One minute the bee yard looks normal. The next, there's a cloud of bees crowding around one hive, flying into cracks, and fighting at the entrance.
That's not something you want to ignore.
Robbing happens when bees from one colony try to steal food from another. It's especially common when nectar is scarce, and weaker colonies can have a hard time defending themselves.
If it gets out of hand, a colony can lose a lot of its food stores in a short time.
How Can You Tell If Bees Are Robbing?
A busy entrance doesn't always mean trouble.
On a warm afternoon, young bees may be making orientation flights. They'll often face the hive and hover nearby as they learn where home is.
Robbing looks different.
You might see bees trying to squeeze into corners, flying around the lid, or fighting with guard bees at the entrance.
You may also notice pieces of wax cappings near the bottom board.
If the activity is unusually frantic, take a closer look from a safe distance.
Don't Leave Honey or Syrup Exposed
One of the easiest ways to attract robbers is to leave food sitting out in the bee yard.
Sticky frames, spilled syrup, and exposed honey can bring in bees from neighboring colonies.
Keep frames covered when you're not inspecting them.
If you spill syrup, clean it up rather than leaving it on the hive stand or ground.
And avoid open feeding, especially when nectar sources are limited.
Keep Inspections Short During a Nectar Dearth
When there's little nectar available, colonies may become more defensive and robbing pressure can increase.
That doesn't mean you should stop inspecting completely.
Just be a little more careful.
Have your tools ready, open one hive at a time, and avoid leaving boxes uncovered longer than necessary.
If robbing starts while you're working, close the hive promptly.
Help Weak Colonies Defend Their Entrance
A large entrance can be difficult for a small colony to protect.
An appropriately sized entrance reducer may help guard bees defend the opening.
Check for gaps between hive boxes or around damaged equipment, too. Robbing bees can find openings you might not notice during a normal inspection.
If a colony is especially weak, it may need additional management beyond simply reducing the entrance.
What If Robbing Has Already Started?
Act quickly.
Put away exposed honey and syrup, close any open hives, reduce vulnerable entrances as appropriate, and cover unintended openings.
Don't assume a few puffs from your smoker will stop the robbing. Smoke isn't a reliable solution once robbing is underway.
If the situation continues, get advice from an experienced beekeeper about protecting or relocating the affected colony.
Final Thoughts
Robbing can go from a small problem to a big one surprisingly fast.
Fortunately, most prevention comes down to good habits: keep food covered, avoid spills, inspect efficiently, and give weaker colonies an entrance they can defend.
A little extra care during a nectar dearth can save you a lot of trouble.
— The Apiary Gear Team