The Robbers return.

[malgreen]

Back in early June I witnessed bees from a neighbouring field robbing the weaker of my two hives.Since then the hive managed to build itself up there were signs of brood and caped honey in the frames. I thought despite the June robbery it may have a good chance of getting through the Winter. However just like a household who get burgled then replace their stolen items only to see themselves burgled again so it was for my hive. This time they returned in greater numbers and have stripped the hive completely. It makes me wonder if bees instinctively know how to prey on other hives especially when the flow ends so returning to an easy known target.

 

[For want of a better word]

The robbers would have to be relatively close to the colony they rob out....

Perhaps you should look for an apiary site further away from your robbing neighbours?

One never knows who is going to rock up with a load of colonies and dump them on your doorstep... very bad beekeeping manners as far as I am concerned... especially when after one season they realise that beekeeping is not for them and abandon the colonies!!!.... get the bait hive out!!!

Chons da

 

[Ian123]

Close the entrance down how large have you left it?

 

[deemann1]

Can you move it

 

[malgreen]

The Robbers return

I closed the entrance down with one of those wasp excluder gizmos but the robbers figured it out in a flash and steamed the hive anyhow, even through a reduced gap. The land is not mine and so am restricted to moving but in this case it is to late as the hive has been destroyed bar just a couple of hundred stray workers. It was just unfortunate that at the same time I decided to take up bee keeping someone else also started in the adjacent field and inherited 5 hives.

 

[For want of a better word]

I closed the entrance down with one of those wasp excluder gizmos but the robbers figured it out in a flash and steamed the hive anyhow, even through a reduced gap. The land is not mine and so am restricted to moving but in this case it is to late as the hive has been destroyed bar just a couple of hundred stray workers. It was just unfortunate that at the same time I decided to take up bee keeping someone else also started in the adjacent field and inherited 5 hives.

It happens.... look for a better site away from other beekeepers and start over!

Chons da

 

[viridens]

Back in early June I witnessed bees from a neighbouring field robbing the weaker of my two hives.Since then the hive managed to build itself up there were signs of brood and caped honey in the frames. I thought despite the June robbery it may have a good chance of getting through the Winter. However just like a household who get burgled then replace their stolen items only to see themselves burgled again so it was for my hive. This time they returned in greater numbers and have stripped the hive completely. It makes me wonder if bees instinctively know how to prey on other hives especially when the flow ends so returning to an easy known target.

You apparently have a weak hive. How are you so sure that this is due to robbery?
Have you ruled out other possible causes?

 

[Ian123]

Cheers is just miserable the vast majority of us deal with other beekeepers and their bees in our areas and if it’s not bees it’s wasps and if it’s not wasps it’s our very own bees that will just as likely rob a weaker colony. So as above check out why they are weak and general good practice that most of us do that prevents robbing in all apiaries.

 

[malgreen]

You apparently have a weak hive. How are you so sure that this is due to robbery?
Have you ruled out other possible causes?

The robbery came as a result of the weak hive the bees not being able to defend themselves. The weak hive ( a pre cursor to the robbery) was likely due to the hive becoming queenless at some stage. I have subsequently inspected the frames with no obvious signs of disease but will rid as a precautionary measure anyhow. I took some footage of the robbery very briefly and it was clearly apparent what was happening with bees fighting at the entrance I then watched the bees fly back in the direction of the neighbouring hives.

 

[birdsandbees]

Sorry for your loss.

I've lost a couple of weaker Nucs this Autumn and have had to move a couple back home to the garage roof for now, not robbing bees but blinking wasps!
one wasn't even that weak they were just overwhelmed by numbers!