Glossary
Aggressive behavior in which bees from one colony steal honey from a weaker colony's hive. Robbing is most common during nectar dearths when foraging resources are scarce, and it can escalate quickly, sometimes killing the defending colony in hours.
Robbing is a natural behavior driven by scarcity. When nectar sources dry up (a nectar dearth), forager bees begin searching more aggressively for any accessible sugar source. A weak colony with valuable honey stores but insufficient guard bees to defend its entrance becomes an irresistible target. The robbing colony has no malice; from their perspective, the undefended honey is simply another forage opportunity.
Robbing can start subtly. A few scouts from a strong colony test the entrance of a weaker hive, probing whether the guards are numerous and aggressive enough to repel them. If the defense is inadequate, the scouts recruit more foragers through dance communication, and within minutes, the attack can escalate from a few individual probing bees to hundreds of raiders overwhelming the defenders.
Robbing looks different from normal foraging activity. Legitimate foragers leave and return to their own hive in steady, purposeful flight patterns. Robbing bees approach a target hive in zigzag, hovering patterns, probing for unguarded entrances. Fighting at the hive entrance (wrestling bees, bees biting each other) is a clear sign. A sudden spike in activity at a hive that previously had moderate traffic, especially during a dearth, should always be investigated.
Another telltale sign is wax shavings on the landing board. Robbers will chew through capped cells to access the honey inside, leaving shredded wax debris at the entrance. Dead bees on the ground in front of the hive, casualties of the fighting, are another indicator.
Reducing the entrance size of vulnerable hives is the simplest and most effective preventive measure. A smaller entrance is easier for fewer guard bees to defend. During dearths, we reduce entrances on all hives except the strongest. Feeding weak colonies (sugar syrup, not honey, which can attract more robbers) inside the hive helps as well. If active robbing is underway, closing the hive entrance temporarily (wet towel, entrance reducer to its smallest setting, or robbing screen) can break the cycle by forcing the robbers to disperse.
Yes. Severe robbing can deplete all of a weak colony's honey stores within hours, and the physical fighting kills many of the defending bees. A colony that loses both its honey and a significant portion of its workforce often cannot recover, especially heading into winter.
During a dearth, natural nectar is scarce or unavailable. Forager bees are genetically programmed to find sugar sources. An undefended honey supply in a weak hive is easier and faster to exploit than searching for the few remaining flowers in bloom.
Reduce the hive entrance to give guard bees a smaller area to defend. Avoid spilling honey or syrup near the apiary. Feed weak colonies inside the hive using internal feeders. If robbing is underway, temporarily close or screen the target hive's entrance and consider moving the weak colony to a different location.
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