I was reading a few of the past forums on bee's and got to wondering why can't you rob the hives at night? Wouldn't the bee's be more calm? If I need to knock or spray a wasper nest, I usually wait until night and do it with a flash light. It seems that the waspers can't see to fly in the dark.

-- Russell Hays (rhays@sstelco.com), July 12, 2001

Answers

There are probably a number of reasons but one important reason is that at night all of the bees would be in the hive, whereas during the day most of the field force will be out foraging. Bees are attracted to light, so if you open the hive at night and use a light to see by, all those bees are going to head right for the light source, which could get a little dicey.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), July 12, 2001.

The bees most definitely will not be more calm if you invade the hive at night. The bees maintain a constant temperature and humidity in the hive. It is very bad to open the hive at night for the same reason as it is bad to open it on a cold or rainy day. You let out all their heat and they have to expend a lot of energy re-climatizing the hive. That's energy they would otherwise spend on gathering nectar. Besides the setback, they will also be very angry with you. It's best to work the hive while the weather is hot and sunny and they are happily at work.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 13, 2001.

Experience is the best teacher. Is the paint really wet on that bench ? Russell, if you will hold the light on the bees, i will hold the bag, snipe hunting. Honey bees do not normally fly at night, they love to crawl up your shins. Bees will fly at night on alfafa bloom with a full moon. Let us know how your night robbing goes ! good luck, Larry in OK

-- Larry in OK (Nuts4bees@aol.com), July 14, 2001.

A good rule is never to work bees at night. They attack. They cling. They crawl into any crevice thay can find in your clothing. Having no light to guide them, they seem to follow just your body temperature and the carbon dioxide in your breath. And they will stay with you all the way home. Where else can they go? In the dark, they cannot navigate. My experience is that the most docile hive becomes very defensive at night.

-- Leroy King (spamm4me@aol.com), September 05, 2001.