# Bees early for pollination, how to avoid robbing



## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

What does your front entrance look like?


Crazy Roland


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

I would hesitate to tell a grower my bees are not strong enough to defend themselves. If they are good strength no problem.


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## Randy Andy (Jul 16, 2014)

Roland said:


> What does your front entrance look like?
> 
> 
> Crazy Roland


Decent amount of bees hanging out, and normal flight, but i saw a few hives escorting unwanted visitors off the front step. I also saw bees crawling on the outside of a few boxes. I peeked in the top of a few boxes that still have telescoping covers and everything looked normal inside, no fighting or anything just packed with bees. This is what they looked like 3 weeks ago. Nicest bees I've ever had this early. Thanks


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

Are the entrances reduced or protected with robber screens? Those would be the two things I'd do under the circumstances. But then I run with the entrance reducer in place almost all year, anyway. 

If the bees can defend themselves (and they have enough stores inside to survive happily on them, along with whatever off-target foraging is also available), then I think robbing pressures will be modest. The question that arises for me, though, is whether they will become strongly patterned on the non-target sources they discover before the berries bloom in earnest and thus will be loyal to those sources and not move to the berries quickly. 

Enj.


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## Randy Andy (Jul 16, 2014)

enjambres said:


> Are the entrances reduced or protected with robber screens? Those would be the two things I'd do under the circumstances. But then I run with the entrance reducer in place almost all year, anyway.
> 
> 
> Enj.


I do have reducers in place on the larger opening. I think they will go to the berries when they open because any other forage is almos a mile away. We're in the middle of about 1000 acres of berries. I'll get some pictures of the girls later. Hopefully the cool weather will keep activity down for a day or so. The berries are supposed to open in a day or so.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Relax. It'll be alright. The bees will sort things out. What you saw as robbing behavior was just the different colonies getting used to a new location after being moved. Don't sweat it.


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## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

If by berries you are speaking of blueberries. It has been recommended to wait until they are in full bloom to introduce the bees, because blueberries produce so little nectar they will not draw bees from other nectar sources. If introduced before the bloom they will find other nectar sources and will not do the farmer much good, or if no other sources they will rob the weaker hives. Therefore it is to both you and the farmer's advantage to wait for full bloom. Explain this to the farmer and he will understand the need to wait next year.


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