Management: Absconding

Absconding

Example 1 Asheville, North Carolina USA

On October 2, 2018, the hive was treated for mites with 50 grams of Apiguard. The next day, October 3rd, a small swarm was noticed on a limb in the apiary. They left before they could be captured. Notice that by noon on October 4th the inside hive temperature equaled the outside temperature - never a good sign.

After 2 days, the bees came back for their honey! For three and a half days, October 5th through the 8th, the hive lost weight at a linear rate, indicating limited resources. If this had been robbing, the rate of loss would have accelerated. The bees removed about 40 lbs of honey.

Other hives in the apiary did not gain weight, supporting the idea that the 40 pound loss was not due to robbing.

Sapphire lost weight after Radiance absconded.

Another hive in the apiary, Anastasia, also lost weight in the days after Radiance absconded.