Robber screen questions

shakerbeeman · September 24, 2007, 12:49:29 PM

Having a heck of a problem with robbing. Can't really move the hive cause of bears etc so have put a robber screen on the top entry. They seem to be real slow learning to exit and enter from the bottom of the device. I am also feeding 2/1 SS so think they will be ok as far as foodstuffs at the moment. Need encouragement please.

JP · September 24, 2007, 01:26:41 PM

Shakerbee, Since you added the robber screen you have cut down or cut out the robbing, correct? If so, and your bees can enter and exit, I wouldn't worry about their progress in relation to getting used to the screen, they will get used to it, don't worry. They are probably not leaving all that much because you are in a dearth as evidenced by robbing. In a flow everybody is happy.

Robo · September 24, 2007, 02:10:02 PM

Don't know if I have any encouragement, but I can tell you the robbing this year is the worst I have ever seen. I have one hive that has been completely screened off for 3 days now, after the robber screen didn't stop them, and there is still like 1.5 lbs of bees on the screen every day. I'm going to move it to a new yard tonight.

JP · September 24, 2007, 08:17:58 PM

Wow Robo, that's crazy. Are you having foreign bees enter the hive/hives that are screened?

shakerbeeman · September 24, 2007, 10:33:30 PM

For a beginner I have seen quite a few situations this year. I went away for two days and it was like they knew I left. The attack was heavy and a couple hundred dead by the time I got home. I was just starting to think the situation healed till now. Even with the robber screen on they still hang on the front. Guess it's a sign they have nothing to do but wait for an opportunity. This hive is from a late split middle of Aug. A large one, I figured I could nurture it through and feed it heavy. Save me buying a package in the spring. If this keeps up I may just combine it back where it came from.

Michael Bush · September 25, 2007, 08:07:42 AM

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

alexcc1 · September 26, 2007, 11:38:49 PM

Initially I did not know what a robber screen was when I made my first one. Yes, I am a new Beek. The guys in the local be club found it interesting and called it a trap in screen.

I used a 1 x 4 and notched it like an entrance reducer (the big opening), then attached (in the notch) a long rectangular screen tube (made from 1/8" hardware cloth) that reaches almost to the back of the hive. The screen is closed off to about the size of the small hole on the entrance reducer on the inside.

It works much like a cone for doing a trap out, only in reverse. They go in but don't come out. At least not for several days. The robbing stops, and as best as I can tell I get a few extra bees too.

Alex

Robo · September 27, 2007, 08:35:54 AM

Quote from: JP on September 24, 2007, 08:17:58 PM
Wow Robo, that's crazy. Are you having foreign bees enter the hive/hives that are screened?

I believe they are from my hives, but one can't tell for sure. The one I have completely closed off seems has hundreds of bees clinging on the outside of the screen from sun up to sun down. The fact that they are not there at night leads me to believe they are robbers and not just locked out bees from the hive.

shakerbeeman · September 27, 2007, 08:46:20 AM

After about three days with the screen on the hangers on seem to have dwindled to about 30 bees. I am just amazed they won't give up. The hive has been taking a full load of SS from the frame feeder each day. What really bothers me is that my observation hive is hauling pollen in banner amounts and I feel thet robber screen has slowed down the others from doing the same. Oh well better than getting robbed out.

Robo · September 27, 2007, 09:09:38 AM

Quote from: shakerbeeman on September 27, 2007, 08:46:20 AM
The hive has been taking a full load of SS from the frame feeder each day.

Have you verified they are storing it in other frames? I had my robbed hive down to a single bee entrance hole and they went thru 2.5 gallon pail of syrup and not a drop stored in the comb. That is when I closed them off completely, as they where still being robbed.

Quote
What really bothers me is that my observation hive is hauling pollen in banner amounts and I feel thet robber screen has slowed down the others from doing the same. Oh well better than getting robbed out.

I have the same concern with my robbed hive, they where from a recent small cut-out and have little pollen, so I started feeding them pollen as well and they are actually taking it.

shakerbeeman · September 27, 2007, 12:03:33 PM

Thanks for your replies Robo. I think we are on the same wave length. I set a pollen patty in there yesterday. Will see how they have taken it today when I fill the feeder.

I will also make a better check when I go in there as to SS storage. Thought I saw a drawn and filled comb next to the feeder but I better have a closer look. Time to fire up the smoker for a bit.