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Author Topic: robbing  (Read 3228 times)

Offline LindaL

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robbing
« on: August 07, 2013, 03:56:32 am »
I haven't even had the girls a week and i'm already messing things up.

Last night after work i went out to check on the girls the first hive looked fine loads of bees in and out.  Then i walked by the sugar water i had set out to feed them.  They where hungry most was gone good girls eat up.   Then i came to the second smaller hive.  I watched for a few minutes i just love to watch them.   Something seamed different.   I must have watched for 5 minutes i couldn't figure it out.   There where bees at the landing pad trying to keep other bees from coming in.  One even had another by the leg and wouldn't let it go.  Then finally something i read kicked in.   These where guard bees trying to keep the other bees out of the hive.   So i ran into the house to check my books on exactly what robbing looked like.  Went back out to double check yup that's got to be whats going on here.    So i blocked up most of the entrance left them about 2 cm checked again about 2 hours later it was mostly dark by then and things looked better.    I checked this morning but i don't think they where totally awake yet its a bit cool this morning and still no signs of robing just bees going in and out.

I read something last night that the robbing may have started because i set the sugar water out to feed to close to the hives.   I like to watch them its so funny.  I put the sugar water "In" the little hive this morning.    The other hive will have to wait i need to order some in the hive feeder things. 

Did i do everything right?

Linda
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Offline chiaco

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Re: robbing
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2013, 04:28:12 am »
Are you using open feeders or Boardman Feeders? (Boardman Feeders are the upside down glass jars that sit on feeders in the entrance to the hives). These types of feeders are apparently notorious to encourage robbing. Restricting the entrance is a great way to protect the colony. So that sounds like the right move here. Internal feeders are not as prone to robbing - but depending on the feeder you might get bees drowning in it. Keeping the entrance restricted will definitely help keep unwanted guests out.

Offline LindaL

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Re: robbing
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2013, 05:13:03 am »
I made my own feeder out of an old jar i poked holes in the lid and turn it upside down it looks a lot like the entrance feeders but its not in the entrance they are just about 4 feet from the hives.  Like i said i like to watch them.    I have ordered two of the in the hive feeder things,  should be here in a week.

I will leave the entrance reducers on then.  The little hive needs as much help as they can get.   

Linda.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: robbing
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2013, 09:43:46 am »
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Offline LindaL

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Re: robbing
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2013, 09:52:31 am »
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrobbing.htm

I think that's the page i was reading last night :)   I think i caught it really early there wasn't more then 20 bees around the front of the hive. 
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Offline 10framer

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Re: robbing
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2013, 10:37:47 am »
open feeding in the bee yard is a bad idea.  reduce the entrance of the hive and get some sort of internal feeding system.

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: robbing
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2013, 10:56:28 pm »
Boardman feeders work if you use two per hive and reduce the entrance with them, either one on each side of the entrance or both on the same side.  Makes about 3 equal sized sections of entrance, two blocked by the two Boardman feeders.  Smaller entrance on an 8 frame than a 10 frame hive. 
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline LindaL

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Re: robbing
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2013, 04:21:30 am »
Over the weekend they where at it again.   This time there was dead little bee body's in the grass in the fount of the hive.   :'(   When i opened the hive there where so many bees in the back it was insane.  There where dead body's all over the bottom of the hive inside.

Note: trugstader hive type there common in Denmark.

I had been feeding this hive sugar syrup because its a third of the size of the other hive.  They must have smelt the syrup in the hive and gone after it.   Smoked the fount of the hive and literally closed it down so only 1 bee can get though.  This time i think i'm going to leave it like that.

Poor little hive.   

Linda. 

PS.  Bigger hive is doing so well i gave them 2 more frames with foundation on them.  Could i steal a full frame of honey from the big hive and put it in the little one to even out the stores?  or should i just let them bee.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: robbing
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2013, 11:18:22 am »
>I had been feeding this hive sugar syrup because its a third of the size of the other hive.

Which is the cause of your robbing... steal full capped combs from the strong hives.  Reduce all the entrances.  Pull the lid off of the strong hives...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline LindaL

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Re: robbing
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2013, 02:26:47 pm »
I just got them 3 weeks ago they are swarms from this year. The little hive was little when i got it.  But i like the idea of stealing stores from the one and giving it to the other.  Might teach them a lesson. 
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: robbing
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2013, 03:00:49 pm »
> Might teach them a lesson. 

No.  It won't.  Bees will not get any cause and effect out of nor see it as the consequence of anything.  But it might help the weak one.
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Offline capt44

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Re: robbing
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2013, 02:38:32 am »
When I build my inner covers I drill a 2 3/4 inch hole off center to place a feed jar in.
I put them off center so the feeder won't be directly over the cluster.
once you put the jar in the hole of the inner cover put a medium super on top of the inner cover.
It will hide a quart jar.
Other than that the baggie system works too.
That puts the feed inside the hive and the other bees won't know it's there.
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

Offline forrestcav

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Re: robbing
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2013, 08:11:57 am »
might want to look into robber screens for the smaller hive. It'll let the girls out but the intruders can't get in.
Just a beek trying to get ready for winter.

Offline LindaL

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Re: robbing
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2013, 09:41:31 am »
Robber screens are a bit hard to build for this type of hive i think but I'm looking into it.    I'm still not 100% sure that it was robbing there where a few bees on the front of the hive fighting but not more then 50.

I ordered some food for them 15 kilograms for each hive that should give them enough to keep them busy for a while, as well as ensure that they both have enough stores for the winter.   


Linda.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: robbing
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2013, 10:02:00 am »
Simply using screen to reduce the entrance instead of a solid block serves as a pretty good robber screen...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline OldMech

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Re: robbing
« Reply #15 on: August 20, 2013, 10:43:07 am »
Boardman feeders work if you use two per hive and reduce the entrance with them, either one on each side of the entrance or both on the same side.  Makes about 3 equal sized sections of entrance, two blocked by the two Boardman feeders.  Smaller entrance on an 8 frame than a 10 frame hive. 

   I think this idea is similar to what I came up with to reduce the entrance size.  When I need to, I use a 3/4 by 3/4 by 4 right up against the boardman slid into the entrance so the bees have to enter the other side of the entrance away from the feeder. If that still caused problems a simple screen looped over the entrance so the bees had to enter the sides fixed it. the robbers couldn't dive bomb straight into the opening anymore.

   I Fed too long initially, and could never figure out WHY the smaller hives didn't gain strength..   I found out (By asking questions here)  I was plugging up the brood nest with sugar syrup.. they were sucking it down and storing it in every available space as fast as they could.. no place to put natural stores, and no place for the queen to lay.
   I am more noob than experienced, but found that pulling the feeders after a couple of weeks to let the bees get on with it on their own made a vast difference in how fast they build up.  You can always pop the feeder back in after a week, or three weeks later if they are still having trouble with numbers and gathering enough resources.
39 Hives and growing.  Havent found the end of the comfort zone yet.