Subject: Re: Hive robbing, how to stop it

From: Gordon Scott <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 23:18:54 +0100

In article <[email-masked]> you wrote:
: What suggestions do you folks have to stop hive robbing by other
: hives?  Where I live is residential enough that a major relocation is
: near impossible.  Would a hundred feet or so be enough?  They are now
: located about 12 feet apart.  I've screened off or blocked most of the
: access into the weaker hive, but the problem appears to continue.  
: 	Thanks.

: 				Norm Bolser

The guidelines for moving hives is "less than three feet or more
than three miles". That's because bees know _very_ accurately
where they live and can forage for around a half of that three
miles distance and may find their way back to their 'old' site.
If you move the weak hive away 100 ft, most of it's foragers
will return to the old site and it will get weaker still.

You could move the robber hive away 100ft and leave _it's_
foragers lost -- then they would go into the weak colony and
boost _it's_ strength. Otherwise it's a long distance move and/or
close the entrance down _very_ small -- under real pressure,
I close down to about 3/4"x3/8".

That should give some clues to the best aproach for your situation.
Consider what the bees need and try to help them help themselves.

Best of luck, regards, Gordon.
--
Gordon Scott   [email-masked]      [email-masked] (work)
The Basingstoke Beekeeper (newsletter)      [email-masked]
<A HREF="http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/apis">Embryo Home Page</A>
Beekeeper; Kendo 3rd Dan; Sometime sailor.  Hampshire, England.

---

From: [email-masked] (Allen Dick)
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 96 11:05:16 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
>: access into the weaker hive, but the problem appears to continue.  

Interchange the two hives.

The bees will all find a home where they expect it, and the two hives 
should equalize somewhat in strength -- hopefully eliminating the 
robbing.  Since the robbers will now be in the weak hive attempting to 
rob the stronger, things should settle down.

(Find out why the weaker colony is so weak, or you will soon have two 
weak colonies).

Keep entrances reduced as much as possible -- use screens to provide 
ventillation on top or in the entrance if more air is needed than a 
small entrance can provide.

Regards

Allen

W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                    VE6CFK
Rural Route One, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada  T0M 1Y0
    Honey, Bees, & Art <http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka/>