Reducing the hives for winter and robbing them. They don’t like that but it has to be done. Saw three SHB so it looks like they are getting a bit of a go on in the larger hives now the bee population is reducing. Cut the comb out if the frames I want to remove then put each box back on the hive above the inner cover so they can rob them out. Still, its amazing just how quick robbing starts with clouds of bees everywhere, even coming in from across the valley. My girls were in full defence mode though with lots of guards on the landing board. Left all the honey covered bits out there and they were cleaned up in less than an hour and calm is restoring. Anyway, some pictures.
Doesn’t take long for them to find honey this time of year
Robber being turfed off the landing board
Robbers trying every crack to get in. The entrances were a no go zone for them!
All hives had plenty of depth in their guard squadran.
