In a message dated 5/10/99 11:27:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> Though she had a lot of
>  bees flying in and out of the hive, they were evidently robbers
>  because when we opened the hive, there were no eggs, larva, or bees
>  working the frames.  There were some dead bees on the frames and a
>  lot of honey.
>
>  My question is when we get ready to install a new group of bees, how
>  can we stop the robbers to help the new bees get settled?

    First you need to stop the robbing. Plug the hive up tight, or put it
into a place not accessible by bees. After a few days, the robbers will
forget about it.  Remember, they are creatures of habit. As long as they are
getting goodies, you are reinforcing the habit.

    When you install new bees, give them back the honey (making sure there is
no foulbrood scale in the hive), and also making sure they have a very small
entrance, so they can defend themselves. If you redo the hive soon, it would
be a good idea to put it in a new location, so they won't be bothered by old
bees that remember the honey.  After a couple days, the new hive will be
organized and capable of defending itself. Then you can open up the entrance
to regular size.

[log in to unmask]     Dave Green  Hemingway, SC  USA
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