Probably a mother hen question here. I've had robbers trying to get into the syrup in my enclosed top feeder for awhile now. So I reduced the size of the only (top) entrance. Pretty small entrance now. So now as this hive has grown larger, there's a lot of congestion at this entrance and the bees are chewing it to make it larger. They are also chewing another corner to gain entrance. Now I'm assuming these bees are mine and not robbers as they are chewing at night, and going in and out without the guard bees bothering them. Right now it's 7:30 PM in CA. and dark of course and they're working away at this main entrance and the other. Should I be concerned about this? The main entrance I can enlarge if needed as I glued a small scrap of wood there, which I can remove. The corner will attract these pesky robbers so it will be sealed back up. Are my bees trying to tell me that their entrance should be bigger? It's just barely big enough for two bees to enter/exit at one time, and that may be a stretch. It's a pretty skinny entrance. I remember Finsky saying you should be able to put a finger in the entrance. It's smaller than that. Thanks!
Jeff
When you feed bees, they have moist and hot inside. They try to add ventilation. Put lower entrance wide. Robbers will not enter the hive. Normal hive guard it's nest.
If they course is too narrow they start at once to widden it.
If you feed hive from big feeding box, it takes only one week when they have taken winter syrup in.
Is this styrofoam? Bees can't chew solid wood. But they can chew styrofoam or rotten wood.
I think I'm going to have to agree with one of Finsky's other posts. American beekeepers are in love with feeding their bees. They feed to early, they feed too long, they feed in too small of doses, and they feed during dearth, drought and even during a honey flow. How are we suppose to get pure honey when we feed the bees all the time. If your bees were winter ready by the tail end of October you need to do a serious reassessment of your management technics.
Please remember that feeding bees is meant to be an emergency measure not a steady diet.
QuoteI think I'm going to have to agree with one of Finsky's other posts. American beekeepers are in love with feeding their bees
would that be true if you live in a warmer climate? weather in ca has been pretty warm. Sacramento never really gets cold most winters. a night of frost here an there, but flying weather most every day. if there is no flow, but the weather is warm and the bees don't nap, would they not need to be fed?
Kathy, that's a GREAT question! I hope someone answers. I wonder if my bees will cluster at all due to the mild weather here. I feed them because my hive was a wild hive and wasn't real strong to start. It has grown though, and they seem to take what they need. The feeder empties at a slow rate.
Thanks for your input!
Jeff
Finsky, I think you're correct. The entrance was too narrow, and they're enlarging it. It could be a ventilation issue like you say also. I'll check it for condensation in the mornings. I sealed it up tight due to chronic robbing problems.
Michael it's old wood, but not rotten. No dryrot, but getting soft in areas. If they make it through winter, it will be all new boxes, plus a second hive.
Thanks for the help.
J.
If the entrance is on the bottom, made of solid wood and looking chewed, I would suspect mice, not bees.
Quote from: Jeff L on November 18, 2006, 11:51:05 PM
I'll check it for condensation in the mornings.
Don't worry about concensation if you feed them. They ventilate extra water off and you will se water in entrance. That means nothing.
There should be some ventilating bees at least on the bottom. If not, hive is too cold.
If robbers is a nuisance it must be leak somewhere in your feeding whivh encourage robbers.