What is Raiding?

[SuffolkPaul]

All

So I popped home for lunch and was sat with my sandwich (Cheese & Spring Onion) watching the bee's come and go, whilst my blood pressue receded. However thenext thing i saw was a BUMBLE BEE loitering around near the entrance to my hive, then it entered the hive, but came out within 5-10 seconds, and flew away.

I carried on observing for another 30 minutes and did not see anymore bumble bees!

do i need to speak to my bee's and tell them to double the guards?

PS i have a 150mm (6") wide entrance in the hive?

Any ideas anyone?

Best to All

 

[Millet]

If the colony is strong enough your blood pressure will be fine, they basically told the bumble to F off, i have seen it happen a couple of times but they never try for a second time, it is the back end of Autumn you need to keep an eye out for when wasps are in search of sugary food.

 

[Karsal]

All

So I popped home for lunch and was sat with my sandwich (Cheese & Spring Onion) watching the bee's come and go, whilst my blood pressue receded. However thenext thing i saw was a BUMBLE BEE loitering around near the entrance to my hive, then it entered the hive, but came out within 5-10 seconds, and flew away.

I carried on observing for another 30 minutes and did not see anymore bumble bees!

do i need to speak to my bee's and tell them to double the guards?

PS i have a 150mm (6") wide entrance in the hive?

Any ideas anyone?

Best to All

I had a couple of the Eastern Carpenter Bees try to gain entrance to one of my small nucleus colonies a few weeks ago. I saw them enter the hive but were quickly ejected and dispatched by the guards.
I did make the entrance smaller to half it's size after that.

 

[Millet]

Also if you make your entrances 8/9 mm high not much other than a drone sized insect will fit through the door.

 

[SuffolkPaul]

Hi Millet

Thanks for the advice, i shall narrow the height of the entrance to 8/9mm

 

[SuffolkPaul]

thanks for the assurance

 

[Beagle23]

While I was carrying out an inspection last weekend a Bumble came drifting along and landed on the top of a frame, lost its balance and fell into the hive, poor thing. I took out some frames to fish for her but it was too late

 

[kevrhcfag]

Wouldn't worry about it, its a regular occurrence see them on frames all the time some bees just dont bother them. They are not like wasps and and bring all their mates and will destroy a weak colony what they take is miniscule.

Leave the entrance be.

 

[pargyle]

Wouldn't worry about it, its a regular occurrence see them on frames all the time some bees just dont bother them. They are not like wasps and and bring all their mates and will destroy a weak colony what they take is miniscule.

Leave the entrance be.

Bumbles like honey - I often find one will land on a frame that's outside of the hive during inspections or hover round the entrance to the hive attracted by the smell of honey. My girls seem to tolerate them - they must recognise they are not really a threat.