Hive Robbing

[Baron]

Hi All Baron my name my first visit.
My sole hive is is being robbed by wasps. Recently requeened with Irish black bee queen and colony is fairly weak. Have reduced entrance and placed wasp traps near hive still no good. I have read some information about robbing screens and was wondering if any other members had used them and to what success.
Thanks

 

[Erichalfbee]

I would move the hive a few feet.
If you have one of those high efficiency wasp traps put it in the hives place exactly where the entrance was.
Home made traps where even a few wasps can escape serve only to attract more

 

[Alabamaeee]

Make the entrance only one beespace wide. Have a search on here for robbing as I recall there is something about putting a flat sheet of wood/glass in front of the entrance, confuses the wasps but the bees find there way in and out OK.

 

[Baron]

I would move the hive a few feet.
If you have one of those high efficiency wasp traps put it in the hives place exactly where the entrance was.
Home made traps where even a few wasps can escape serve only to attract more

Thanks for advice, I have a fair amount of capped brood which should be ready to hatch in the next couple of days and maybe help the problem. If you hear of anyone who has had success with using a robbing screen you might let me know thanks

 

[Arfermo]

Make the entrance only one beespace wide. Have a search on here for robbing as I recall there is something about putting a flat sheet of wood/glass in front of the entrance, confuses the wasps but the bees find there way in and out OK.

Same advice as from local Seasonal Bee Inspector/BKA member last week. Longish sheet of glass tall enough to reach over (didn't suggest how far) top of small hive entrance - bees will find their way round but wasps don't we were told. Believe it when I see it but not tried yet.

 

[Baron]

Make the entrance only one beespace wide. Have a search on here for robbing as I recall there is something about putting a flat sheet of wood/glass in front of the entrance, confuses the wasps but the bees find there way in and out OK.

Thanks for reply, have reduced entrance but as hive is weak there are still wasps getting in. If you hear any reports on the viability of robbing screens you might let me know

 

[Baron]

Same advice as from local Seasonal Bee Inspector/BKA member last week. Longish sheet of glass tall enough to reach over (didn't suggest how far) top of small hive entrance - bees will find their way round but wasps don't we were told. Believe it when I see it but not tried yet.

Thanks prepared to try anything at this stage

 

[Amari]

You could try moving the hive 3 miles away and hope the local wasps take time to discover your colony by which time your hive may be strengthened by the hatching brood

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have a look here

http://www.waspbane.com

There is some good advice about rescuing a hive in the beekeeping section

 

[Arfermo]

You could try moving the hive 3 miles away and hope the local wasps take time to discover your colony by which time your hive may be strengthened by the hatching brood

Other families of wasps there too probably? They get about quite a bit this time of year!!!!

 

[Little John]

I don't know why people keep suggesting the use of glass as an anti-robbing measure - robbing bees and wasps are attracted by a scent plume, not visual clues. That's why they spend time sniffing around cracks between boxes. Mesh is the stuff to use - try both and see for yourself ...

LJ

 

[kazmcc]

I would move the hive a few feet.
If you have one of those high efficiency wasp traps put it in the hives place exactly where the entrance was.
Home made traps where even a few wasps can escape serve only to attract more

I agree. The wasps already know about the food source, so will be coming in large numbers by now. I can't remember the exact post, but try reading Karols posts about wasps. Just by moving the hive a few feet could scupper the wasps as they are pretty exact when it comes to pin pointing the food source.

I hope your colony survives :/

 

[Excession]

What about making the entrance deeper?

I have seen people using tubes for entrances, so the guard bees have a long narrow choke point to defend - backup arrives quicker, and the invader is repulsed (often killed).

 

[Finman]

.
You should have as much frames in the as bees tightly cover. If there are free frames to acces, wasps do it.

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Some of my local association members use beer a little away from the hive to attract the wasps and drown them. You need something with a small entrance so that they don't escape Some members put it under the mesh floor, others a little way away. I would think having it in the sun would help to carry the aroma. Close the entrance of the hive to one bee space.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you MUST put home made traps up put them away from the hives and NEVER let them run out of bait or room. Once there is no food the wasps will target the hives having been lured to the vicinity by the traps.
I place one high efficiency trap next to the most downwind hive (mine are all in a line with prevailing wind blowing across them) and reduce entrances to two bee spaces BEFORE wasps appear.