"When a hive is robbed, the invading bees kill bees and may even kill the queen. They tear open wax cells to get at the honey inside and can remove large amounts of honey very quickly, said one beekeeping guide. Worse, ripping open cells spreads the smell of honey far and wide, which attracts other invaders like wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets. These insects are even more aggressive, and will promptly kill off any bees left in the hive."
"Raids of rival hives are common after hot, dry summers, when a nectar gap emerges between spring blooms and autumn flowers. Larger bee colonies also need more food to collect and store. Fall beekeeping is very intense trying to help bees hunker down against other bees and wasps and keep the food stores that they've worked so hard for, said McDonald, who has previously seen raids on her outdoor hives but never on her store."
Christine McDonald owns Rushing River Apiaries in Terrace, British Columbia. She entered her shop to find it overrun by thousands of robber bees attempting to steal honey. Raids of rival hives commonly follow hot, dry summers when a nectar gap appears between spring blooms and autumn flowers, and larger colonies need more stored food. Robbing can kill worker bees and the queen, tear open wax cells, and rapidly remove large amounts of honey while spreading scent that draws wasps and hornets. McDonald covered equipment with a tarp, sealed a door-frame gap, used lights to lure bees away, and stopped the attacks after several days.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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