Need advice dealing with mega robbing

Rurification · November 03, 2015, 12:56:24 PM

I need some advice. I have three hives. We're in a dearth, but I've seen a bit of pollen going in from late asters and a late dandelion bloom. The weather has gotten pretty warm again and I'm seeing a lot of bees around the hives. It is more frantic than regular orienting and many, many more bees than regular orienting. There are bees around all sides of the hives at every crack. They didn't stop until just before dark. Classic robbing behaviors, right?

I had already reduced all hives to a single small entrance and added robber screens. Yesterday I put wet blankets over every hive.

Today the robbers are back. Same behaviors. I have wet blankets over the hives.

How long do I keep this up? At what point do I try another strategy [and what would that be?]

Kathyp · November 03, 2015, 02:17:06 PM

Once it starts, it's really hard to stop. The only thing I can think of off hand is to feed to robbers away from the hive. Way away from the hives. probably not best practices, but if you don't lure them away, they will keep at it until they take down your hives.

Michael Bush · November 03, 2015, 03:27:46 PM

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

The main thing is to stop it immediately. Damage progresses quickly and can devastate a hive. Just make sure they are robbing and not orienting first, then if it?s robbing, do something drastic. Close off the hive, cover it with wet cloth. Open all the strong hives to make the strong hives stay home and guard their own hives. But do something even if it?s as simple as closing off the hive with screen wire completely. Then you can assess what you want to do to let them fly (small entrance, robber screen etc.). Bottom line, you cannot let robbing continue. You need to stop it now.

Rurification · November 03, 2015, 05:25:15 PM

Thank you both. I put a feeder out about 1200 feet away on the other side of an outbuilding and baited it with a bit of honey. Didn't get much action, but maybe tomorrow...

I had wet blankets on all day and it slowed them down some, but not enough, so I did something drastic-er - I turned the hose on them. Seemed to make an impression. Tonight when they're all tucked up, I'm going to screen them all closed. They all have feeders or dry sugar inside and they should be just fine for a couple of days. That should tell me something about who the robbers are and make the darn things stop.

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate the help.

Rurification · November 03, 2015, 08:03:23 PM

Evening update: We went out and screened all the entrances shut just after dark. I insisted on suiting up, just in case, and we were glad we did. Bees are really pissy about flashlights.

I left the feeder out to see if bees show up there - I'll know for sure they aren't mine.

If I get a bunch of foreign robbers tomorrow, do I just let them alone, since they can't get in, or should I hose them down again?

HillBilly2 · November 03, 2015, 11:05:12 PM

Dust them with flour so you can see which way they go. You might find a feral hive. Seriously, robbers should give up in a few days if they are unsuccessful.

rwlaw · November 03, 2015, 11:44:56 PM

Never tried it Robin, but I've heard that you put Vicks vapor rub around the hive entrance. Might be worth a try.

Rurification · November 04, 2015, 02:00:37 PM

Daytime update: The robbers aren't my bees. My bees are not happy to be shut in, but I'm glad I did it. The robbers are coming from elsewhere and really after a hive I didn't know was under attack, so I'm super glad I screened them all shut.

There are about 1/3 of the bees out today that there were yesterday, so I'm wondering if some of the robbers are from my hives, too and just joined the burning and pillaging along with the 'foreigners'.

At any rate, I'll keep them closed up until the robbers go away - hopefully just a couple of days.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I really appreciate it. [Must try the powdering and the vicks!]

chux · November 05, 2015, 11:02:33 AM

When you go to a hive at night, use a red light. This will not attract the bees like a regular white light. And yes, suit up. All those workers are in there, and you are the only thing getting all the attention when you mess with the hive in any way.

Rurification · November 05, 2015, 02:23:15 PM

Thanks for that tip, chux - we're on the lookout for a red gel to put on the flashlight.

The robbing is way down to just a couple dozen bees over the the three hives and some of those might be field bees that got locked out.

I have removed the extra feeder entirely - even though it was far away, I figured it was a bad idea this time of year and I want the robbers looking on someone else's property, not mine.

I'll open the hives back up this evening. Let everyone out for a bathroom break and then they'll be ready to go as usual in the morning.

I'm going to be away all day tomorrow - is there any reason I shouldn't open them up yet? And is there anything I've forgotten/not been aware of?

mtnb · November 05, 2015, 10:29:30 PM

You've had quite a bit of trouble with those robbers, huh, Robin? Hope it's under control now.

That's a great tip chux! Thanks!

Rurification · November 06, 2015, 06:41:24 AM

So far so good. The bees were very happy to get out last night.

jayj200 · November 07, 2015, 02:35:39 PM

yes I lost two down here the same way

they could be Africans as we have them here. they do start with a small colony. and some say they do not keep honey the way Europeans do
they may not have enough stores. so

GSF · November 08, 2015, 07:01:29 AM

I've moved small hives and replaced them with empty supers. This should make them think the stores are all gone. In this case I just moved it around in the yard. They zeroed in on it the next day at it's new location. Most likely will have to move it a distance for this to be successful. I had it completely screen up for two or three days but the robbers were persistent.

Rurification · November 09, 2015, 08:57:15 AM

Update: Day 2 after re-opening, the robbers had not come back and all was quiet on the western front. I'm still keeping my eye on things so we'll see.

Ed Gallop · November 10, 2015, 01:59:20 PM

I obtained a very weak hive in late Fall (many years ago) that I didn't think would make it through the winter. I planned to strengthen it but it was suddenly being attacked by zillions of robbers. They were not my bees and the reducer didn't stop it. I decided to open it up and let the hive quickly fill up with robbers, close it up, and took it well out of range. When I returned weeks later the hive was strong and the queen was there. I returned it and they made it through the winter. I don't know if this was just a isolated incident because I never did it or even heard of it before.

Rurification · November 11, 2015, 08:48:40 AM

Ed - that's really good to know. I've heard about doing that before but haven't tried it. Maybe next time I'll try it.

OldMech · November 11, 2015, 10:01:33 AM

The feeding was actually a very good idea from Kathy. If the robbers are that insistent it means there is not much coming in, so putting a feeder out somewhere else, over 100 yards away, UNDER 200 yards away will usually draw the robbers to the feed instead of your hive and help stop it. If its too far away they will often not reorient to the feeder, if it is too close it will cause those bees to target your hives when it runs dry. It may take them a day or two to find it if they were targeted on your hives, but once a few find it the word will spread quickly.
I have stopped mild robbing of nucs with only an external feeder, heavy robbing like you describe does indeed take more drastic action, sounds like you did well. The greatest issue with external feeding is that you feed the neighbors bees, the feral bees, the wasps etc... As long as no one nearby has their honey supers on thats not a problem.

Rurification · November 13, 2015, 08:40:53 AM

Thanks, Oldmech. I have been nervous about outside feeding because robbing is such a problem here, but it sounds like I need to start now to find a good place in the range you mentioned. Once I target a location, then next time I need to lure robbers away, I'll be ready.

MangoBee · November 14, 2015, 07:38:46 AM

Sorry to hear about your robbing. In the past I too have hosed down the cloud until I could suit up and address it; it does put them down for 5 minutes!

I would think the robbing screens with only the top entrance opened would be sufficient to stymie the robbers. If the robbers are getting past that then close the hives for a day or two with an inverted feeder lid on to give them water. They should lose interest. Wishing you the best!