# Drifting/robbing question



## Sasha (Feb 22, 2005)

Its probably robbing.
Why do you want to feed bees if there is a good bloom?There is no need to feed


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

> I'm observing bees flying straight from one hive to the other, what does this mean?

Robbing.

> I thought I noticed some fighting, but on closer observation it looked like they might be cleaning the bee rather than trying to sting or drag it.

They are pulling hairs.

> The entrances are reduced to 2 inches.

You can go as small as 3/8" or even 1/4". Make sure they have ventilation though. An open SBB or reduce the entrance with screen wire instead of a block.

> When I installed I started feeding with baggies but didn't like the result - dead bees inside bags

There are always dead bees when you feed. if they are getting into the back you are making the slits too big.

> leaky etc.

You are making the slits too big or filling the bag too full. Fill the bag half full. Make two or three 1" long slits.

> So now I'm using mason jars inside the hives propped up on small pieces of wood. We are having a good bloom (partridge berry with black locust about to start), what should I do?

Stop feeding. Why feed if there is a flow? Gathering nectar is what bees do. Let them.

> Should I try open feeding or just cut them off completely?

Open feeding will make robbing worse.

> They are not drawing out comb as fast as my previous hive did when I installed them last year (they are another 40 feet or so away and don't seem to be involved).

Because they are busy fighting.


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## Rich M (Apr 9, 2005)

Sorry, as usual I should have been more specific. I was feeding becuase they are newly installed and I thought it would help them draw comb faster. While the bloom is good as of 2 days ago, we had snow the day before that with nearly 2 weeks of rain before that. During that period they consumed nearly a gallon each.

The Ziplock gallon freezer baggies were only half filled with three 1 !/2" slits. Regardless they have been out of the hive after 2 feedings.

I will pull the mason jars immediately and further reduce the entrances. Thanks so much for your help!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I think feeding is a leading cause of many problems, not the least of which is robbing. Sometimes you have to, but usually the downside outweighs the upside.


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## Rich M (Apr 9, 2005)

I thought it was mandatory with a new package to feed until they stop taking it, as usual I guessed wrong. The feed has been removed and the entrances reduced to 1 inch. Will they eventually stop or will this be an ongoing problem? Are there any other solutions? Thanks again.


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## Scot Mc Pherson (Oct 12, 2001)

You have to feed new packages until the brood cycles and they have ample forage.


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## buckbee (Dec 2, 2004)

I agree with MB - feeding usually does more harm than good. If there is forage, the bees will feed themselves. Only feed during long spells of unseasonally wet/cold weather is my advice.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I thought it was mandatory with a new package to feed until they stop taking it, as usual I guessed wrong.

You didn't guess. Many people say that and the books all says that. I would feed anytime they don't have some stores and/or there is no flow. A new package certainly needs a little help. Usually when they get here there isn't much blooming yet. But now there is.


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## Scot Mc Pherson (Oct 12, 2001)

It also depends on where you are michael. WHere you are might be blooming all sorts of stuff. Here is it too...however, most of my bees are in the center of a many 100 acres farm. The land is either dirt, or some particular crop. Clover is one of the legume crops, and although its started blooming in Scott county (where I live) 1 week ago, it has yet to bloom in the counties to the north of me where many of me bees also reside. They are bringing in pollen, but the nectar is scarce. The birch trees have just started blooming which is good, I have seen the bees working it. I just fed the bees again yesterday with a week's long supply, and although I hope I won't need it, I am preparing another week's long supply for my next visit. Imaging making syrup for 500 hives. That's 1000 lbs of sugar, 2 lbs of dry sugar made into syrup for each hive, all in sandwich sized baggies.


I am feeding a LOT more than I expected to, however I wasn't counting on that 2 week long cold and rainy snap in the 30s to 50s sustained for the whole 2 weeks. Really made it hard on the bees.


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## Wojtek (May 31, 2005)

Scot, did you mean 500 Kenyan hives you are operating now, or other kinds of hives?
Wojtek


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## Scot Mc Pherson (Oct 12, 2001)

Kenya style, but vastly different than the "official" kenya topbar hive. I have engineered the hive to meet certain specific criteria.


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## buckbee (Dec 2, 2004)

Do tell us more, Scott - sounds interesting. Any recent pics?


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## Scot Mc Pherson (Oct 12, 2001)

There are pics on the website in my sig. They aren't recent, but the basic design has changed very little. Though I build the top bars differently, but that design change has little impact on the hive, it was more for fabrication ease.


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## Rich M (Apr 9, 2005)

Just a quick follow up. 7 days after removing the feed and reducing entrances to 1 inch the robbing appears to have stopped. I have gradually reopened the entrances over the last 2 days, just in time for a hot spell of weather. There is no fighting on the landing board, the bees seem better organized and they are much less agitated and irratable. Thanks again for the help.


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