Drone Robbing?

[GSF]

I still have problems distinguishing between workers and drones. I believe what I have here is a bunch of drones either robbing my hive or the feeder. I took the feeder out and put it on the frame to the side of the hive and put an entrance reducer in. I have a cabinet door laying on the ground below the entrance so I can study what comes out of the hive. I only saw two dead bees and I didn't notice any fighting.

About a week ago I posted some pictures and yall were good to point out the lack of nectar/honey in the hive. As suggested I started feeding.

I'm sure I need to keep feeding. All I have is a broadman's entrance feeder. Can I fix this by putting an empty super on top and putting the feeder in it? Should I remove the inner cover if I do this? Or should I just put the jar over the hole in the middle. If you look at my post "Hive inspection pictures" you can see I have a good laying queen and it don't appear (to a newbie) that she's laying drone brood. I don't think I even have any drone cells in there either. A shower came through about 5 minutes after these pictures and they all were gone except a few. Here's a couple of pictures;

A little dark

[BeeMaster2]

Gary,
Hard to see all of the bees but all I see are workers. Is that hive real strong or is there a lot of bees trying to rob it. I would definitely reduce it down to a small opening. Even my 5 to 7 box hives only have a 2" by 3/8" opening at most. It sure eliminates a lot of problems.
Jim

[sc-bee]

A braodman feeder in an entrance this time of year is a taboooo. Induces robbing. Those are not drones. Move the feeders away from the hives. I am not sure you even having robbing maybe just feeding. Are they fighting or in a frenzy. Either way move the feeders away and feed with a different type feeder inside or further away from the hives.

Place a pail feeder over the inner cover hole and cover with a super and top or make some simple jar top feeders and invert on top of hive. I use the jar top feeders.

If you place the braodmans on top of the inner cover and cover with a super they may build burr comb above the ineer cover. I just saw a beginner do this a few weeks ago and the bees where loving the extra space and burring around the broadman.

[GSF]

I would say they would be more aggravated than in a frenzy. There wasn't any fighting going on. I thought one time about putting a pan with rocks and sugar water somewhere just to keep it away from the hive. The hive is on a frame I built. I placed the feeder right next to the hive with bees in it. I went out there a little while ago and they're not touching it. That's not the first time either. I put some sugar water drops on the entrance and they covered it in no time. ...like starving wolves on red meat.

This may not mean anything to the deal at hand. We always have a BIG garden and I spend a lot of hours in it. I don't remember seeing any honey bees on any of the blooms for the last couple of years. There were plenty of pollinators but no honey bees. So I kind of wonder is this my bees? Seems like some of them looked different than others. (to my untrained eyes - oh yeah, did I mention I wear glasses for a reason?)

live and learn.

[10framer]

no drones.  leave the inner cover on and set the jar above the hole in the center when you add that super.

those bees pretty much look like italians to me.  my hives have bees that look like that along with bees that look like carniolans all mixed together.  a couple of hives have some cordovan mixed in.  

[sc-bee]

I placed the feeder right next to the hive with bees in it................... I put some sugar water drops on the entrance and they covered it in no time. ...like starving wolves on red meat.

What is your age bracket GSF. Just curious, are you familiar with the band Molly Hatchet? Do you remember their big hit "Flirtin with Disaster"  :-D  Unless you indeed have a flow.....

[LindaL]

Correct me if i'm wrong -

1. Drones cant feed themselves the workers do that. 
2. Drones do from time to time visit other hives especially if there are queen cells or virgin queens in the hive. 

So to your answer your question. No i don't think drones would be robbing.  All those bees look like workers to me as well.   

I had a problem with robing last week as well when i had a feeder like that.   I bought a feeder to put in the hive instead solved the problem.

Linda.

Side note:  I'm better at spotting drones.  I still haven't seen the queens in my hives and i'm just as bad at spotting eggs.    :-D

[sc-bee]

#1 both - My understanding is will beg but can help themselves. Or are capable of doing so.

[LindaL]

#1 both - My understanding is will beg but can help themselves. Or are capable of doing so.

I thought they where incaplable.  Now i know they are just lazy men  :-D

[GSF]

Linda L; I'm unfamiliar with their behavior. Little things like that are unbeknowns to me. I'm still wet behind the ears when it comes to beekeeping. That's why I enjoy this forum so much. You get a broad spectrum of answers from different experience levels and different insights from various locations.

sc-bee:  I'm not even near middle age yet; I'm only 54. I remember Molly Hatchet but can't recall any of their songs off the top of my head.

[LindaL]

GSF:  I have only officially had bees for 2 weeks now.  I'm a real Newbee...  But i like to read so have read most of the books on bee keeping and been taking a class since May.   I have lots to learn and love this forum these guys know so much. 

Total time logged in: 6 hours and 30 minutes.   (maybe i love this forum a bit to much)

[Michael Bush]

1) drones do not rob.  They just drift to whatever hive will let them and are allowed to eat.
2) there are no drones in your pictures.  at all.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrobbing.htm