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Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forums > BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER > GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. > ...well...that was certainly ill advised wasn't it?

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Author Topic: ...well...that was certainly ill advised wasn't it?  (Read 789 times)
TheMasonicHive
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« on: July 01, 2010, 11:29:19 AM »
So I made my first MAJOR oops today and if I would have been keeping notes about my work at each hive I would have been much better off.

APPARENTLY in the last few weeks I got the clever idea that I should ventilate my hive that I was feeding with HBH sugar syrup.

I broke off a few small twigs from a nearby tree, put them on the top edge of the feeder and left.

Apparently I was effectively creating a top entrance...which Michael Bush I must tell you worked effectively (for all the wrong reasons) and I triggered a robbing situation.

I've been going to that hive and noticing not a whole lot of work or production over the last couple of weeks, and have wondered why if they were going through so much syrup every few days that they weren't growing.

I have my answer.  Dumb dumb dumb.
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Christopher Peace
Oakland County, MI

"It teaches us that, as we come into the world rational and intelligent beings, so we should ever be industrious ones; never sitting down contented while our fellow-creatures around us are in want, when it is in our power to relieve them without inconvenience to ourselves." - Freemasonry on the Beehive
kathyp
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« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2010, 12:20:12 PM »
any time you feed, robbing can be a problem.  especially if there is a flow on.  if the bees are storing honey, robbing can be a problem.  if the choice is between encouraging robbing and ventilation, skip the ventilation.  bees can regulate the temp and moisture in the hive.
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TheMasonicHive
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« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2010, 12:23:42 PM »
Now the problem is that the hive next to is which has a honey super on it undoubtably was part of the robbing, so if they've drawn out comb on it and they are storing food, then they will have the syrup with HBH in it.

So today I'm going to take that super off, put a brand new one on, and let them rob out the "contaminated" one, then put the frames that had comb built out on it back into the brand new super so I'm not losing any production.
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Christopher Peace
Oakland County, MI

"It teaches us that, as we come into the world rational and intelligent beings, so we should ever be industrious ones; never sitting down contented while our fellow-creatures around us are in want, when it is in our power to relieve them without inconvenience to ourselves." - Freemasonry on the Beehive
Scadsobees
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« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2010, 12:37:39 PM »
And to chime in...I'd strongly suggest AGAINST feeding HBH unless for some reason the bees won't take syrup in early spring.  Any other time it is a recipe for robbing, the smell is too strong.

As to them robbing the contaminated super...where do you suppose they're going to store that?  rolleyes
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Rick
TheMasonicHive
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« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2010, 12:58:56 PM »
They can't store it in comb that doesn't exist yet.  They'll have to find some place to put it.  By the time they draw it out I figure they'll have put it other places or used it for other projects.
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Christopher Peace
Oakland County, MI

"It teaches us that, as we come into the world rational and intelligent beings, so we should ever be industrious ones; never sitting down contented while our fellow-creatures around us are in want, when it is in our power to relieve them without inconvenience to ourselves." - Freemasonry on the Beehive
BjornBee
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« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2010, 07:17:49 PM »
 lau

I'm sorry, I couldn't hold back.

Top entrances and HBH.....two things I am completely against. Although I must admit that the top entrances unto themselves probably did not start it.

I found out long ago about selectively feeding HBH to weak hives. It about the biggest dinner bell for robbers that you can buy.... Wink So I was dumb, dumb, dumb too. grin
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Ken
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« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2010, 07:59:31 PM »
Quote from: BjornBee on July 01, 2010, 07:17:49 PM
lau

I'm sorry, I couldn't hold back.

Top entrances and HBH.....two things I am completely against. Although I must admit that the top entrances unto themselves probably did not start it.

I found out long ago about selectively feeding HBH to weak hives. It about the biggest dinner bell for robbers that you can buy.... Wink So I was dumb, dumb, dumb too. grin


Experience ,good or bad,is a great teacher. Hopefully someone else can learn from your experiences.Good to share mistakes,we cam all learn from them. Smiley
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Michael Bush
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« Reply #7 on: July 01, 2010, 11:32:59 PM »
Feeding tends to set off robbing.  HBH tends to set off robbing (and kill off the microbes).  Top entrances just gave them access, of course.

Sometimes we learn the hard way...
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Michael Bush
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--Rick Nielsen
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