BEE-L Archives

Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

BEE-L@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Jerry Bromenshenk <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 6 Jul 2014 11:26:46 -0400
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (20 lines)
We have 3 fool-proof methods to stop skunks, bears, and woodpeckers (on you own house).

Skunks
All of the repellants, tack strips, etc. fail as the weather either washes away or skunks get smarter.  While not doable for large scale beekeeping operations (too expensive), we have a big skunk problem at our main University Beeyard on the banks of a river.  The one thing that works, we build elevated tables, at least 16-18 inches off the ground, as hive stands; and we slide the hives forward so that the entrance boards protrude past the edge of the top of the table.  Skunks can't climb very well.  They are too short to reach these elevated hives, and if a smart skunk figures out how to get onto the tables, the entrances project off into space, so the skunk falls off trying to get to the hive entrance.  Completely stopped our skunk problem and has worked flawlessly for years.  It's also a lot easier on our backs, as long as we don't stack up too many honey supers.

Bears
In our dry climate, when the grass grows tall and dries out, electric weed-zapper fences no longer repel a bear.  Their paws are insulated by the grass.  Our Fish and Game guys worked with Lance Sundberg to come up with the truly bear proof fence design.  It's a fence built of vertical panels of metal ranch-panel, all tied together  with hog rings or wire, and grounded with copper stakes.  The ranch panel makes a quick to set up fence that the bear would have to climb to get in, or dig under.  Then, electric wires are run horizontal to the ranch panel at 3-5 heights from low to high above the ground.  These wires are set off from the ranch panel by plastic standoff clips (several inches long).  In essence, several 'hot' wires (3-5) encircle the enclosure, and the vertical metal ranch panels establish the ground.  Bear tries to climb, can't avoid paw on panel and nose or leg or chest getting a full zap.  Works so well, when bunch of train cars carrying wheat overturned some years ago near Glacier Park, the cleanup crew piled all the wheat on a level spot next to a cutbank, and erected one of these fences.  When they came back to truck off the grain, they found a very angry grizzly inside the enclosure.  The bear got in by climbing the hill, taking a run, and leaping into the grain pile.  But he couldn't get out.  Apparently his long paws kept bridging the ranch panel rods and the outer wires.

Woodpeckers and Homes
Assuming you don't have carpenter ants or termites in the beams of your home that the woodpecker wants for food, the woodpeckers are most likely looking for something to drum on or to establish a home. In US, they are protected. 

As per drumming, sometimes an alternative (louder) resonator will help but that can be hard on your ears.  

Nothing much helps in trying to discourage one that wants a home, they want a home, and they want it in the spot they picked.  The answer, give them a home right where they want it.  Most woodpeckers will accept the proper size nest box with some sawdust packed inside (helps keep less desirable birds out, and the woodpeckers seem to need to do some work to make it their own).  I had a flicker pounding holes in my house some years ago.  I'd chase, toss rocks, cover the area with metal, he'd just move over a few inches and go at it.  So, I hung up a flicker box in that spot and packed it with sawdust.  I then went back to work.  Before I got there, my wife called to say the Flicker was in the house kicking out sawdust like a buzz saw.  Twenty minutes later we had a flicker couple.  We've had flickers move in and produce young for several years - they are pretty birds.  They do like to drum on their own house at times during the original courtship, with short bits of drumming when one adult or the other is busy feeding the young - guess its the flicker equivalent of knocking at the door.  I learned to put a rubber strip on my own house wall just above the roof of the flicker box - the male wanted to sit on the roof of his home and drum on my house.  Still, the enjoyment of watching them do their job, raise their young, see the young fledge offsets a bit of knocking.

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

ATOM RSS1 RSS2