Hive is being robbed any advice please?

[Susan1]

I have a hive that was quite weak. I added a couple of frames of stores but they are now being robbed. I have made the entrance of the hive tiny but the robbers are very persistent. I am guessing there is no hope for the hive as it was already weak but I was wondering if there is any way I can get rid of the robbers. They are not from my apiary. Also I have a new nuc near the hive and am worried they will start on it.

 

[Murox]

If it's not too late, try reducing the entrance right down to literally a bee space; or even close the hive up for a couple of days until the robbing dies down. Make sure they have food and water and good ventilation.

 

[Fritillary]

Can you move them to another site for the moment? Are all your bees there in the same place? (I'm wondering: do you know whose bees the robbers are? They sound hungry!)

 

[Susan1]

I don't know who owns them. I think there might be a beekeeper about a mile away but I am not sure. I just saw a nuc in someones drive a while back on my walk. I dont know the people and they are never out when I go past which isnt often or I would strike up a conversation with them. I was wondering would they be from a swarm that has found a home somewhere near me. I had a look around today but cant see any bees. I will close then up tonight and make sure they have water.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Move them somewhere shady and close them up.
Then put an empty nuc or just a box of some kind where the nuc was and put a saucer of sugar syrup in it.
Let the bees rob it out and hopefully go home.
Then bring your nuc back and open them up.

 

[malgreen]

Robbing

Had same problem with a rouge hive couple of fields away owned by someone else. They decimated one hive but kept away from the stronger one. Replaced the hive lost last year and they have come back and robbed again. The harassment has meant little or no honey in the supers. I heard that the owner did little husbandry so maybe they were hungry and driven to rob ? Strangely someone saw a swarm nearby and since this sighting the robbing has ceased so maybe hopefully it was the robbing bees.

 

[Susan1]

Have closed up the robbed hive which had very few bees in it. I used a sponge thing I bought years ago, I wet it before putting it into the entrance so they have moisture. I also reduced the nuc entrance to one bee size. Never thought to feed the robbers but may put some sugar syrup out for them along the flight path (where I think it is) somewhere. I have a bait hive quite near also. There were bees around it at one stage but they may just have been part of the robbers.
Then when I looked in the bait hive there was a small wasp nest on the roof DUH.
Never though to check for that earlier. Its gone now. Never a dull moment with these bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No not on the flight path. Other bees will find it. It needs to go inside a pretend nuc where the one being attacked was. So that the robbers think they have emptied it
Sounds as if they are a lost cause though

 

[andydormer]

I had a problem with robbing from a weak hive (a failed split) that was in my back garden a few years ago, they needed time while the new queen was establishing herself.
The advice I had was to feed some fondant in the evening and drape a large sheet over the hive. Hose the sheet through the day to keep it moist.
I used a huge old curtain from a bay window and watered before work, pop home at lunch, again after work - The thicker material kept it moist longer. A few bricks stopped it blowing away.
Leave on for a week, but keep sheet moist.

Your bees will eat the fondant and use the moisture from the sheet, and can take poop flights in the cavity under the sheet. If any of your bees do escape from under the edge of the sheet they should remember the entrance exit ok if you don't disturb the sheet too much. I think mine just took the moisture as a "oh it's raining, lets not fly today".
The robbing bees will be confused by the sheet, avoid the moisture and give up. Reduce entrances on other hives to avoid them becoming targets.

It worked, but you have to resist the temptation to keep lifting the sheet to check on them.


Yes, once upon a time I was allowed to keep my bees in the garden...

 

[ShinySideUp]

How does one tell that a hive is being robbed by other bees and is not the hives own bees going in and out?

 

[Erichalfbee]

How does one tell that a hive is being robbed by other bees and is not the hives own bees going in and out?

Robbers dart up and down side to side at the entrance. There is fighting at the entrance. If honey is capped you’ll see ragged shards of wax under the omf. Exiting robbers full of honey dip down a lot in front of the entrance heavily laden before they get airborne.

 

[GuyNir]

Robbers dart up and down side to side at the entrance. There is fighting at the entrance. If honey is capped you’ll see ragged shards of wax under the omf. Exiting robbers full of honey dip down a lot in front of the entrance heavily laden before they get airborne.

Yea normally quite easy to spot, depending how bad it is...
Frenzy at the entrance and also bees trying to gain access from every side of the box.

 

[Susan1]

Thank you for all the advice. Am trying the wet curtain but really just to get rid of the robbers, the hive is a lost cause I'm afraid. I had never seen robbing before but its exactly as described. At first I thought oh the hive is doing really well until I opened it and saw the mess. The robbers are flying in a zig zag pattern and there's lots of fighting. Have never had this happen before. I have put two bait hives out where I am with lemon grass hoping the robbers will swarm from their own hive but we'll see. Thank you so much for all your replies.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Robbing is pretty scary as the robbers seem like bees having an adrenalin rush. I had a colony robbed out a couple of years ago, my first experience of it and the whole hive was emptied of bees and stores. The wax cappings appeared violently torn off.
I'm sorry you've suffered this Susan.

 

[pargyle]

Robbing is pretty scary as the robbers seem like bees having an adrenalin rush. I had a colony robbed out a couple of years ago, my first experience of it and the whole hive was emptied of bees and stores. The wax cappings appeared violently torn off.
I'm sorry you've suffered this Susan.

Yes... when it happens it's amazing how quickly they can empty the stores out of a hive .. I think the hive that does the robbing just literally all pile in to the opportunity and the weak hive stands little chance.

Had it happen to one of my colonies that had a queen that was pretty poor - low laying numbers - I was going to replace her but by the time I found they were being robbed the damage was done.

Sometimes it's a lost cause by the time you get to it.

 

[Susan1]

Well it is definitely a big learning curve this beekeeping business. I am hoping my nuc is going to be ok. It's very strong but not bursting full of bees yet. I was advised not to transfer them until it was. I will give them another while before they are changed into a hive. I still keep hoping the robbers either go away soon or decide they like me and go into a bait hive. The hives they were robbing are now locked up as are empty. Such a shame having got them through the winter. But in fairness they were weak. Again thanks for all the replies.

 

[beeno]

How does one tell that a hive is being robbed by other bees and is not the hives own bees going in and out?

The hives own bees fly out quickly with purpose in all different directions. The robbers fully laden with lute find it difficult to take off, may walk up the front of the hive before take off and they will all fly off in the same direction.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The robbers fully laden with lute find it difficult to take off,

I'd find it difficult to fly with a mediaeval banjo strapped to my back as well.