A beekeeper in Terrace, British Columbia, faced an unusual challenge last month when her shop was invaded by thousands of bees. Christine McDonald, owner of Rushing River Apiaries, described the incident as an attempted honey heist by what are known as "robber bees." These bees invade other colonies to steal honey, especially when food resources become scarce in late summer.

McDonald, who has years of experience working with bees, admitted she was frightened by the sheer number of insects in her shop. "I think that's the most panicked I have felt. There's thousands of bees, I don't know where they're coming from, and I need to protect all of the honey," she said.

The swarm entered through cracks in the shop's older bay door. McDonald explained that when a bee discovers a good food source, it performs a "waggle dance" to inform other bees of its location. To protect her honey, she covered her equipment and products with tarps and lids. In a creative effort to manage the situation, she used her bathroom to trap the bees. By leaving the light on, she was able to lure them in, collect them, and then release them outside.

It took several days for the bees to stop returning to the shop. "I think they've learned that, nope, there's no more food here. We can't get in," McDonald noted. She has since taped up the shop's door to prevent any further invasions.

Robber bees are a common occurrence during late summer and early fall. Alison McAfee, a research associate and honeybee scientist at the University of British Columbia, explained that as food sources dwindle and bee populations peak, some colonies may invade weaker ones to steal food. "It's almost like they have a level of desperation, kind of like the way you can think about bears having a bit of a level of desperation trying to fatten up for winter," McAfee said.

In addition to robber bees, wasps can also pose a threat to honeybee colonies. McAfee explained that wasps, which typically feed on sugary substances secreted by their larvae, become more motivated to find food as the season progresses and their larvae numbers decrease.

While wasps are often blamed for attacking honeybee colonies, McAfee pointed out that robber bees can also be a significant threat, especially to weaker colonies. "We have a bad opinion of wasps. We're like, 'Oh those wasps, they're attacking our honey bee colonies, they're killing my bees.' But then a lot of the time, actually, the bees will kill our bees as well," she said.

After a few days of cleanup, McDonald has resumed honey production. She observed that the bees seem more desperate this year than in previous years, possibly due to prolonged heat that has kept conditions feeling like midsummer. McDonald advised fellow beekeepers to ensure their bees are well-fed to reduce the likelihood of them raiding other hives.