Questions about starting beehives.

[DWSmith]

Been a while since I started a new hive.

I put 3 3 pound packages of bees in 3 hives 3 weeks ago. (3's?)

They drastically tapered off consuming sugar syrup the past couple of days. They're bringing pollen into the hive like they're working their little tails off. They start working at least by 6:30am and go until after 8:30pm.

I'm sort of a minimalist when it comes to opening up the hive so it has been about 8 or 9 days since the last time.

There was some robbing going on last week so I put some more restrictive entrance reducers on the hives. That seems to have stopped/minimized it.

Best I can remember except for the robbing these are all good signs and should indicate that they've settled in quite well. Is this a safe assumption?

[flynch]

I'd say these are all good signs but to be sure I'd open up the hive and have a look. Make sure you've got eggs and what not

[DWSmith]

I hope there are eggs. If they've made enough comb by now I suppose there should be eggs. I'll open the hives up this weekend.

Thanks!

[Snoop Puss]

Robbing at this time seems strange given that there's lots of nectar and pollen about.

[DWSmith]

Yep, I agree but maybe because they don't know their way around and I think the foragers are still fairly new at it. Later yesterday there was quite a bit of activity from all 3 hives and I don't think there was any robbing or at least not enough that I could detect any robbing.

Before I put on a more restrictive entrance reducer it might have been easier to go next door and borrow a cup of sugar than to go to the grocery store and buy a bag of sugar. Opportunistic robbing. I dunno.

[nickdub]

One way to help a bit with robbing, if it is happening to a weakish hive (also works a bit with wasps) is to prop a sheet of glass in front of the entrance with enough space for the bees to get behind it but quite restricted. The bees that belong in the hive will deal with this obstruction - some robbers will be put off, as they like to dart in and out asap.