Didn't know what to do about water for today so I poured a bit in a lid and stuck it on the inner cover and wet down the bandana I put to block the entrance. I guess I'm saying all that to say I didn't think the robbers would quit and I may have already lost the queen so I hoped this was the best solution. Already when I left at 8:30 this am there were a few uninvited guests lurking - but they didn't stay long. I owe all this to a syrup spill. Ugh.
Well, a few cups of bees are probably not a problem. I pour water into drawn comb if I have to lock up a hive. But I prefer not to totally lock them up at all. I'm not so sure about robbers going home at night. When I have had an outbreak of robbing, I've had really big clusters of bees hanging on the bottom of the screened bottom boards at night. They will stay there for days at a time. Maybe they are bees from that hive that unsuccessfully attempted to rob another hive and came back empty handed? It's still a mystery to me.
Been there done that , didn't work :buttkick:
We call that a bee beard , needed a few more KG bees to make an artificial swarm or a package of bees, scooped a beard of bees hanging in front of a large hive in the evening.
Let them bee in-closed in a ventilated hive for a few days in the cellar , :evil: they were mad as :evil: .
:jerry: :thunder: :jerry: They fought amongst themselves and made a mess.. Never really got going and struggled all season and died under the winter :deadhorse:
mvh edward :-P
So...what's the answer? You have to take a nuc 3 miles away?? I did a successful cut-down split with a queen in a 8-frame deep without any problems - 20 feet from the parent hive. Probably did have more bees. I know the biggie was I spilled syrup moving the nuc. Dern, Dern, Dern. I tried watering down the area over n over, but to no avail.
When I got home tonight I opened the nuc, just slightly. They came barreling out! I don't think it is either of my hives robbing. Looks like they are headed opposite direction. Closed it again. Dern again
Lol, Edward... I can tell you can commiserate!