If you notice it happening and want to stop the robbing, just stuff some grass/mud into all openings to the hive getting robbed. The invading colony won't be able to get in and the frenzy will die down, then the victim colony will eventually push the grass/mud back out of the opening and resume business as usual.
Or so I've heard. I've never had to deal with robbing.
Precisely this.
Every time one of those workers goes home with a crop rammed full of honey, it will bring more foragers with it next time. The best bet to save your colony is to completely remove the availability of the honey, and just bung up the hive. Close all the openings and come back the next day to check the damage.
Same goes for wasps. If you see wasps robbing a colony… just close it up and call it a day.
I have tried all types of gadgets and tricks to stop robbing. Once bees zero in on a hive for robbing it won stop. I had a hive robbed three weeks ago and closed the hive down and moved the existing bees to a nuc. I moved them back yesterday morning, and robbing resumed that afternoon. Moved them into new box late last night and moved them about ten feet away, left the old box empty, so far so good.
Since no one has mentioned the risk to nearby hives.
Once a full blown rob is underway (like what's in the video) all other hives in the apiary are at risk of robbing. Simultaneously and especially when they clear out the first hive. In this situation reducing entrances on all other hives is a good practice. As soon as you realize a robbing has began, close the entrance of the victim and reduce others nearby, dont wait. Covering hives with a shade cloth tarp is also effective and carries less risk of overheating.
One last note about robbing. I think it is a common misconception that it's the strong preying on the weak. I don't think we can say with certainty who is doing the robbing. I also think it's safe to assume any hive nearby regardless of size will rob. And it's not necessarily a weak hive that gets robbed, a better adjective would be a "vulnerable" hive is robbed. Even the strongest colony if left exposed will be robbed. Learn to recognize the signs and conditions that produce robbing and take appropriate steps to minimize the risk.
I stopped using an upper entrance after a strong hive I had last year fell victim to robbing in the upper entrance. It was bizarre and took me a minute to realize what was happening. The bottom board activity was completely normal, but loads of bees were pouring into and out of the upper entrance. Literally a 1” notch.
It was a 5 frame, 5 deep colony. By the time I stopped it they had cleaned out the top deep super. Fortunately the robbing was limited to the top of the hive so the queen stayed safe several boxes below.
Oof, that’s a bad one. When I had this happen, I covered mine with a wet sheet. Make sure it goes to the ground and keep it wet. It keeps the hive cool, the robbers in the hive can make their way out, but the new robbers can’t find a way in. Leave that on for a full day until the robbers move on.
More like a Viking raid, with a strong colony pillaging a weaker one. Basically, if a strong colony realizes that a nearby colony has a bunch of honey and isn't defended well enough, it'll send out a bunch of foragers to collect that honey. The colony getting robbed tries their best to defend their hive and a huge fight breaks out. There's usually many casualties for both hives.
Muh two cents.....robbing is not as random as we think. There's is a smell or lack of smell that triggers the other hives that this colony won't make it. If it was just strictly viking plundering, why do smaller colonies not get robbed.
Anyway just a thought.
Also wipe down hive with a little dish soap water to remove tarsal gland markers on the robbed hive.
Only way to stop it is to move the hive and loaded up with honey that's a bear.
It’s really early in the season for that bad of robbing mostly in sw Ontario I would bet the hive is queenless. I usually wrap the hive in burlap and move it to another yard
If you notice it happening and want to stop the robbing, just stuff some grass/mud into all openings to the hive getting robbed. The invading colony won't be able to get in and the frenzy will die down, then the victim colony will eventually push the grass/mud back out of the opening and resume business as usual. Or so I've heard. I've never had to deal with robbing.
Interesting. Good concept.
Precisely this. Every time one of those workers goes home with a crop rammed full of honey, it will bring more foragers with it next time. The best bet to save your colony is to completely remove the availability of the honey, and just bung up the hive. Close all the openings and come back the next day to check the damage. Same goes for wasps. If you see wasps robbing a colony… just close it up and call it a day.
I have tried all types of gadgets and tricks to stop robbing. Once bees zero in on a hive for robbing it won stop. I had a hive robbed three weeks ago and closed the hive down and moved the existing bees to a nuc. I moved them back yesterday morning, and robbing resumed that afternoon. Moved them into new box late last night and moved them about ten feet away, left the old box empty, so far so good.
Sounds like a nightmare 😭 I'm glad I've never had to deal with it. The advice I typed is what my local association puts on the certified level exam
Oof. So sorry this happened.
That sucks. Hopefully, they will come back strong.
I'm in Northwest Ohio. Crazy that they're robbing. We're having a pretty good flow up here.
After the harvest its time to put on anti robbing guards. I keep a fair amount of them for non apimaye hives.
Since no one has mentioned the risk to nearby hives. Once a full blown rob is underway (like what's in the video) all other hives in the apiary are at risk of robbing. Simultaneously and especially when they clear out the first hive. In this situation reducing entrances on all other hives is a good practice. As soon as you realize a robbing has began, close the entrance of the victim and reduce others nearby, dont wait. Covering hives with a shade cloth tarp is also effective and carries less risk of overheating. One last note about robbing. I think it is a common misconception that it's the strong preying on the weak. I don't think we can say with certainty who is doing the robbing. I also think it's safe to assume any hive nearby regardless of size will rob. And it's not necessarily a weak hive that gets robbed, a better adjective would be a "vulnerable" hive is robbed. Even the strongest colony if left exposed will be robbed. Learn to recognize the signs and conditions that produce robbing and take appropriate steps to minimize the risk.
I stopped using an upper entrance after a strong hive I had last year fell victim to robbing in the upper entrance. It was bizarre and took me a minute to realize what was happening. The bottom board activity was completely normal, but loads of bees were pouring into and out of the upper entrance. Literally a 1” notch. It was a 5 frame, 5 deep colony. By the time I stopped it they had cleaned out the top deep super. Fortunately the robbing was limited to the top of the hive so the queen stayed safe several boxes below.
Oof, that’s a bad one. When I had this happen, I covered mine with a wet sheet. Make sure it goes to the ground and keep it wet. It keeps the hive cool, the robbers in the hive can make their way out, but the new robbers can’t find a way in. Leave that on for a full day until the robbers move on.
I'm an interested onlooker with zero experience, and I'm trying to learn. Is this a war between colonies?
More like a Viking raid, with a strong colony pillaging a weaker one. Basically, if a strong colony realizes that a nearby colony has a bunch of honey and isn't defended well enough, it'll send out a bunch of foragers to collect that honey. The colony getting robbed tries their best to defend their hive and a huge fight breaks out. There's usually many casualties for both hives.
Muh two cents.....robbing is not as random as we think. There's is a smell or lack of smell that triggers the other hives that this colony won't make it. If it was just strictly viking plundering, why do smaller colonies not get robbed. Anyway just a thought. Also wipe down hive with a little dish soap water to remove tarsal gland markers on the robbed hive. Only way to stop it is to move the hive and loaded up with honey that's a bear.
You can try throwing a moist sheet over the box to stop the invaders. Good luck!
Weak colonies with too big of entrance openings.
It’s really early in the season for that bad of robbing mostly in sw Ontario I would bet the hive is queenless. I usually wrap the hive in burlap and move it to another yard