During periods of nectar dearth, especially when removing the fall honey crop and preparing your colonies for winter, be extremely careful to avoid setting up the robbing instinct. Exposed honey sources (frames containing honey outside the hive) stimulate scout bees in the same way as rich nectar sources do. Colonies have little respect for each other when it comes to the possession of honey. Robbers are quickly recruited and quite suddenly can throw the whole apiary into an uproar. Nucleus, weak, and queenless colonies may be quickly destroyed and robbed of all their honey stores. Strong colonies may lose many workers in robbing or in fighting robbers to protect their own stores. The frenzy reaches its height when the honey supply is exhausted, but it may be some time before the colony returns to routine activities. Robbers are easily recognized as they eventually become smooth, shiny, and almost black.

Robbing is a bad habit that is difficult to break. Careful beekeepers know that the best way to combat robbing is through prevention. If you notice robbing in the apiary, you immediately should reduce the entrances of all hives according to colony strength. You also should close off all cracks or openings in the equipment through which robbers might gain entrance.

In addition to reducing the entrance, it may help if you lay a board from one side of the bottom board to the other. This forms a tunnel through which the robber must pass and in which the hive bees congregate and defend themselves. A large bunch of weeds or grass thrown in front of the entrance will also hinder the robbers. If you have to manipulate colonies when robbing is dangerous, proceed with caution, open the hive carefully, work quickly, and never leave combs of honey exposed. Place all combs taken from the hive in an empty hive body protected with a bottom and a cover. Spare outer-telescoping covers work well. Working the bees toward evening will reduce robbing problems. If colonies must be fed, the feed may be given during inclement weather in late evening or early morning. Feed always should be placed inside the hive.