Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Beecharmer on May 13, 2005, 02:43:57 PM

Title: Blue Jays
Post by: Beecharmer on May 13, 2005, 02:43:57 PM
Hi,

I am getting my nuc this weekend and have a question.  I have read that blue jays eat bees.  I feed the birds in the area that the bee hive will be.  Should I quit feeding them?  There are 4 jays that come every day.
Title: Blue Jays
Post by: Robo on May 13, 2005, 03:23:33 PM
Although I don't have any blue jays,  I feed the birds and do not have any problems.  I have plenty of birds nesting in my yard between the blue birds, chickadees, and Eastern phoebes.  In fact I have one phoebe that spends the majority of her day perched on a fence post next to my hives.  Although I see her working the ground around the pole, I have never seen her take a bee out of the air or at the entrance of the hive.  

I would keep an eye on it at first,  if you get birds perching on the hive tops with their attention focused at the hive entrance, then I would start to worry.
Title: Blue Jays
Post by: Michael Bush on May 13, 2005, 04:57:35 PM
I've had blue jays in the past and had no problems.
Title: Blue Jays
Post by: lee on May 13, 2005, 06:23:32 PM
i had a peach tree. and the blue jays ate the peaches, there  bad brids  :twisted: don't know if they eat bees
Title: Blue Jays
Post by: Horns Pure Honey on May 13, 2005, 08:06:50 PM
I cant remember exact numbers but there are like 36 diff common birds that eat bees around the yard. I dont think it should be a problem becuase if they are going to be eat'n than it is just going to happen some other place. Just part of the food chain. bye :D
Title: Blue Jays
Post by: bill on May 14, 2005, 01:27:47 AM
I saw a scissortail standing under my nuc and eating bees off the ground I was on the tractor and I yelled at him and he left