Karma for robbers?

[phill]

For years my hives have been troubled by robbers, despite my best efforts. Last summer I was gone for a week, and when I came back, I found my two hives ransacked. One was dead, the other badly weakened-- and died over the winter.

I cleaned out the dead hives this spring, but left one, with a couple of near-empty frames, as a sort of swarm trap. Last week I found robbers all over it-- so many of them that for a while I wondered if i HAD caught a swarm. They must be pretty desperate, because there aren't any real stores left in that hive.

So here's my question: Is there anything I could do to entice those robbers to bring along their queen and move in? It seems like that would be only fair.

[Brian MCquilkin]

The answer is No. 

[TheHoneyPump]

You could try putting an old dead queen squished into the comb of one of the frames.  That may entice a swarm.  But if there is a dearth and robbing then there are no swarms to catch.
As for the hives being attacked and robbed, more questions.  Perhaps giving them far too much space to look after.  Also, how often do you check/inspect the hives so you can catch these problems long before they develop?

[Oldbeavo]

Entrance size is the only suggestion. I have seen feral bees use some small cracks to come and go with substantial hives inside.
Again we have an opinion of what size bees need, but will they survive and defend a small opening.

HP suggestion of too much room may also be valid. There is a wild hive next door living in a 4 gallon drum with a large opening. They have been there for about 7-8 years.

[phill]

Thanks, folks. I'm getting the answer I expected, if not the one I hoped for.  There is a dearth here now, I think. (Sadly I have no hives, so I haven't been paying much attention until now.)

About the general robbing problem, I'm stumped. I had a robust hive-- 2 full deeps-- with just a 2" opening. I'm puzzled why they couldn't defend it. My post-mortem showed no signs of disease, low mite count, and there were plenty of honey stores even after the robbing.   

[Ben Framed]

Who knows, maybe a swarm will enter your equipment. Here at my place a couple years ago after the harvest, I had some stored frames in boxes in my shop. I kept noticing an abundant amount of bees hanging out. Each time I would open the overhead door bees would roll out. I figured they were attracted to the recent smell of honey from the cleaned up frames from the harvest. I was using Foundation-less. Though I had harvested by scraping the comb and honey leaving their drawn foundation. were plenty frames with foundation. I was storing these for the nest spring. I had a small hole in the back of the shop and this was their point of entry. I picked up an unexpected substantial swarm there in my shop!

[FloridaGardener]

Robbing - I do think the wild robbers are always waiting for a chink in the armor here where I am.  Feral bees are robby, period.  That's why they survive.
              -  Keep an eagle eye out. Look for any shredding cappings, spinning bees. If you see spinning bees, kill both.
              - Have a plan.  Do you have a hive lifter or refrigerator dolly to move the hive? Or enough lids and bottom boards to split and carry the hive bodies? What is your "go" plan to take them away?  Who can host them? Once robbers taste your hive, they will bring family and stealth-rob until it's over.
               - I teach my bees about the robbing screen.  It goes on for a few days every now and then, so they can learn the secret door BEFORE the emergency.
               - seal crevices with blue painter's tape. ("Beekeeper propolis")
               - Don't be afraid to lock them in under a wet sheet if you see robbing, until you can move them.  They won't die in a day [with a screened bottom board]. But they might die if you don't lock down until you can move.
                 

[iddee]

Answer to your question, NO>>>
I have closed up a hive full of robbers with food stores, moved them 10 mile or so, and added a queen or queen cell. They made hives. I have also moved queen right hives being robbed by closing robbers in and moving it. They stayed in their new home and made a stronger hive.