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  • From: Lewis Cauble <lewis AT hivebody.com>
  • To: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Update on robbing, fighting...
  • Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:03:20 -0400 (EDT)

I think read up on the subject and keep plugging along with ideas until something good happens.  Michael Bush seems like a reasonable fellow to me.  http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrobbing.htm

 

I haven't had to deal with robbing at this time of year before.  I see it in the very early spring when the hives that over-wintered well maraud the weaklings, or in the dearth when I happen to set a weak hive down near a strong hive.  Entrance reducers have generally been good enough for me.

 

I feel like there is something funky going on. 

 

In the photo of the robber bee with the missing leg, the robber bee seems to have its probiscus out.

 

Is the colony being robbed queen-right?

 

We need a pro to chime in.  Anyone?


On March 22, 2012 at 2:16 PM Dan Kyburz <dkyburzus AT gmail.com> wrote:

Lewis, if he waits until tonight for all his bees to return and then blocks the entrance of the hive for a day since it’s still relatively cool, would that possibly stop it?  All the bees coming back to rob tomorrow would find no goods and then look for another source.  I’d also put a reducer on it as well after that, but I’m pretty green still.

 

Dan

 

From: ocba-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:ocba-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Lewis Cauble
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2012 1:53 PM
To: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [ocba] Update on robbing, fighting...

 

All I know to do is to ship the robbed hive off to a refugee camp several miles away for a week or two.  It seems odd to see so much robbing going on this time of year.


On March 22, 2012 at 9:04 AM Blair Christian <blair.christian AT gmail.com> wrote:

> Here's how things evolved....
>
> I saw some fighting over 2 weeks, ending with an entrance reducer as
> fighting escalated.  I had expected it to die down as expected nectar
> flow increased, but the opposite seemed to happen.
> (bad video)
> https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_AFT3z3-BEeWFTEk4SIxU57U4W6tiA-PmQPFcO_LMe0?feat=directlink
>
> Robbers looked to be getting in, so I put up a robber screen
> https://picasaweb.google.com/106022773068627809372/Bees?authkey=Gv1sRgCM3A8NyCyffRMg#5722027405720406674
>
> The robber screen seemed to help
> (image of robber missing leg fighting with guard bee)
> https://picasaweb.google.com/106022773068627809372/Bees?authkey=Gv1sRgCM3A8NyCyffRMg#5722498943090955650
>
> But apparently my bees couldn't figure out the robber screen or the
> entrances on it were too small or too far apart
> (image of bees under hive)
> https://picasaweb.google.com/106022773068627809372/Bees?authkey=Gv1sRgCM3A8NyCyffRMg#5722696900652001394
>
> Any suggestions?  I took off the robber screen this morning when I saw
> the bees under the hive and put on my smallest entrance reducer.  Any
> thoughts as to whether this is a downside of breeding docile bees?
> I'm not sure if that plays a factor or not.
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