Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: Jen on June 26, 2014, 07:24:41 pm

Title: Robbing???
Post by: Jen on June 26, 2014, 07:24:41 pm
Just got home from town and this furious business is going on. One of the fella's posted a vid of this last week, I thought it was an orientation flight, by many of you felt it was robbing. LOTS of bees coming in and out. I grabbed the long reducers and closed the entrances off to one bee width.

  Now doesnt' this lock the robbers inside as well?

  Update 10 minutes ago, Now all the hives are furiously busy! Reduced all entrances

  Do I have a Mob Robbing going on?

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs27.postimg.cc%2Fctg5bv8zj%2FDSCF9826.jpg&hash=abca9e23abc0538489462cd243dd00c6e7d58c0e) (http://postimg.cc/image/ctg5bv8zj/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs27.postimg.cc%2Fiiwdw6f5r%2FDSCF9828.jpg&hash=a1ed7a12c139e2702622afed7d675eca99b9a5d5) (http://postimg.cc/image/iiwdw6f5r/)

The bees are actually pushing the reducer out! Good Grief Charlie Brown!
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs27.postimg.cc%2Fcgtcjfg3j%2FDSCF9829.jpg&hash=4d9b517800dd6ef9ee71926dffb4fae759cad907) (http://postimg.cc/image/cgtcjfg3j/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs27.postimg.cc%2F4qr5s135r%2FDSCF9830.jpg&hash=af329a5892706e2f9a853f74a8047129af6b3329) (http://postimg.cc/image/4qr5s135r/)
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: blueblood on June 26, 2014, 07:41:20 pm
Given all the hives are doing it, I would venture to say you have a bunch of young bees making their orientation flights?
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Jen on June 26, 2014, 07:45:57 pm
Hmmm, blue that interesting. Why would all four hives be doing orientation flights all in the same hour? Can one hive alert all the hives "Let's Party Down?"
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: blueblood on June 26, 2014, 07:48:57 pm
It's either end of day foraging arrivals or you have a bunch of new bees orienting.  There is a specific time in the later afternoon my hive entranced will all look nutty like that. 
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Jen on June 26, 2014, 08:00:40 pm
Update photo 1 hour later. It's 5pm here so it's not the end of the foraging day. But I will admit that between 4-6 the bees are busier than ever, either that or the sun is shining thru them and I can see all of them brightly.

If this is an orientation flight then I had better get some supers on  ;D

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs9.postimg.cc%2Fnun6tdf2z%2FDSCF9831.jpg&hash=dd3b6975d38f9d2b66c04cf8941ad10442552e61) (http://postimg.cc/image/nun6tdf2z/)
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: tbonekel on June 26, 2014, 08:02:32 pm
Mine are very busy during that time. I still don't know how they know which home is theirs with all that traffic.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: iddee on June 26, 2014, 09:05:36 pm
I don't see any fighting going on, and there should be if it was robbing. I would remove the feeders and open the entrances to at least 3 inches.

Robbing looks like this.


(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi81.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj226%2FIddee%2FRobbing%2Frobbing001.jpg&hash=8313f1d5867dccb53bd55e0f3ce37202b187393b) (http://s81.photobucket.com/user/Iddee/media/Robbing/robbing001.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: rcannon on June 26, 2014, 09:09:36 pm
I can't tell from the pictures. If they're doing figure 8s in front of the hive, they're orienting. If they're fighting on the front porch, they're robbing.
If I suspect robbing, I take a hunk of #8 wire the length of the hive opening, bend it 90 degrees and shove it in the entrance. Who ever is in stays in, who ever is out stays out. By tomorrow they're one big happy family.
It's a way of strengthening a nuc, if you happen to catch it at the right time.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Slowmodem on June 26, 2014, 09:34:27 pm
If in doubt, use a robbing screen.   8)
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Gypsi on June 26, 2014, 10:21:13 pm
Iddee's pic is classic robbery. I think yours are just traffic jams Jen, and robbing screens make those a bit worse.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Jen on June 26, 2014, 10:30:51 pm
Okay. So just to clarify, the first picture shows that my reducers have a two inch opening. The other three pics I have put a longer reducer because I 'thought' this might be a robbing. Iddee suggested a three inch entrance.

To me a three inch entrance? why even put on an entrance reducer?

Curious... How many members use an entrance reducer, how many don't?
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Beeracuda on June 26, 2014, 10:34:31 pm
Our hives are all busy doing orientation flights between 4:00 to 6:00.  It isn't uncommon to see 3 or 4 of the 6 orienting at the same time, but I haven't seen all of them going at once.

One question though, what are the SCUBA weights under the hives?   ???
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Beeracuda on June 26, 2014, 10:38:07 pm
We have reducers on 4 of the 6 hives.  One is at the smallest opening, 3 are at the 3" opening and 2 are wide open.  I am thinking about adding the reducers back to the wide open ones, just to be on the safe side.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Jen on June 26, 2014, 11:15:29 pm
Hi Beer  :)  Hubby and I used to be placer gold miners here in the rich hills of northern california, nothing big, but a summer hobby to get out of the 100 degree summers. It's a lot of hard work. Hubbies fondest memories were when the salamanders would swim past his goggles while under water.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: blueblood on June 27, 2014, 07:37:40 am
I only use reducers in late fall through early spring to assist the bees with guarding since the hive is at lower numbers.  I leave those puppies open during the summer to help keep air flowing.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: barry42001 on June 27, 2014, 07:52:24 am
Summertime entrances are wide open if population supports/ protects it. Heat and air flow, needed to reduce nectar much higher than in early spring when ventilation alone is needed.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: iddee on June 27, 2014, 08:03:21 am
I think I have a reducer around here some where. I haven't seen it in awhile, tho.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Yankee11 on June 27, 2014, 08:38:05 am
Here was a robbing outbreak on a couple of mine. You should see bees on the ground in front of the hives.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs13.postimg.cc%2Fc3jpyox3n%2F2012_10_17_14_26_38_532.jpg&hash=ec5943dc27a168302cee608359cbff1daafb0fc6) (http://postimg.cc/image/c3jpyox3n/)


(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs18.postimg.cc%2Fnf2mx9f11%2F2012_10_17_14_27_01_947.jpg&hash=322469dbe551ac5b124b3bcdaee94fd72f598bcd) (http://postimg.cc/image/nf2mx9f11/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs30.postimg.cc%2F97v6nadd9%2F2012_10_17_14_26_42_944.jpg&hash=323fb4ad6bc7515059409d987e23e933f958173e) (http://postimg.cc/image/97v6nadd9/)
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: tbonekel on June 27, 2014, 08:56:10 am
Okay, I have a question about your screen. Is that a standard robbing screen or something you made. Is there still an opening or is it totally closed off? Also, the screen goes up pretty high on the hive. Why?
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: LazyBkpr on June 27, 2014, 09:53:37 am
I still have my 3" reducers on all hives, but I also have a 1" top entrance on hives that have three boxes.
   My wife wont go sit with me this time of year because of the FRANTIC activity around the hives. the roar of wings is loud in the bee yard.  You can see a literal LINE of bees flying back and forth toward the southwest.. not sure what is in that direction that they are after, but it looks like a freeway during rush hour with all the cars going 70 mph with bumper to bumper traffic.  As mentioned.. I check the front of the hive. If I see bees fighting, rolling off the landing board locked together and bees fighting on the ground I know its robbing, otherwise I let them alone.
   I use the larger opening on my reducers most all the time, making sure they also have the top entrance. so it about 3" by 3/8" openings.
   On some production hives that are really strong I will put a piece of 3/4 by 3/4 that is about 8 inches long into the entrance. This reduces the length of the entrance to 5" or so, but opens the width to 3/4" and helps relieve some congestion.
   If they still beard when its hot I will open the entrance all the way.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Jen on June 27, 2014, 11:32:57 am
Scott- "You can see a literal LINE of bees flying back and forth toward the southwest.. not sure what is in that direction that they are after, but it looks like a freeway during rush hour with all the cars going 70 mph with bumper to bumper traffic.

    I just love to stand or sit and watch the rush hour. The sun sets in the west and lights up the bees in our backyard. Magical!

    I have a vent of some sort between the upper two boxes all the time, be it a notch in the inner cover and/or popsicle sticks between the supers.

   
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Jen on June 27, 2014, 11:37:41 am
No bees fighting yesterday. I'm thinking now that it was a combination of new bees orienting and a new flo at the same time.

Thanks for all the input everyone, helped me out a lot!  :thread: :photos:
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Yankee11 on June 27, 2014, 12:40:10 pm
tbone,

I made those and they are open across the top but sealed all around the bottom.

The bees that leave know to crawl up and fly out the top and they know how to get back in. The robbers cant figure out to go in at the top.

I think someone on this forum shows pictures of how to make them. They work.

They also work well as a moving screen if you close the top off to move hives. Just handy to have around when a robbing episode breaks out. Grab it and throw it on it does the trick. I made about 6 or 8 of them.
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Jen on June 27, 2014, 01:07:03 pm
This is the one that I have, I Love It! much the same principle as Pete's. I can buy these a hour away from where I live.

http://www.countryrubes.com/instructions/robbingscreens.html
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: riverbee on June 27, 2014, 01:19:11 pm
"I think someone on this forum shows pictures of how to make them. They work."

iddee does yankee, step by step, with photos:

Robber Screen & Moving Screen (http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php/topic,1420.msg19070.html#msg19070)
Title: Re: Robbing???
Post by: Yankee11 on June 27, 2014, 01:43:01 pm
Thats it. Thats the ones I made.

Thanks riverbee.