[GOHoney]

I installed a new nuc in my yard Friday. I noticed Saturday fighting at the entrances of my other 6 hives. The fighting is continuing today. Not a lot but it is going on. My girls seem to be doing well keeping them out. I looked at several of the invader bees after the fight was over. They all seem to be a bit smaller than mine and all have a black thorax with no hair.

 

[Steve Johnson]

The black bees with the bald thorax are probably your bees, but they are "robber bees." They look like they have no hair because they are covered in dried honey or syrup and its like a coating of shellac on them. This happens in the frenzy of ripping open honey cells or feeders and rubbing up against each other. I would check my hives for robbing, looking for comb thats been ripped open, and with wax chunks all over the bottom of the hive.

 

[GOHoney]

I did look in with a flash light and could see no cappings on the bottom board. I am kind of a junky on this so I keep a pretty close eye on them. I had not seen this before Saturday. I will go in and take a look tomorrow.

The black bees with the bald thorax are probably your bees, but they are "robber bees." They look like they have no hair because they are covered in dried honey or syrup and its like a coating of shellac on them. This happens in the frenzy of ripping open honey cells or feeders and rubbing up against each other. I would check my hives for robbing, looking for comb thats been ripped open, and with wax chunks all over the bottom of the hive.