Argghh - ROBBING!!

daveandtara · Sep 20, 2010

Monsieur Abeille said:
Post #52 in this thread

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6165

I imagine it should be helpful against robber bees as well. Best advise, in lieu of a contraption like this though, is to narrow the entrance to a couple of beeswidth and set a few traps, described in the above link and others

Thanks for the link!
and thanks to Mr Meldrew! That looks like a marvellous contraption! I have restricted the entrance to 2 x 7mm holes and am feeding under cover of darkness but the attacks continue. I'll get Dave to make me one of those when he gets in.
Thanks again,
Tara.

kazmcc · Sep 20, 2010

Storm™ said:
Here you go Kazmcc - I cannot recommend these highly enough. Very wasp repellent. Trigger pressed and a gentle sweep through there air - zap. Or do what my mom does and keep going till they start to pop =0

http://www.amazon.com/Charcoal-Companion-Amazing-Bug-Zapper/dp/B00008GS96

That looks very satisfying

Does a short sharp hit just stun them? I imagine when they go pop they die :ack2:

My only concern would be getting a bee while I'm doing it.

I could happily spend all day whacking wasps with one of these

Rosti, we call the remote Frank, as in Frank Zapper

Two Franks would confuse matters lol, good product though

Storm™ · Sep 22, 2010

kazmcc said:
That looks very satisfying Does a short sharp hit just stun them? I imagine when they go pop they die My only concern would be getting a bee while I'm doing it.

I could happily spend all day whacking wasps with one of these

Rosti, we call the remote Frank, as in Frank Zapper Two Franks would confuse matters lol, good product though

The one I gave you the link to is the one we have. It stuns everything except moths. It kills those which I hate doing so I try and grab moths and put them out. Flies though hit it, then they fall to the floor and spin round on their backs. I have to say it was thee single most bestest thing we bought when we moved right out into the sticks. Hornets, boff, wasps, smolder, flies incinerated, I have never used it on a bee though so I would not know. They get left alone to do their thing. Moths (unless its a clothes moth) get cupped and let out the door. Or if they are really big like the hawk moth we had recently or the deaths head moth earlier this year, I get them to perch on my hand then walk them out. Sorry flakey I know but I am pagan, so try and save most things. Wasps and hornets however take bees and moths (seen it this summer) and I really dont like that. :coolgleamA:

So out comes our frank.

kazmcc · Sep 22, 2010

Doesn't sound flakey at all

Not sure I could do it though. I am a total insect phobic lol, but that doesn't mean I will let anyone kill one though ( unless it's a wasp, they don't count

)

Skyhook · Sep 22, 2010

daveandtara said:
Is this device useful against robber bees as well as wasps?
Only I fear my colony may be losing the battle.
Tara

I think this is most effective against wasps as they seem unable to work it out. Presumambly if your bees can negotiate the maze, there is more likelihood of robbers doing so. Another possibility is wedging a short length of narrow tube just big enough for a bee into the entrance- it's like reducing the entrance to a single bee space, but more so- almost impossible for a robber to get past a gallant guard bee. One way is to drill a hole in an entrance block and wedge the tube into that.

daveandtara · Sep 22, 2010

Thanks, I think I will make one for wasp protection next year then.
As for this year,I may be being naive but I think the robbing may have stopped.

I replaced the entrance block with a solid piece of cedar that had two 7mm holes drilled into it on Saturday evening.
I did an inspection yesterday and there are some dead bees and one or two damaged combs (the remains of which I found at hive entrance on the first day) but the colony seems to be in pretty good shape. They have six heavy frames of capped honey, a couple frames of brood and two partially full of uncapped and pollen.
This is my first year but from what I've read and been told, I would have thought they'd have been robbed out by now if they weren't winning.

Or am I kidding myself?
Tara.