Robbing

Big John · September 15, 2008, 03:14:12 PM

I have other bees (feral bees I am pretty sure) trying to rob my hive. 2 deeps w/top feeder on, a lot of fitting going on. I cut the entrance down to 1" trying to help my bees, is their anything else I can do. I also have a nuc about 3ft from my main hive that I got a call to get 12Sep08 it is a small swarm that has a division feeder in it, the feral bees I caught is a lot more aggressive that the bees I have they are all right.

danno · September 15, 2008, 03:58:00 PM

build robber screens for them. Heres a link http://nordykebeefarm.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=17&PN=1

these really work. I make mine 3/4" short of the main enterance. This allows virgins and drone to come and go. 3/4" is easy for the guards to defend. I also only use a 3/8 board for the top and bottom and 3/4 on the ends. this leaves the 3/8 open at the top. The screen allows them to exit across the entier top and still maintains full venting. All the returning bees land and file in the small 3/4 enterance at the end. I've watched yellow jackets walk back and forth on the bottom trying to get in and as soon as they get to the end with the 3/4 opening the guards are on them

Big John · September 15, 2008, 04:25:56 PM

That is a good idea, I will build some of them. They seem to be holding their own right now with the 1" opening, not to worried about ventilation have SSB. If they make it until dark would it hurt to close the entrance up of a day or two for nothing could get in or out?

EasternShore · September 15, 2008, 08:08:34 PM

John, from my limited experience, I'd say leaving a 1" opening should bee fine. If you are open feeding be sure to place entrance block so they have to go around a gauntlet of bee's to get to it.
Hope it all works out.

Michael Bush · September 15, 2008, 09:43:34 PM

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrobbing.htm

Big John · September 16, 2008, 08:42:14 AM

Thanks for the info, they made it untill dark I have closed up the entrences with screen wire and will leave closed off today. I am not open feeding I am using top feeders.

JP · September 16, 2008, 11:05:08 AM

Quote from: Michael Bush on September 15, 2008, 09:43:34 PM
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrobbing.htm

Care to elaborate about the effectiveness of the Vick's vapor rub?

...JP

Big John · September 16, 2008, 11:49:21 AM

Have not had a chance to try Vick's, was going to today had to go get some. I closed the hives with screen last night, this morning when I went to check on them they was hundreds of robber bees all over the hives but could not get in, time I got my running done and came back the robbers have given up, not 20 bees flying around hives.

TwT · September 16, 2008, 08:43:56 PM

I have seen a lot of post here lately about nice healthy hives getting robbed out, Shawn just lost one from robbing, where yaw get these wimpy bee's from? all mine is sitting with open entrances standing guard :-x daring something to come close :evil: , even me I think :shock: ! naw they aint bad but I do at times find a couple dead bumble bee's, yellow jackets and wasp on the inter cover, but nothing has got any yet, hate to hear anyone losing a hive to anything especially another hive or having problems like that.

Michael Bush · September 16, 2008, 09:09:14 PM

>Care to elaborate about the effectiveness of the Vick's vapor rub?

I wouldn't do only that, but when all else fails it seems to mislead the robbers. Doing it up front in combination with a robber screen makes it even more effective. Basically the robbers are looking for the SMELL that leads them to the honey source. The locals are remembering where the door is. Anything that obfuscates the smell leading to the entrance, such as the robber screen which moves the actual entrance away from the smell, or the vicks which hides the odor of the entnrace helps.

Shawn · September 17, 2008, 05:20:13 AM

TWT, I got my bees from Rossman in Georgia. I think my problem is I went queenless for too long and did not have another hive to take brood from. I blame this one on me for not checking for the original queen enough, not really knowing what Im doing, and not reading Michael's sight enough. I thought the Goldline queen was doing great but the robbers came like a thief in the day, would say night but thats not when they came. Hopefully next year Ill do better at being a keeper, already have plans for two hives possibly 3.

toolmaster · September 17, 2008, 05:08:07 PM

Howdy,
If you want to stop robbing while it is happening. Simply put on your lawn sprinkler until everyone goes home.

If you think the robbers come from another hive in your apairy. Give the robbers hive additional food.

If they are feral bees. Find them and add them to your collection

Big John · September 17, 2008, 05:32:17 PM

I opened the hives up this morning by 12:00 when I could check it it was worse then before, Week hive was almost completely full of robbers my other hive was also full, I closed all bees in the hives, read Micheal Bush's site on robbers, will leave all bees in hive for 72hrs., I have already moved the hive 8 miles away to my son's house. If it works and they make it I will let everyone know.