Where I'm going to place my bees is known to have skunks. I read where I should raise my hives about a foot. One book said to drive some nails through a board like a carpet strip. Any better home solutions I could try?
Thanks!
Art
Make that 16 inches, not a foot. Any carpet store will likely give you a strip of carpet tack.
Two raw eggs, whipped well, with 3 or 4 aspirin ground and mixed well, and the skunk won't come back.
Maybe use top entrances.
Never heard of the egg and aspirin. Why does that work?
They go nighty-night for a loooonnngg time.
Oh...the ole dirt nap...
live trap them & drown them.
Once they get a taste for bees, they will keep coming back. And bring their kinsfolk too. Get them up in the air, defiantly. but I've seen them stand on their hind legs and stretch, they' re pretty long. Never used aspirin, but know people that swear by it. In the old days you could buy cyanide tablets for them.... but no more. The only things that have worked for me was my .22 and i always have a big dog or two around that keeps them wary. Both of these options have obvious draw backs.
Great...
Well I've seen them around and I don't even have my bees yet. Humph!
Just raise the hive up a little and use top entrances and you will be fine.
Jim
I put my hives 3 1/2" off the ground and went to top entrances.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm
Back in the 60's or 70's we had a bad rabies out brake. I haven't seen a skunk within 50 miles of my place. Folks use to run over them and that's how we knew they were around. I haven't even smelled one since then.
Lately, I've seen a ton of road kill skunks. Maybe it's mating season or something...
Michael, I might be able to make a top feeder. Doesn't look too difficult. I like it!
Art
Top ENTRANCE, not feeder, and it's super simple. Look at Michael's website.
Top entrance. I mis spoke