Nuc been robbed

[Queenswood Apiary]

Hi guys so the next chapter in my little Apiary is The swarm I had and placed into my Nuc box was doing fine last inspection with the Queen spotted and brood in all stages etc, this week no stores in the hive at all and lots of dead bees outside the hive. The hive is being robbed showing all the signs etc. Now my plan for the swarm was just a back up until Hive 1 Queen had mated and was laying, this has happened, so the Nuc is surplus, I was planning on building them up and then offering to anyone who wanted another colony. Numbers are falling big time in the hive, am I better trying to introduce them into Hive 1 obviously without the Queen?

 

[Boston Bees]

Hi guys so the next chapter in my little Apiary is The swarm I had and placed into my Nuc box was doing fine last inspection with the Queen spotted and brood in all stages etc, this week no stores in the hive at all and lots of dead bees outside the hive. The hive is being robbed showing all the signs etc. Now my plan for the swarm was just a back up until Hive 1 Queen had mated and was laying, this has happened, so the Nuc is surplus, I was planning on building them up and then offering to anyone who wanted another colony. Numbers are falling big time in the hive, am I better trying to introduce them into Hive 1 obviously without the Queen?

I'd save the nuc if I could.

Is the entrance reduced to the absolute minimum?

 

[pargyle]

Move it away from where it is being robbed, as far as you can ... put an empty box with a small amount of stores in it where the nuc was which the robbers will rob out and finally give up ... at some point when the nuc has recovered and the robbing has stopped on the replacement box you can probably bring the nuc back. Reduced entrance will help - if they are stripped of stores you may need to put a feeder on unless you have a spare frame of capped honey ... but it's vital you move it because the robbers won't give up.

 

[drdrday]

I used a short length of garden hose in the entrance of one of my nucs when it was getting robbed once. It formed a long narrow tunnel entrance that was easier for the nuc to defend. Of course that's on top of moving it elsewhere and providing a substitute for them to rob out.

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

I'd save the nuc if I could.

Is the entrance reduced to the absolute minimum?

Hi I closed the entrance up as small as I can but still being robbed. I have 1 frame of brood but not a full frame and just a little concerned there will be no nurse Bee's or food for the new Bee's. Also no sign of the Queen now and it wouldn't be hard to find her in so few Bee's.

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

I used a short length of garden hose in the entrance of one of my nucs when it was getting robbed once. It formed a long narrow tunnel entrance that was easier for the nuc to defend. Of course that's on top of moving it elsewhere and providing a substitute for them to rob out.

How far would I need to move the Nuc, my hives are in my back garden so limited to how far I can move them?

 

[drdrday]

How far would I need to move the Nuc, my hives are in my back garden so limited to how far I can move them?

As far as you can really. My bees are also in my back garden and although it's pretty big it's limited as to where I'm 'allowed' bees. Mine moved about 10-12m away.

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

Move it away from where it is being robbed, as far as you can ... put an empty box with a small amount of stores in it where the nuc was which the robbers will rob out and finally give up ... at some point when the nuc has recovered and the robbing has stopped on the replacement box you can probably bring the nuc back. Reduced entrance will help - if they are stripped of stores you may need to put a feeder on unless you have a spare frame of capped honey ... but it's vital you move it because the robbers won't give up.

I have limited space as Apiary is in the garden, I have reduced the entrance as much as I can. I have made a mistake then of not moving them but I have placed a frame of honey in .

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

As far as you can really. My bees are also in my back garden and although it's pretty big it's limited as to where I'm 'allowed' bees. Mine moved about 10-12m away.

I can probably move them 10m, Do I close the hive up tonight when dark move the hive and reopen in the morning? With such low numbers and no Queen I guess I will need to place a frame of eggs / Larva from another hive in with them? Sorry so many questions...

 

[pargyle]

I can probably move them 10m, Do I close the hive up tonight when dark move the hive and reopen in the morning? With such low numbers and no Queen I guess I will need to place a frame of eggs / Larva from another hive in with them? Sorry so many questions...

10m is better than leaving them where they are, turn the box so that the entrance faces in a different direction ... the key though is to leave the robbers with something in it's place so they think they are still robbing the same hive ... no need to close them up - entrance as small as possible - one bee space if you can.

Why is there no queen in the hive ?

Having read the rest of your posts it sounds like there has been xome tragic loss of bees ... if you really do not have a queen in there and there are so few bees left it may be past the point of saving them. If it's got to that stage and you are sure there is no queen left it may be just as easy to cut your losses and shake them out in the apiary and take the box away. Let what's left beg their way into your other hives where they will be of some use ... not even worth trying to combine them....

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

10m is better than leaving them where they are, turn the box so that the entrance faces in a different direction ... the key though is to leave the robbers with something in it's place so they think they are still robbing the same hive ... no need to close them up - entrance as small as possible - one bee space if you can.

Why is there no queen in the hive ?

Having read the rest of your posts it sounds like there has been xome tragic loss of bees ... if you really do not have a queen in there and there are so few bees left it may be past the point of saving them. If it's got to that stage and you are sure there is no queen left it may be just as easy to cut your losses and shake them out in the apiary and take the box away. Let what's left beg their way into your other hives where they will be of some use ... not even worth trying to combine them....

I have moved the Nuc and it's orientation 90 degrees and left a bowl with some sugar syrup in original Nuc position.

The Queen was seen on my last inspection but no sign yesterday, I have 6 frames in the Nuc 3 completely empty 1 frame of brood 2 drawn comb frames with half a frame of stores. Bee numbers I guess maybe a frame and a half. I don't think they have swarmed, no QC etc.

If things are to bad would I place the brood frame into one of my other hives?

 

[Boston Bees]

If things are to bad would I place the brood frame into one of my other hives?

Yes, absolutely, as long as the brood looks healthy.

 

[pargyle]

I have moved the Nuc and it's orientation 90 degrees and left a bowl with some sugar syrup in original Nuc position.

The Queen was seen on my last inspection but no sign yesterday, I have 6 frames in the Nuc 3 completely empty 1 frame of brood 2 drawn comb frames with half a frame of stores. Bee numbers I guess maybe a frame and a half. I don't think they have swarmed, no QC etc.

If things are to bad would I place the brood frame into one of my other hives?

You must put a box around the syrup or you will have every bee in the area there ... the idea is for the robbers to think they are still robbing a hive ... better to take the syrup away if you can't contain it... open containers of syrup or honey is a big NO NO.. will encourage robbing and could bring disease into your apiary..

As for the nuc ... I'd give them a week and see how they get in ... the queen may still be in there but hiding...

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

You must put a box around the syrup or you will have every bee in the area there ... the idea is for the robbers to think they are still robbing a hive ... better to take the syrup away if you can't contain it... open containers of syrup or honey is a big NO NO.. will encourage robbing and could bring disease into your apiary..

As for the nuc ... I'd give them a week and see how they get in ... the queen may still be in there but hiding...

Sorry I should have said I have a cardboard box over the bowl and cut a small hole in the front of the box

 

[pargyle]

Sorry I should have said I have a cardboard box over the bowl and cut a small hole in the front of the box

Breathes a sigh of relief !!!

Has the move and the decoy stopped the nuc getting robbed ?

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

Breathes a sigh of relief !!!

Has the move and the decoy stopped the nuc getting robbed ?

Lol

Not sure yet, won't know until I get home, I will update once home.

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

Breathes a sigh of relief !!!

Has the move and the decoy stopped the nuc getting robbed ?

Just got home and the Nuc is still being robbed wax cappings and dead Bee's outside the Hive. Think this is a lost cause and damage limitation is now in order.

 

[pargyle]

Just got home and the Nuc is still being robbed wax cappings and dead Bee's outside the Hive. Think this is a lost cause and damage limitation is now in order.

Give the frame of brood to another hive and tip out what's left. Take all the kit away from the original site or they will just go back to it. Sometimes you just have to accept that you've done all you can with what you have at your disposal and give in ... the bees will beg their way into another hive and bolster the workforce ... it sounds unkind but the way they are going at present they are doomed so at least they will live out their lives doing something useful. You will know if there is a queen there when you tip them out as if she's in there they will cluster around her ... and you will have to catch her and remove her (kindest way is to put her in the freezer).

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

Give the frame of brood to another hive and tip out what's left. Take all the kit away from the original site or they will just go back to it. Sometimes you just have to accept that you've done all you can with what you have at your disposal and give in ... the bees will beg their way into another hive and bolster the workforce ... it sounds unkind but the way they are going at present they are doomed so at least they will live out their lives doing something useful. You will know if there is a queen there when you tip them out as if she's in there they will cluster around her ... and you will have to catch her and remove her (kindest way is to put her in the freezer).

I have done just that, I first removed 1 frame at a time checking for the Queen placed 2 frames with capped brood into hive 1 and I had 3 frames of drawn comb so 1 went into hive 1 and the other 2 into hive 2. I then had a small table placed it in front of hive 1 entrance and shook the bees from the Nuc onto the table, after a few minutes they just marched into the hive. Just popped out again an hour later and all looks normal.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

(kindest way is to put her in the freezer.

I don't know - a squish between thumb and forefinger or against a gatepost is far quicker and instantaneous than a slow cold lonely death in the freezer.