How to stop raiding?

[SueBee]

Hi, in the fortunate position of having increased from one colony to four this summer. It's been a pretty good summer here on the whole. One of the hives, a swarm probably from one of the other hives was doing ok, nice looking queen, brood, but not expanding very fast and I wanted to make sure they were strong enough for winter so I put a feeder on with light syrup.
Astounded to find that they drank it very quickly, then realised it was being stolen by another hive. Having problems stopping this raiding. I've tried closing them in for a day, then entrance reduced to just a bee's width, even tried covering with a damp sheet which was recommended "somewhere".
Should I just stop feeding them and let them take their chances? Or move the hive away? Or move the raiders away (pretty sure I know which hive it is)? Don't really want to have to move them, as its a bit of a pain, but ....
Any suggestions?

[Jon]

Moving away the colony being robbed is probably the best option.
It is very hard to stop one it has started.

[Trog]

Congratulations on bucking the trend this year! The weather in Argyll's been very regional, hasn't it? I suggest candy might be less attractive to robbers. I assume you leave the feeding until evening, when most of the bees have stopped flying?

[Neils]

Swapping the robbing and robbed hives positions can also help stop robbing while it's occurring. A hose spray to make it 'rain' can sometimes also be effective.

Moving the robbed hive at least, even within the apiary might help reduce the chances of a repeat occurence. limiting feeding until evening or using fondant/candy are all good ideas I think.

[SueBee]

Thanks everyone for input. It has been a very non-Argyll year for bees, and they have really appreciated it (I may even have a small honey harvest as well!). I've decided to check the hives tomorrow morning and see if the raiders are still getting in or just hassling.
Spent a while observing raiders/raidees this afternoon and seems they may have reverted to plantlife - lots of pollen coming into raiders hive. I have tried using a watering can and rose to simulate rain, which worked well for a short while. Stretching hose across road can be a bit hazardous...
If its still a problem, will try to find a flat site within apiary and move the wee colony. Any advice on moving this short distance? It's against all of the 3ft/3mile "rules"... I'm thinking shut them into hive overnight Sunday, move hive, keep in (with some candy) until Monday evening????

[Neils]

I think the 3ft rule is fine if you have the time and inclination. If you have other hives in the same apiary it's almost a moot point. every bee coming back to the old hive location should be packed with stores so they'll be let in any hive in close proximity.

The bigger issue is that the hive is getting robbed. By moving it you confuse the stuff out of the robbers, the loss of foragers is secondary imo. Move them first, let them settle, then figure out how best to feed them assuming they haven't been totally robbed out and aren't being robbed in their new location.

[Calum]

I put a mirror in the place of the robbed hive, confuses the hell out of the robbers!
The problem of moving the robbed hive is that as long as there are robbing bees in it they will fly home and communicate the new position - in my experience.
Also if there is another weak colony that will be attacked straigh afterwards (so I reduce their openings to the size of a matchbox too.
No robbing so far this year - last year it was ferocious. But the wasps have not appeared at the apiry either. yet.

[Mellifera Crofter]

I put a mirror in the place of the robbed hive, confuses the hell out of the robbers!
...
Do you do that only if you've moved the robbed hive, or do you do that instead of moving the hive? Where do you put the mirror?
Kitta

[gavin]

And can we have pictures?!

[Adam]

Silent robbing is a pain. Because the robbers now have sililar smells as the robbed they can currently come and go freely. So no dead bees outside the hive.

Best to feed ALL colonies in an apiary (at dusk). Even if they don't all need feeding then let the feeders dry out on the full hives.

??I wonder if a smell of thymol masks hive pheromone and allows robbing to occur more easily??

Best to remove the robbers if possible. If you remove the robbed hive, the robbers will widen their search for the next closest hive. If you can't move the robbers, move the robbed (evening) and place an empty hive in the place of the robbed one. Within it, put some old come or a wet super comb or two (something with a little stores at least). The robbers will arrive the next day and rob out what's there until there is no more. They will then realise that that food source has finished and give up - they are less likely to go hunting for somewhere else to attack. (Thanks to Ted Hooper for that advice which I've used sucessfully).

If you can't move, then close up the robbed colony for 3 days and open only a VERY SMALL opening. They need to get their own pheromone levels sorted out before joining the world again. (You can close all colonies up and then the next day open in turn to see which is the robbing buggers as they will head for the target hive - which will be closed up of course).

Shake icing sugar (or flour) on exiting bees to see where they go.