Post by beenatural101 on Jun 5, 2010 17:40:57 GMT -6
there are many honey bee predators, I feel the need because I lost a queen recently on a mating flight. Had to order one, she will be here soon. Many things mess with bees. think about it a tasty bundle of protien muscle with a drop of honey in the center. I watch this one "Bark Lizard" we call em look just like pine bark. Young male, but the absolute fattest sucker I ever seen. He is pretty safe out there as long as he don't go bee diving at the entrance. Mostly I see him cruise through across the ground 1 or 2 x a day scooping up drones that havent figured out flyin too good yet, or dyin workers. Ok so whats a few drones and old workers crawlin off. nothin. Even the birds snappin em up is nothing to a hive, unless you have lots of birds. The biggest problem with birds is they may nab a queen on a mating flight, an unquestionably tasty individual fed copious amounts of royal jelly and nothing but since day 1.
You got ants some places. well bees blow ants away for one, but a real ant problem can become troublesome for your bees and theyll b testy. answer? ground cinnamon. lightly dust inner cover bottom board and stand with it be liberal itll last till the rain.
Hornets, yellowjackets, bumblebees, wasps, and other critters like spiders, assassin bugs, etc. Mostly if you got hornets bald faced preying on yer hive swat em when you see em but they really don't get many bees usually, unless you have way to many hornets. Bumblebees yellowjackets wasps and the like. Usually a strong hive can overwhelm any of these intruders with no problem. Weak hives may not do so well, reducers and boards on top of the front of the bottom board and another 3/4 cleat to make a tunnel works well.
Spider assassin bugs, well they dont eat much either.
Skunks possums coons. Dogs generally make these keep their distance, and elavated hives and good strong colonies help with these critters.
Bears? 44 magnum once the bear associates hives with brood and honey. Prevention with fences and cages is the only option in bear country, unless you like to hunt bear
alot.... better take a 12 gauge pump too with some 3 in magnum ooo buck and a pal to swing it or a 300 win mag bears are tough and a beekeepers nightmare.
You got ants some places. well bees blow ants away for one, but a real ant problem can become troublesome for your bees and theyll b testy. answer? ground cinnamon. lightly dust inner cover bottom board and stand with it be liberal itll last till the rain.
Hornets, yellowjackets, bumblebees, wasps, and other critters like spiders, assassin bugs, etc. Mostly if you got hornets bald faced preying on yer hive swat em when you see em but they really don't get many bees usually, unless you have way to many hornets. Bumblebees yellowjackets wasps and the like. Usually a strong hive can overwhelm any of these intruders with no problem. Weak hives may not do so well, reducers and boards on top of the front of the bottom board and another 3/4 cleat to make a tunnel works well.
Spider assassin bugs, well they dont eat much either.
Skunks possums coons. Dogs generally make these keep their distance, and elavated hives and good strong colonies help with these critters.
Bears? 44 magnum once the bear associates hives with brood and honey. Prevention with fences and cages is the only option in bear country, unless you like to hunt bear
alot.... better take a 12 gauge pump too with some 3 in magnum ooo buck and a pal to swing it or a 300 win mag bears are tough and a beekeepers nightmare.