does covering them in flour work?

[Cuckmere couple]

so

we have a bait hive 200ms from our 3 colonies (2 on double brood and one weaker)

a bait box has had a frenzy of bees around it since yesterday afternoon

i cant tell if theyre coming from one of our colonies or not

inspected on thur and no obvious q cells...didnt really look thoroughly (shaking bees off etc) as a few play cups but still plenty of space

does sprinkling flour on these to see if they are ours (by watching at our hives) work or if it isnt ours, may it put off a swarm which may be about to arrive

i would assess (at bait hive) a couple of hundred bees, theyre not robbing as theres no comb in there, theyre not taking anything in (so no swarm already in there) they seem a bit of a frenzy/shivvering maneouvre at the entrance to it and some look to be guarding activity

thopughts?

 

[Curly green fingers]

so

we have a bait hive 200ms from our 3 colonies (2 on double brood and one weaker)

a bait box has had a frenzy of bees around it since yesterday afternoon

i cant tell if theyre coming from one of our colonies or not

inspected on thur and no obvious q cells...didnt really look thoroughly (shaking bees off etc) as a few play cups but still plenty of space

does sprinkling flour on these to see if they are ours (by watching at our hives) work or if it isnt ours, may it put off a swarm which may be about to arrive

i would assess (at bait hive) a couple of hundred bees, theyre not robbing as theres no comb in there, theyre not taking anything in (so no swarm already in there) they seem a bit of a frenzy/shivvering maneouvre at the entrance to it and some look to be guarding activity

thopughts?

Yes it does I've used it last year .
One of my colony's was being robbed i soon found the culprit and moved the robbers this hive was a volcano so they also got requeened .

 

[Ian123]

I have just got back from a couple of sites and loads of bees around all bait hives, dont forget many will just be attracted by any lure cooking and giving off an aroma. So quite normal for some interest

 

[Cuckmere couple]

yup

i have around 5 out and interest in 3-4