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  • Questionable Robbing?

Questionable Robbing?

  • 18 Aug 2021 2:23 PM
    Quote
    Message # 10940276
    Anonymous member

    I did an inspection and mite test and treatment with Apiguard yesterday.  I thought I was being careful with the minimal exposure to nectar and honey but the table I place my upper boxes on was iron screen and about an hour after I was done realized that some nectar/honey must have dripped through as I saw balls of frantic bees on the ground in a couple places I had placed the table.  I quickly took a hose and washed all the spillage and bees away and it seemed calmer last night before dark but now I am concerned about robbing today.  I reduced the entrances to about an inch on the left side of each hive as you are looking at it.  Both colonies are really healthy and  populated so they are strong hives.  Here is a video of what they looked like this PM.  The red one which is more populated than the yellow is the one I am most worried about.  If this is robbing, what to do now? Wet Sheet, close hive, let my colony fight it out? I'm hoping the link works

    https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0hl6QS4ofRiND75DsiCr_de-A#IMG_1810
  • 20 Aug 2021 9:23 AM
    Quote
    Reply # 10944183 on 10940276
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Much of the bee clustering looks like response to fresh Apiguard, especially with reduced entrances. And I think the treatment instructions suggest you should have your entrances fully open to protect against colony mortality. You might want to double check that. Fortunately temps have not been too high. My opinion is to check Apiguard instructions, open entrances if instructions direct, and keep an eye on the colonies for a few days. Keep us posted
  • 22 Aug 2021 9:06 AM
    Quote
    Reply # 10948073 on 10940276
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    I think Binnie said that it is easy to damage the colony with Apiguard. This is not the strips right?

    He recommended 1/2 doses and repeating weekly for three weeks. (especially in higher temps)

    He preferred the Apivar strips because they had better chemistry, less secondary reactions. 

    Icloud login needed to view your vid.  

    If there was robbing, I'd expect fighting. 

    Last modified: 22 Aug 2021 9:09 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
  • 24 Aug 2021 7:45 PM
    Quote
    Reply # 10954731 on 10940276
    Anonymous member

    Thank you both for your help.  Sorry the video didn't come through.  After I watched the bees for another night and day I realized that it was more likely just aggressive bearding from the Apiguard most likely.  Over the past few days they seem back to normal.  I am going to relook at them next week (2 weeks after the initial treatment) to give them the other 50 grams of treatment.  I am happy with the populations and I think there is no robbing at this point.  I did leave the reducer on the entrance as there is no clear cut recs from Apiguard.  Thank you so much for being there for us inexperienced keepers but I really feel like I have learned a TON between the TVBA meetings and OMB course.  
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