2. INTRODUCTION
When we think of the hard-working honey
bees, its hard to imagine them as thieves.
But in honeybee Robbing behavior is a part
of their colony life.
Acquiring enough food to survive the winter
is the annual goal of bees and they will get
that food in any way possible.
3. What is robbing?
Beekeepers use the term Robbing to mean the taking of honey
stores from one hive by either the members of another hive, or
other bees and wasps.
The robbing bees open capped cells, fill their
honey stomachs, and carry the goods back
home.
Strong colonies with the largest stores are the
most apt to prey upon weaker colonies.
4. The Italian bee has been identified with an especially
strong tendency to rob.
Robbing occurs much more in managed colonies that it
does in the wild.
Wild colonies are usually strong, so are able to defend
themselves.
They select a home with an entrance small enough to
defend, if not, they soon propolise it up to reduce it.
5. Late summer or early
fall
Dearth conditions
Weaker hive
Population is low in
number
Happens one apiary or
hives of different
apiaries.
Little nectar in the
field
When does robbing
occur?
6. Exposure of stores of Honey
Cessation of a source of supply of
nectar
Poorly guarded stores
Honey or syrup spilt around the
apiary
Our modern bee yard are set up
with many colonies close together
Why does robbing occur?
7. How we can recognize robbing?
Fighting
Fights happening on the
Landing board
On the ground at the front of the hive
Bees hanging on the legs of
intruder bees to remove them.
8. Because of fighting we can find dead bees lying on the
Landing board
On the ground in front of the hive.
Dead bees
9. Another entrance
Homebees land on the periphery of the entrance then
walk in.
Robberbees are not landing on the periphery.
Examining all the cracks and seams in a hive and even
enter at the back and sides.
10. Wax Cappings
Can see wax cappings on the Landing Board
Robbers don't take their time to nicely uncap the honey
stores as they are in a hurry to get out before being caught.
12. Robbing bees are often accompanied by wasps common
wasp or "yellow jackets“.
They are attracted to the dead bees as well as the honey.
Wasp
13. OTHER SIGNS
Some of the bees in the fray may appear shiny and black.
This appearance is created when the bees lose their hair
while fighting.
Robbing bees never carry pollen on their legs.
Robbing bees often sway from side to side like wasps,
waiting for an opportunity to enter the target hive.
14. During robbing,the guards unusually active, challenging
all who seek entrance.
In daytime, the home bees leave the hive empty and return
loaded, whereas the robber bee approaches the hive
empty and leaves full.
As robbers are loaded with honey, when they leave the
target hive, they often crawl up the wall before they fly
away they dip toward the ground as they take off.
15. REFERENCE
Honeybee Suite – A Better way to Bee
"Manual of Beekeeping“ – David A .Cushman
BEES ROBBING A HIVE - BACKYARDHIVE
