Just started a new obs hive--being robbed today?

[twb]

We started our new obs hive about 5 days ago.  It holds 3 deeps.  I put 2 deeps in.  One with emerging brood and one with honey and some eggs, one with a starter strip for them to draw out.  Today we noticed lots of activity all of a sudden and I am quite certain it was robbing.  The hive we took the bees and queen from is quite close.  So I draped a rag over the entrance tube, trapping inside some of the robbers, I think.  Will they stay now that they are back with their queen?  Will the onset on warmer weather and easy access to nectar lessen the robbing?

The eggs have hatched now, too and it got pretty cold so now some of the tiny larvae turned brown since I probably did not shake in enough bees. :'(  These bees didn't like the shaking though and they let me know :shock: :).

[doak]

I don't think I pointed out.
When you split a hive and move one some distance, the old forgers will return to the old location.
What I usually try to do is move the one that has the queen and leave the queen less in the old spot.
If both have Queens it doesn't much matter.
How to tell robbing from, play flights or bees returning to their old home place.
The robbers will be very much more aggressive toward you and will be fighting with the bees in the hive that appears to be being robbed.
After  a couple weeks when things has settled down, you can take a frame of capped brood from the strongest colony and give it to the week one, you know, kinda even up the score.
Just make sure you do this from the strong side you split from, not another colony.
Unless you know all the bees in your yard is healthy.
hope this helps some too.
I'll leave ya'll alone for awhile. ;) :)doak

[Michael Bush]

>These bees didn't like the shaking though and they let me know

Actually, you're assuming because they are in the air that they are mad.  They are probably just confused.  Shaking is the best way to get them into the hive. You need to put about twice as many bees as you want to make up for the half that will leave.  And those need to come from brood comb.