Bee's in a stump

[Flewster]

This august or early september a feral swarm took up residence in a stump in my yard.....there were not many bees flying about but a few perked my interest. I made the decision to try to save them and maybe use them for a hive next spring. (I was planning on starting three hives already) I first fed them a 2to1 sugar syrup mix throught the hole in the top of the stump. I then decided to get a 5 frame nuc and a hivetop feeder and place it over their entrance. (I drilled holes in the bottom board and sealed all the way around it so they had to use it to get out) About 4 weeks after feeding them i noticed the traffic increase at teh entrance then one day it seemed to explode with bees everywere. It appeared that they were being robbed. Then a cold snap came through and too cold for bee flight for about a week. On a warm day (like today) there is alot of activity around the nuc like they day i thought they were being robbed. Now to my questions

1. How long to I continue to feed them? They have aready taken almost a gallon)
2. Will they survive?
3. Will the queen move up into the nuc come spring? (I borrowed 5 frames of filled out comb (1 with honey) and put them in the nuc)
4. Were they being robbed or was it an increase in hive population due to the feeding?
5. Will bees continue to rob after a week of no flying activity? (I know of no hives within 5 miles)
6. Am I wasting my time?

Thank you for helping me.

Wayne Flewelling, JR

[Michael Bush]

>1. How long to I continue to feed them? They have aready taken almost a gallon)

Every little bit helps. I'd keep feeding them if you decide they aren't being robbed. If they are, you need to see what precautions you can take to stop it.

>2. Will they survive?

My crytal ball is broken. Since you can't see the frames and get a clear idea of how many bees and how much stores, it's hard to say.

>3. Will the queen move up into the nuc come spring?

Doubtful. The brood nest seldom moves from where it is. They may fill it as surplus honey though.

>4. Were they being robbed or was it an increase in hive population due to the feeding?

Here's what I look for in robbing. First, robbers do a lot of hovering and alot of looking for a way in. The local bees KNOW the way in. Second, robbers tend to get in a frenzy. The locals are usually pretty calm. Third if there is wrestling at the entrance, this is a sure sign of robbing. Don't count on wrestling though, because sometimes a hive just gives up fighting the robbers. Fourth, if the bees coming in are dark and shiny they are probably robbers. Again, this isn't always true because if the hive gave up fighting them, they won't make them shiny. The robbers get dark and shiny from having their hair pulled out by the guards. Fifth, if there are way too many bees hovering for the number in the hive to account for.

>5. Will bees continue to rob after a week of no flying activity? (I know of no hives within 5 miles)

Absolutely. If the weather gets nice they will go right at it.

>6. Am I wasting my time?

Maybe. Maybe not. Here's what I would do to control the robbing.

1. Reduce the entrance on the nuc to not less than 1/2" wide and not more than 3/4" wide.

2. Put Vicks Vaporub on the entrance. While you're at it, put some somwhere else on the stump just to fake out any robbers who figure out the entrance. The locals know the entrance by habit. The robbers are trying to smell their way to the honey/syrup.

3. DON'T use anything in the syrup for smell. DON'T use Honey Bee Healthy or Wintergreen etc. because the robbers will home in on the smell.

4. As a last resort, put the syrup 20 to 100 yards away from the hive so it won't attract the robbers to the hive.


Now the question you didn't ask, but insinuated, is how do you get them into a hive.

If you don't mind destroying the stump you can cut it open with a chain saw and cut the combs and tie them into empty frames. If you are uncomfortable with that, you can put a 10 frame box on top with a hole in the bottom board such as you already have with the nuc, and then smoke and drum them up into the box. If there is no hole down low, drill one to smoke them through. Drumming is just tapping on the side of the stump while you smoke them. It makes them want to run up. When you think you have most of the bees in the box, put a queen excluder on the bottom. That way the queen will be trapped up top and the bees can get back to hatch the brood below.

[Flewster]

OK......this might be the last good flying day that Kansas sees so I went out and checked just now.......lots of bees coming and going and a little of pollen being brought in still.......all the bees are really fuzzy and apear to be pretty young.......I opened the nuc and found them on alot of the comb. They appeared to be drinking honey and then taking it below......on the outside of the hive there are a lot of bees coming and going...there appears to be somesort of greeting going on as a returning be is met by a couple standing there and they flick their toungs at each other while others seem to be sharing food.....only a few late daisys blooming as we have not had a really hard freeze yet......any ideas?

[Michael Bush]

From what you say, it sounds like a busy hive on a warm day. But I'd still be looking for excessive searching for entrances and hovering a lot. Robbers don't know their way in.

[Flewster]

Now that you mention it there were some bees that were on the side of the hive towards the rear where there was a small crack between the feeder and the nuc.......they seemed to be searching for a way in...but at the entrance (when I put on the nuc i pu the reducer on the smallest hole, 1/2" by 1/2" about) it was as described....

[Michael Bush]

That's about all you can do then. Wait and see how they do.