Skip to main content

The phenomenon of theft between bee colonies and to deal with them.


      The phenomenon of robbing is usually ingrained in strong bee colonies, where they attack weak colonies to steal the honey present in them. This happens during times when nectar sources are scarce outside. Several factors encourage the occurrence of robbing, such as leaving the hives open for too long during inspection, not properly sealing them, exposing feeders full of sugar solution for long periods in the apiary, feeding certain colonies without others, or feeding at different times rather than uniformly. Additionally, offering wax combs with some honey can lead to robbing, so they should be emptied of honey before adding them to the colony, especially when storing them after the collection season. These combs should be offered clean and empty when added to the colonies during the egg-laying season. Robbing can lead to the destruction of a large number of bees, the death of the queen, or the spread of diseases between colonies as a result.



How to Identify Robbing Bees

      Robbing bees can be identified by their flight in front of the hive with their legs extended forward, trying to enter the hive. They clash with the guard bees, which leads to many casualties that can be seen on the flight board and in front of the hive. The robbed colony produces a distinct, strong buzzing sound. When the robbing bee leaves the hive loaded with honey, it flies sluggishly in a non-straight line, unlike normal foraging behavior, and robbing bees tend to sting aggressively.




How to Combat Robbing Between Bee Colonies (Robbing Bees)

       To combat robbing between colonies, you must address the causes that encourage it, as mentioned earlier, in addition to taking the following precautions: -

  1. Ensure that all bee colonies are of equal strength, as weak colonies are prone to robbing by strong colonies. Read Reasons for Weak Bee Colonies and How to Strengthen Them.
  2. Narrow the hive entrance during the nectar dearth period using grass, so the guard bees can easily protect it, and seal any cracks or holes in the wood. Read Feeding Bee Colonies During Different Seasons.
  3. Do not leave hives open for too long and make sure the hive cover is secured tightly.
  4. Feed all hives at the same time and always before sunset.
  5. Spray robbing bees during their attack with a diluted solution of water and salt using a sprayer. Also, spray the flight board of the attacked colony with this solution to prevent robbing bees from entering.
  6. Move the hive if the robbing continues to another location after sealing the entrance with fresh grass. Place an empty hive with some honeycomb or a container of sugar solution in its place to trap the robbing bees and prevent further robbing among the colonies. For more information, read Moving Hives from One Place to Another in the Apiary and Beyond.
  7. Kill the robbing bees using calcium cyanide by placing it on the base of a new hive that is placed in place of the weak hive.
  8. Compensate for the lost food in the colony by feeding with concentrated sugar solutions. Feeders should be provided in the late afternoon and in the morning the next day to prevent the sugar solution from fermenting and spoiling. To avoid infecting bees with bee diseases, feeders should be washed before placing the sugar solution in them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Read Topics

How to avoid the problem of rotting sugar solution.

A large proportion of beekeepers complain about the lack of response of the bees with sugar solution and not taking it for some reason water may be deliberate by the beekeeper or reason may ignorant beekeeper that in fact the command of error perpetrated in his dealings with the bee, so this problem may get tired bee colonies leads them to perdition by , on the other
Post a Comment
Read more

Feeding bee colonies with different types of nutrition and concentrations according to different circumstances.

   Bees rely on their own efforts for food. Worker bees collect nectar and pollen from flowers to produce honey and bee bread, which they use to feed the brood, workers, and drones.    Additionally, worker bees secrete royal jelly to nourish the young brood. In times when food sources in the fields become scarce, or the colony's food reserves are depleted, beekeepers provide their colonies with sugar syrups as a substitute for nectar and pollen substitutes to prevent starvation or cold-related mortality and to encourage the queen to lay eggs. Feeding Times for Bee Colonies     It is recommended to feed the colony before its reserve stock of honey and bee bread runs out at any time. However, there are specific periods when feeding becomes essential, such as: In the spring, before the start of the active season (honey flow season) , to accelerate the rearing of new brood. During periods of nectar scarcity...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prevention bee colonies from the cold and frost

          In winter, temperatures can drop to their lowest (a few degrees Celsius below zero) or slightly above zero, with cold winds blowing and occasional rainfall. In such extreme cold, bee colonies may perish entirely, or at least the number of bees in the colonies may decrease by more than three-quarters. Spring and summer come (   honey flow season  ), and the colony is not ready to collect nectar and pollen, and the abundant forage might exhaust what remains of the bees in the colony due to the abundance of forage and the scarcity of foraging bees in each colony. As a result, the honey flow season passes without benefit. Since honey bees do not hibernate in winter but spend the winter in a state of calm or dormancy inside the hive, where they regulate the temperature to suit their survival by clustering together in a ball, raising the temperature to 32-34°C by releasing energy from feeding on honey and muscle activity. The number of bees perfo...
Post a Comment
Read more