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I have a tbh set next to my house with the entrance at eye level to my basement window. It provides a nice place to watch from without bothering the bees.
For the past couple of days, there has been a bumblebee queen (who I locked out of her beginning nest under my steps) which has been repeatedly been trying to get into the honeybee hive.
By this afternoon, there appeared to be about 50 or more guard bees on the landing board. As the bumble bee would draw near, they would raise up high on their legs preparing for it to land among them, and a few would fly up to meet it in the air a foot or two above the landing. Sometimes, the bumble would suddenly just drop into the mass of them and tumble off to the ground with guards clinging to it. Then off it would fly, only to return again in a few minutes. It has gone on and on. Once, the bumble got just inside the door, and it sounded like an electric shock as the bees hit her. Out she came again.
My swarm is strong, and it doesn't appear the Bumblebee could ever get in. My questions:
I know that being robbed can make a hive nasty, but what is a continued attempt like this likely to do to the mood of my bees? And is it common for so many bees to go on guard duty?
Thanks,
Adam
For the past couple of days, there has been a bumblebee queen (who I locked out of her beginning nest under my steps) which has been repeatedly been trying to get into the honeybee hive.
By this afternoon, there appeared to be about 50 or more guard bees on the landing board. As the bumble bee would draw near, they would raise up high on their legs preparing for it to land among them, and a few would fly up to meet it in the air a foot or two above the landing. Sometimes, the bumble would suddenly just drop into the mass of them and tumble off to the ground with guards clinging to it. Then off it would fly, only to return again in a few minutes. It has gone on and on. Once, the bumble got just inside the door, and it sounded like an electric shock as the bees hit her. Out she came again.
My swarm is strong, and it doesn't appear the Bumblebee could ever get in. My questions:
I know that being robbed can make a hive nasty, but what is a continued attempt like this likely to do to the mood of my bees? And is it common for so many bees to go on guard duty?
Thanks,
Adam