Feeding mistake

[Sundog]

I have been feeding comb scrapings from one hive to another that needs it, but I ended up with the older hive trying to rob the new one.  I threw a rag I use to extiguish my smoker over the door and after about an hour,  the robbers had given up and gone home.  There has never been this much activity at their door.

http://s865.photobucket.com/albums/ab218/Sunchaser01/?action=view&current=DSCN0263.mp4

[Kathyp]

when you are open feeding, you must do it way away from the hives.  at least you caught it!

[AllenF]

Feeding does set off robbing.

[Bee-Bop]

Were was your Robber screen ??

That is one small piece of equipment everyone needs, maybe even TWO !

Bee-Bop

[FRAMEshift]

Feeding does set off robbing.

Yep.  I was feeding some strong hives in the beeyard today (top feeder).  I will later move some of the frames of sugar syrup to the weaker hives. I expected robbing in the hives that were being fed and was prepared for it,  but then the robbing spread to one of the weak hives that have almost no stores left.  ARRRggg.

So I shut down all the entrances to all the hives and will leave them closed another day till the feeding is finished.  Robbing gets out of hand fast.

[Sundog]

Feeding does set off robbing.

Hasn't up until now, been doing it for several days.  But apparently today, it led them to the door.

Have fun!

[BlueBee]

We’ve all been there before :(  Yours doesn’t look too bad compared to the blizzard of bees I’ve had robbing mine before.  As Frameshift says, shut down the entrances.

[Kathyp]

Hasn't up until now, been doing it for several days.

time of year and flow are everything.  you might get away with open feeding at the hive early in the year and when there is a good flow, but it's always better to feed way away from the hives.  this time of year the hives are thinking toward winter.  they will take from each other without much excuse.  there's no harm in feeding back the honey. you just need to find a better place.

[Sundog]

...this time of year the hives are thinking toward winter.

Winter comes to this part of the country in January.  Without it, the citrus stays sour.  I'm more worried about Hurricane Season than Winter.

[Sundog]

Groan...  Peeked into the TBH today and there seems to be a lot fewer bees.  Would some of the hive bees leave with the robbers, or is my population dwidling due to something else like no new bees hatching?

Rain all day today in (not so sunny) Florida.  I will take a closer look later.

Not having fun! (at the moment)

[Kathyp]

did you check for a queen or eggs?  how's the brood amount and pattern?  is there enough food in the hive.  is there a flow.  is there to much and not room for the queen to lay.  might they have swarmed?

[Sundog]

These were taken five days ago...




After a second look, I didn't see the queen, but it's still raining and I didn't spend that much time nor pull all the bars.  There are some capped cells, but I didn't see any fresh eggs.  I will take pictures and look for her when the rain lets up.

In the meantime, the comb looked pretty dry.  Not much honey.  I don't know if there is a flow currently, but bees in both my hives return with full sacks.

Plenty of room under ten bars.  The pic is bar 7.  Originally, there were eight bars with cutout comb mounted.  Bars 4,5,6, and 8 are similar to the picture.  Bars 1-3 have comb, but not too much activity, bar 9 has comb being started and 10 is still barren.  The TBH is a recent cutout that I added a queen to (born June 30 and fertile) ten days ago.  Seemed to be improving until the robbing.

Does it make sense to put an entrance feeder inside at the rear of the TBH to help them?

Thanks