snowing under hives

Shanevrr · May 02, 2011, 10:08:34 PM

there is like a snowy white stuff piling up under my hives. its pretty cool :-D. i assume its wax falling of bees through screen?

AllenF · May 02, 2011, 10:15:59 PM

Is there any robbing going on?

Shanevrr · May 02, 2011, 10:17:55 PM

not sure why

Shanevrr · May 03, 2011, 12:28:03 AM

should i be concerned about this?

Brian D. Bray · May 03, 2011, 02:03:54 AM

Quote from: Shanevrr on May 02, 2011, 10:17:55 PM
not sure why

Quote from: Shanevrr on May 03, 2011, 12:28:03 AM
should i be concerned about this?

A lot of cappings under a hive can indicate robbing. Bees from the robbing hive literally tear the caps off the honey combs they are robbing while the home bees either huddle in the corner, abscond, or fight to the death.

Some cappings under a hive are normal, showing use of the stores by the bees but lots usually indicates robbing.

Jim134 · May 03, 2011, 05:55:15 AM

Are the bees making a lot of new comb :? As this a new hive :?

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

Shanevrr · May 03, 2011, 08:26:12 AM

Im not sure what is a lot, but I didnt notice it before. Its like it happened all of the sudden. and yes its a new hive, going on 3 weeks old. If it is robbing, how can I stop this? And how can you tell this is happening?

Bee-Bop · May 03, 2011, 09:03:56 AM

Narrow the entrance to about 1/2 inch, and install robber screen !

Bee-Bop

T Beek · May 03, 2011, 09:07:22 AM

You should notice fighting inside and out, aggressive behavior and cells ripped apart (bees that belong in the colony don't treat their comb that way) exposing the honey.

I'd suit up, examine the damage and close down the entrance to the smallest possible opening. Some beeks will throw a blanket over the whole hive for a day/night as well or put a sprinkler on it.

Have you been feeding? Is there a dearth (lack of available nectur) in your part of the world? Both could be causing the behavior and depending on determination and strength of the robbers they can/will kill and destroy those being robbed or demoralize them so bad they never recover. Let us know how it goes.

thomas

Jim134 · May 03, 2011, 12:45:43 PM

Quote from: Shanevrr on May 02, 2011, 10:08:34 PM
there is like a snowy white stuff piling up under my hives. its pretty cool :-D. i assume its wax falling of bees through screen?

Quote from: Shanevrr on May 03, 2011, 08:26:12 AM
Im not sure what is a lot, but I didnt notice it before. Its like it happened all of the sudden. and yes its a new hive, going on 3 weeks old. If it is robbing, how can I stop this? And how can you tell this is happening?

This will happened if bees are building a lot of new comb

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

gjd · May 03, 2011, 12:54:39 PM

I believe what you're seeing are the wax flakes that form on the underside of the bee and fall off or are dropped as they pass it up to their mandibles, to masticate it and apply to comb. Lots of comb building requires lots of wax, and creates lots of debris. That's what I've read, and I see lots of similar wax flakes on the underside of bees walking around on an observation window. I haven't seen them manipulate it.

Kathyp · May 03, 2011, 01:10:01 PM

if the bees are acting aggressively and there appearers to be a lot of confusion/wrangling at the entrance and in front of the hive, you may have robbing.

if there is a good flow going on or you are feeding and they are building out the comb, it's probably wax flakes. the wax flakes look like wax flakes :-D chewed up comb from robbing is ragged and looks chewed up.

at this time of the year, i vote flakes.

CapnChkn · May 03, 2011, 02:49:03 PM

I can verify robbing can go on at this time, though I would have to say my experience is because of my lack of it. My spot seems to be the place where robbers haunt. I had bees abscond last year, I caught a little swarm (that got SHB in 7 days. Really small.) that absconded this year, and I had a full blown war with the remaining colonies. Probably my fault, not thinking it was robbing, I left the absconded hive open so the other two could clean out the comb. We are at the end of a Winter Honeysuckle flow.

I can safely say the colony didn't abscond because of SHB, there weren't enough grubs to make me worry, the comb had been torn up and brood was all over the bottom board. The entrance was reduced to 1 1/4 x 5/16 inches, inside feeders on the inner cover, vent hole 1/4 by 1 inch, and my mistake could have been I left them in a full sized deep.

I have the remaining two locked up tight behind robber screens which I have, perhaps over-cautiously, unblocked and am waiting for the rain to stop to see if the robbing starts again. Again, don't let me worry you. I'm hypothesizing there's a "bandit" feral hive somewhere in the area.

Shanevrr · May 03, 2011, 10:14:27 PM

I sat there and watched them for 45 mins today and I dont see any aggressiveness or fighting. There just flying in and out like normal, and there getting better at hitting the hole to?

It does look like little round flakes of wax. And all hives have about same amount underneath. I also notice about 4 to 6 frames of comb drawn out on all hives. they have been busy little suckers. So maybe it is just part of the making comb process. Looks like a lot of wasted wax lol