Robbing

[Levitt53]

Hi have a horrid felling my biggest hive is being robbed by other bees. There is lots of activity outside the entrance and some fighting. Also lots of bees investigating all the cracks between the boxes. This hive is the one on double brood that I was trying to get up into the new box. I think in an effort to do this I swapped a frame of eggs from the bottom box with a frame of stores. In hindsight not a good thing to do. It's a big colony so surprising. I've draped a wet sheet over the lot which is dangling down over the entrance so hopefully less for them to defend. The entrance is reduced anyway. My hives are all close together but I'm planning to sort that out over the winter. Anything else I should be doing and how long should I leave the sheet there?

 

[Millet]

A Tunnel entrance is much easier to defend.

 

[Levitt53]

Ok I'll try and sort that out tomorrow.

 

[Swarm]

The weather may help in the next few days.

 

[Levitt53]

The weather may help in the next few days.

Sorry could you explain that.

 

[Millet]

Sorry could you explain that.

I do not Know the weather in your area but it may well be torrential rain on and of for the next day or two, so that will stop any robbing bee's flying, and also any other hungry hives..feed them if they are light on stores ? .

 

[BenLatimer]

What constitutes "light on stores"?

 

[Levitt53]

I do not Know the weather in your area but it may well be torrential rain on and of for the next day or two, so that will stop any robbing bee's flying, and also any other hungry hives..feed them if they are light on stores ? .

Ah ok I see what you mean. Yes the forecast is not great. I'll check them all on Thursday as the weather looks ok then. They all had plenty so fingers crossed.

 

[Etton]

I fed my hives last week as some seem low on stores. I fed mid day and noticed very quickly one of the hives being robbed by other bees. Lesson learnt...feed end of day when most fliers back in their hives.

 

[Levitt53]

I fed my hives last week as some seem low on stores. I fed mid day and noticed very quickly one of the hives being robbed by other bees. Lesson learnt...feed end of day when most fliers back in their hives.

Good tip thanks.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Good tip thanks.

Yes indeed
Place the feeder in the day and fill in the evening

 

[Swarm]

What constitutes "light on stores"?

A colony with less than a full brood comb of honey.

 

[BenLatimer]

A colony with less than a full brood comb of honey.

Thanks for answer, I've been a little worried recently as mine when from over 2 frames of stores to around 1.5.. so no need to panic just yet then!

 

[Millet]

Thanks for answer, I've been a little worried recently as mine when from over 2 frames of stores to around 1.5.. so no need to panic just yet then!

That 1.5 frame of stores can go pretty quick if you have a long spell of bad weather or robbing starts if you have weird weather like here or you suspect robbing keep an eye on them, i nearly lost two nucs this year to starvation that had plenty of stores, they must have been robbed for sure, i fed them 1:1 syrup to get it into them quick then 2:1 for them to store a bit, however i did not go overboard with the 2:1 as i did not want to clog the frames up and leave the Queen no space to lay, its a fine balancing act but i think i have it sussed for now.

 

[BenLatimer]

That 1.5 frame of stores can go pretty quick if you have a long spell of bad weather or robbing starts if you have weird weather like here or you suspect robbing keep an eye on them, i nearly lost two nucs this year to starvation that had plenty of stores, they must have been robbed for sure, i fed them 1:1 syrup to get it into them quick then 2:1 for them to store a bit, however i did not go overboard with the 2:1 as i did not want to clog the frames up and leave the Queen no space to lay, its a fine balancing act but i think i have it sussed for now.

I have given them some today (just to be on the safe side) I guess with the variables being-number of bees, amount of stores, robbing and weather there can't be a reliable formula..

 

[Millet]

There is no formula for each hive as everyone is different you just need to learn by trial and error like i have, what i like to see is pollen and nectar stores around the frames of brood/eggs and a couple of the outside frames full of stores, that would put me in a relaxed state, it does depend on the bees you have though as some Queens will fill a full brood frame with eggs and many more, it sure is a juggling act lol , even more so going into winter but you gotta love them.

 

[Swarm]

Before undue panic sets in too much, remember those honey arcs on the brood combs, they all count towards volume. So the equivalent of a solid frame of honey should be enough to last the colony a week ... until your next visit?