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Theft from bees is a problem that almost every beekeeper has had to face. Many people think that beekeeping is quite a profitable business; in fact, it is also a responsible job, since bees can be exposed to various diseases and attacks. If thieving bees are discovered, you should immediately take measures to eliminate them, otherwise you may lose your bee family.
Reasons for theft in the apiary
Theft from the apiary among bees is a unique method of extracting honey. In such situations, the hive may lose its queen or die completely in the struggle. Thieving bees prefer to take honey by force rather than extract it themselves. Since a large number of bees die during the struggle, there is a possibility of losing the entire apiary.
Why do bees attack?
There are a number of reasons for bees attacking a hive:
- Most families steal by tradition, as a result of which they obtain food only by this method. It seems impractical for such individuals to collect pollen every day and process it into honey; it is much easier to attack another hive and take what they want.
- Theft among bees is most common during times of drought, when the amount of pollen is not enough to provide for the colony. Some beekeepers justify this type of theft, since the bees are trying to survive in any way possible.
- The beekeepers themselves often provoke thefts by incorrectly collecting hives that have cracks that attract other insects.
Sometimes theft becomes spontaneous, and even those families who have never done this before resort to it.
Where do thieving bees come from?
Thief bees often appear in early spring or autumn. At a time when the weather outside is warm and windless, but, unfortunately, the honey plants have already bloomed or have not yet bloomed. Some regions may experience cool weather, causing plants to produce small amounts of nectar.
It is when bees find themselves in such a situation that they begin to look for additional sources of food. One of these methods is an attack on a weak family. Unfortunately, the main reason for the appearance of thieves is the beekeeper himself, who performs some actions with the hives incorrectly, thereby attracting strangers.
How to distinguish thieving bees
It is important to consider that a thief will never enter the hive from the main passage; she will look for existing cracks and small gaps. You can easily identify such an individual:
- the thief buzzes quite loudly;
- flies in zigzags;
- does not fly into the hive, but actively searches for cracks.
It is necessary to fight thieving bees as soon as they are discovered. The thief behaves as follows:
- when flying out of the hive, it flies as close to the ground as possible so that other individuals cannot notice it;
- There is honey on the bee's belly; if you lightly press the bee, it will begin to flow out of the sting.
If the theft is not prevented in a timely manner, the honey thieves will kill the queen bee.
Bee attack
Recognizing a massive attack by thieving bees will not be difficult if you pay attention to the following points:
- at the moment when the bees attack the hive, they make a loud buzzing sound, as when collecting pollen;
- fly in zigzags, imitating as if they are carrying a large load;
- thieves try to find cracks in the hive and penetrate through them;
- a bee colony begins to swarm over the hive, trying to repel the attack;
- there are dead bees around the hive, stings can be found on their bodies;
- near the hive you can see individuals with worn stripes on the body, which are characteristic of thieves;
- after an attack, the thieves fly as close to the grass as possible;
- the robbed family becomes aggressive.
If the hive is opened during the attack, then the alien bees will begin to quickly leave the scene of the crime.
How to determine whether it is a bee flyover or an attack
As a rule, theft from bees occurs in the fall or spring.It often happens that many beekeepers confuse theft in the apiary with bees flying around. Distinguishing a flyby from a robbery is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. As is known, the flyby occurs on warm August days between 14:00 and 16:00. It is at this time that young individuals make their first flight, which resembles the behavior of thieves. The difference is that during the theft, thieving bees fly low above the ground, and young individuals fly around the hive at a height during their flight.
How to prevent bees from stealing
There are a large number of ways to prevent apiary theft. In addition to preventive measures, you can use available means, for example, salt or diesel fuel. As many experienced beekeepers note, the smell of diesel fuel can scare away aggressive individuals. For these purposes, it is necessary to moisten a small piece of cloth in diesel fuel and treat the outer walls of the hives. Literally after a couple of minutes the insects begin to calm down, and there will be no attempts to attack even the next day.
How to get rid of thieving bees
If the thieving bees that appear do not belong to the beekeeper and are strangers, they can be gotten rid of quite easily. The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- The entrance is completely isolated and closed.
- A small tube with a diameter of about 10 mm is inserted into the passage.
Then thieves will begin to enter the hive through this tube, but they will no longer be able to get out of it. At the moment when all the strangers are inside the entrance, it will need to be closed and transported to another place.Gradually, the thief bees will begin to settle into the new place and begin collecting honey.
How to stop bees from attacking a hive
Theft in an apiary can only be stopped if they are part of the apiary. To do this you will need:
- Move the hive with thieves to a new location. As a rule, such individuals attack weak families, and if they find themselves in a new place, they will lose the object of attack.
- Lock the thieves in the dark for 3 days in the spring and 8 days in the fall. This procedure has a calming effect on thieving bees.
- Deprive them of food so they don't have the strength to fight.
An excellent preventative measure against causing damage to the hive in which thieves live is to make a hole. The bees will stop attacking as they will be busy producing wax to close the gap.
Stealing bees
In addition to spring and autumn theft among bees, some beekeepers are faced with theft of colonies. There are individuals who set traps in the path of insects and kidnap the caught bees. For these purposes, small plywood boxes are installed on the trees, which are treated with wax on the outside and nectar on the inside.
Undoubtedly, bees can be attracted in this way, but it is important to understand that brood left in its native hive can completely die without food. In addition, insects need a queen. If you catch insects too late, then before the end of winter they may not have time to set up a hive, raise brood and provide the necessary amount of food for themselves, as a result of which the individuals may die.
How to deal with bee theft
If thefts are noticed in the apiary, then it is necessary to immediately begin the fight against thieving bees.Quick actions will help the robbed family recover fairly quickly and return to collecting honey. In this situation it is worth:
- reduce the passage of the entrance so that no more than 2 individuals can pass through it;
- cover the hive with planks in the shape of a canopy, as a result of which the entrances will be hidden from other bees;
- cover the entrances with glass - local individuals will find their way as quickly as possible, and strangers will be confused;
- in case of serious attacks, it is worth closing all the cracks; a tube in the entrance will also help prevent bee theft;
- It is worth paying attention to the uterus, which is most likely weakened and cannot protect the family;
- As a rule, the same individuals steal, and they no longer arrive by smell, but remember the route; in this case, it is recommended to move the hive.
If necessary, you can pour clean water over the hive, which will wash away not only traces of honey, but also its smell.
Prevention measures
To prevent theft among bees, it is worth resorting to preventive measures:
- hives should not be left open for a long time;
- All work is best done in the evening, which will prevent the attraction of thieves;
- It is periodically recommended to move the apiary to another place;
- After the work, the equipment used should be thoroughly washed;
- you should not often look at the bees after the honey planting is completed;
- When working with frames, it is worth covering with a wet cloth those that are not currently being worked on.
By adhering to these recommendations, you can prevent thieves from attacking your apiary.
Conclusion
Theft from bees is quite common.It is necessary to begin solving this problem as quickly as possible, otherwise it will lead to disastrous consequences. As a rule, during the honey harvest, theft becomes less pronounced or stops completely.
