Stop Robbing! Does This Actually Work?

[Ben Framed]

There has been several topics concerning robbing thorough out the years here at Beemaster. There has been many suggestions how to avoid robbing, how to deal with robbing when it occurs, etc. I suppose the most interesting yet radical idea that I have heard concerning the problem of frantic/ramped bee yard robbing is:

Take the tops off of 'each' hive in the bee yard, the supposed reason, each hive will be so busy protecting their own hive that the robbing trend will switch from robbing, to defending. This seems like a bold move to me yet in a way sort of makes sense if there are no wild bees or other local bees in the area. So the question of the Topic: Does This Actually Work?

Phillip

[FloridaGardener]

Maybe ... I read that too somewhere...but you will have freaked out bees as lots of murdered bees also. 

Better to CLOSE all lids, put a sheet on the one being robbed, and run the sprinkler on everybee.  Tell them all, "Go home, kiddos, it's raining."

The ones trapped inside the wet sheet tire out quick, by dusk they are glad to have the sheet lifted, and fly home if they haven't crawled out yet.

[BeeMaster2]

Ben,
Michael Bush is the person who says to open all of the hives. As you said, you need to have the only hives in the area for this to work. If I tried this when I had 54 commercial hives sitting right next to my property it would not work. This situation has happened here at the farm before while trying to remove honey and it was a disaster due to having so many bees in range after the flow stopped. The only thing that stopped them was a sprinkler that sprayed in all directions at the same time and I put in on top of the middle hive.
Jim Altmiller

[Ben Framed]

Thanks you both; Florida Gardener and Beemaster 2 for your responses. You both are in agreement to the benefit of sprinkler water added in the equation.

I did not know that Mr Bush had advocated open tops in a robbing frenzy. If I had heard this, I have forgotten. 

I actually heard it first from Don, (The Fat Beeman).  Mr Bush, in my opinion, is beekeeping legend. 😊

Phillip

[Bill Murray]

FloridaGardener the wet sheet works wonders thanks for passing tht info along.

[Michael Bush]

>Michael Bush is the person who says to open all of the hives.

Actually I just say that Jim Fischer says it.  I've never had the nerve to try it.  I usually put screen wire over all the entrances on all the hives until things settle down.  Then poke a hole in it big enough for one bee...  then you can start making robber screens.

[2Sox]

I found that the only thing that works are robber screens. Every time.  If you need to buy them, Im aware this could be a big investment for anyone with more than a handful of hive.