Hive being robbed

[Eric the Ewok]

One of my hives is being robbed (WBC) - I've put an entrance slide in to reduce the opening - but the robbing bees are HUGE by comparison to my little bees - they are literally walking all over them - I have - or had - one FULL super in that hive...

Any advice?

 

[Cazza]

Can you move the hive to another apiary for a while?

(Perhaps it's my Redgrave thug bees heading in your direction. They are exceptionally busy today. I will go and have words)

Cazza

 

[Eric the Ewok]

Not really. Threw a wet blanket over the hive - and they all immediately started robbing the second hive - only put a new swarm in there on Monday - so I've blocked that entrance up completely for the moment.

 

[Eric the Ewok]

Calmed down now - but what about tomorrow? - we are out for the day so I won't be about.

Could I put a feeder in my small swarm and shut them in for the day with a solid entrance guard.

Ditto with the other hive. ???

 

[Oscarmonster]

Are you really sure you aren't seeing orientation flights? Maybe a lot of drones.

 

[sharonh]

Calmed down now - but what about tomorrow? - we are out for the day so I won't be about.

Could I put a feeder in my small swarm and shut them in for the day with a solid entrance guard.

Ditto with the other hive. ???

Wait till bees in bed tonight, get a pane of glass from a picture frame, mount on landing board against hive wall. Use some masking tape top and bottom to fix it.
Force some grass in entrance hole. Your bees will learn in the morning how to get in and out. Robbing bees will still try the way they were today frontal way in.
You could also look up how to make an anti robbing screen for infront of entrance if the small pane doesn't work.
Feeding syrup will only make matters worse, not unless it is necessary to do so, and at that do it at night not day time.


Love Beekeeping <3

 

[Eric the Ewok]

Glass - that sounds like a plan - but after watching the bees today - I think it would take them 30 sec to work it out and they would be in.

Drones - yes they were all drone size - but vast numbers - protected one hive - immediately targeted the other. I've some video - I'll try and get that uploaded on Monday.

I'll have to settle for a one bee wide entrance for tomorrow I think.

 

[enrico]

They are probably your own or local drones, they are not hive specific. Are you sure they are robbing? More likely to be waiting for the rape rather than the pillage!
E

 

[Eric the Ewok]

They are probably your own or local drones, they are not hive specific. Are you sure they are robbing? More likely to be waiting for the rape rather than the pillage!
E

After a bit more thinking - I think you are spot on. That hive swarmed about a week / 10 days ago and I now suspect the queen was ready for her mating flight - and ALL the local drones wanted some of the action. Re-watching some of the film I took I can see there was no effort at all in stopping the drones coming and going. It was all the coming and going that made me think it was robbing.

Unfortunately I made life really difficult for her with the wet blanket etc. Sorry! Older and wiser now. I'll check next weekend for eggs - fingers crossed. Hopefully she won't bee to mad at me and give me a really stroppy hive - the queen that left was REALLY docile.