Collected Robbers

[Ed Gallop]

I had a weak hive that lost a queen a few years back and I saw that zillions of bees were robbing it before I could get another queen. I screened it up with a hive full of robbers. Then I took it to a friends house many miles away. When my new queen came a couple weeks later I introduced it to the hive. It was successful but not what I would call a very strong hive. I moved it back home a week or two later. The robber bees were not my Italians. They were black and quite aggressive after queening. They died out over time but not after serving their purpose in defending the hive, shaping up the frames, and storing honey. I didn't think it would work, but it did. Keep it in mind if you ever face the same problem.

[BeeMaster2]

Thanks for sharing Ed.
Jim

[GSF]

Always good to know something different.

[mtnb]

So the robbers took up residence in your hive and got incorporated with the others?

[Ed Gallop]

Yes they did. There were more robbers than my own and there were many dead robbers and my own, but they adjusted.