Alan Coble wrote:
>
> I started beekeeping this year.  I didn't have problems keeping the grass
> cut around the hives in the beginning.  I would mow early (7AM) and the
> bees didn't mind it.  However, I now have difficulty cutting the grass with
> the now established hives.  I am aware you shouldn't hit the hive with the
> mower.  Does the sound, vibration or smell of the gasoline lawnmower cause
> them to become angry?  What is the best time and method to cut the grass
> around hives?
 
I work with a friend 180+/- hives.  He used, emphasis on the past tense,
a small two cycle line trimmer.  He claimed the bees would eat him
alive.  I wnet to help hime one day and brought a largee 4 cycle line
trimmer and the bees didn't care all that much.  One hive out of the 200
at the time got a little uspet.  We smoked the hives if they started to
show signs of getting upset.
I don't know for sure but my trimmer has a much lower pitch and is
quieter than the small ones.  I'm not pushing a brand but it was a ROYBI
that has interchangable heads.