Hi All,
I have always found robbing an interesting behavior.  When I first started
keeping bees I was told if robbing starts in a yard the best way to stop it
take the covers off all the colonies.  The theory being the bees will stay
home to for defense reasons and not attack a neighbor.  I must admit I never
tried this but I never experienced widespread robbing.  When robbing is
going on bees do become very aggressive.  When I do find a colony being
robbed without any special outside cause, such as spilled honey, it is a
strong indicator of a problem.  The last few years this equates to varroa.

The real reason I am writing this is to discuss the aggressive behavior
associated with robbing, or what I call the "robbing defense impulse".  IMHO
bees sometimes prepare for robbing defense although no robbing occurs.
Folks will say that leaving honey supers out after extraction is one sure
way to start robbing.  I agree with this if they are near the colonies.  For
years I have consistently allowed bees to clean up supers before I store
them.  I place them about 100 yds. from the colonies and limit the entrance.
This has never caused the bees to become aggressive.  I always seem to have
something in this area for the bees to forage.  The solar wax melter is
here.  Damaged comb is left here.  I almost believe the bees look at this as
regular nectar source.  When I put the supers out for the first time I do
notice some bees flying around the honey house, and my home.  This stops
after an hour or so.  The bees then visit the stacks of supers without much
fuss.  Dressed in tee shirt and shorts I will consistently shake bees free
of the dry comb without any problems.  Occasionally when carrying supers
from the honey house and stacking them bees will land on my hands and begin
to take the honey on my sticky fingers.  The bees have never displayed any
aggressiveness to anyone including neighbors who find it amusing watching me
stand in the cloud of bees at the supers.  I can also approach the colonies
and go completely ignored except for the occasional one that flies into me
on the return flight.  No attacking, no stinging, ever.  The flights appear
normal just as they would during a nectar flow. HOWEVER IF THE SUPERS ARE
PLACED CLOSE TO THE COLONIES ALL BETS ARE OFF.  Bees become aggressive and
robbing will begin.

Many beekeepers say to place the supers back on the colonies above the inner
cover to let the bees clean them.  Every time I tried this I never noticed
robbing but the bees became very aggressive.  It is almost like they are
expecting to be robbed and they go into this defensive mode.  Last week I
had a few frames uncapped thin nectar that I wanted to give to one colony.
I put them in a super and placed it above the inner cover.  Ten minutes
later I could not approach the colony.  They were not being robbed and there
was actually very little activity, but when I would approach they came out
fighting.  I can't explain this behavior but I have seen it time and again
whenever I would try and do this.  I noticed this the very first year I had
bees.  I had  some spilled honey that I placed in a jar to feed back to one
of my two colonies.  I planned on using an entrance feeder.  I took it down
early in the morning before leaving for work.  Being extremely interested in
all activity at the time I stayed around to watch.  Some bees came out and
began walking around.  Pretty soon they came out flying and were not very
happy with me.  It was like they were thinking "we struck gold and we will
fight to keep it".  It was a good lesson.

Based on these observations over the years I have decided that bringing
honey into the apiary is not a wise move.  When working colonies any honey
filled burr comb should not be left out.  As I said, I can't really explain
why this happens only that I have seen it enough times to be convinced it is
not a fluke.

Ron Bogansky
Kutztown, (eastern) PA, USA