Anti-vandalism tactics

greenbtree · January 09, 2012, 02:25:28 PM

I am thinking of putting some hives on my property on a nice south facing slope, sheltered location. Unlike my other hive location on my property this one would be visible from a road through the park behind my property. The hives wouldn't be close, but visible. I am worried about yahoos messing with the hives.

So - tactics to reducing vandalism? I can jump off my pasture electric fence and fence it off to start. Also thinking of putting up a sign that reads "Area under 24 hour remote video surveillance" (I'm sure there must be a satellite somewhere pointed at my property, so I wouldn't be lying! ;) I figure that would keep them busy for awhile looking for the camera. Any thoughts, ideas?

JC

lenape13 · January 09, 2012, 02:51:58 PM

I've a hive of Russian girls that would keep them on their toes. They patrol my yard like little MiG fighters.

BlueBee · January 09, 2012, 03:04:39 PM

Along with your other ideas, how about painting the hives to blend in? I've been painting my recent builds forest green to blend in better.

AliciaH · January 09, 2012, 04:57:24 PM

Ditto on painting the hives to match the surroundings. People don't see what they are not trained to look for. I have a couple hives in my front yard, and before I could stop them, contractors would actually put their clipboards on the bee hives to do their writing. Just a pile of boxes, right? ;) It's always amusing to point out to them where they are standing, hee, hee, hee....

Having said that, someone will eventually notice, so I think the hot wire is a good deterent. Anyone more motivated will be taken care of by the bees.

AllenF · January 09, 2012, 06:58:24 PM

Claymore mines work wonders.
And get a game cam on the hives.
If you have trouble getting the real thing try this,
http://www.steelhawkairsoft.com/asc7-cd.html
Then you can post the video of kids getting slammed on the net. Once the word gets out.............

tefer2 · January 09, 2012, 07:44:47 PM

How about a sign, " Danger" Iowa State Killer Bee Project !

edward · January 09, 2012, 08:18:57 PM

Information is also a good idea , put a sign up explaining the benefits of bees , how they are peaceful away from the hive and only protect the immediate area around the hive and people should not linger or loiter or mabee just a

NO LOITERING sign :-D

mvh edward :-P

Quote from: AllenF on January 09, 2012, 06:58:24 PMClaymore mines work wonders.If you have trouble getting the real thing try this,
http://www.steelhawkairsoft.com/asc7-cd.html

If you load it with powderded sugar it might solve your varoa problems too. :bee:

Poppi · January 09, 2012, 08:52:52 PM

YEAH!!! I like AllenF's idea... what a hoot that would be... and if the hive would go after 'em at the same time... he he!!!!

greenbtree · January 09, 2012, 08:56:54 PM

Ooooh - the Claymore mine sounds like fun, might get me into trouble, but fun. I like the idea of painting to match - they will be in prairie - time to let the creative brush go wild!

JC

tefer2 · January 09, 2012, 09:05:53 PM

Painting to blend in is best, and a game camera hidden to see who has been snoopin around.
Plus with the game camera you get to see all the wildlife that pass by, unknown till camera.

SEEYA · January 10, 2012, 12:18:08 AM

>>I've been painting my recent builds forest green to blend in better.

BlueBee- Are you really going to paint your hives GREEN; and white? :evil:

tefer2 · January 10, 2012, 12:48:45 AM

Them spartan colors will surely get your junk tore up. :-D
MGOBLUE!!!!

PeeVee · January 10, 2012, 12:59:49 AM

Two legged predators are usually too canny for the really large "have-a-heart" traps. So I would go with multiple medium sized leg hold spring traps - the large bear traps while possibly appropriate, are just too obvious.

greenbtree · January 10, 2012, 01:48:32 AM

Yeah, and everyone knows that no matter how far away you take the varmints to let them go, they always come back :-D

derekm · January 10, 2012, 10:34:41 AM

make a garbage bin /compost bin outer cover for the hive

rober · January 10, 2012, 12:30:42 PM

plant a hedgerow. blueberries & bottlebrush buckeyes get quite large & would provide nectar sources. give yourself a walkway & aim the hives towards the hedge so you can mow close to them. i would then mulch between the hedge & the hives so you do not have to mow there. i put down old carpet & mulched over that 3 years so far & nothing has come thru it yet. you could put up a temporary privacy fence using a stack of straw bales until the hedge grows tall enough.

KD4MOJ · January 10, 2012, 03:15:30 PM

Quote from: BlueBee on January 09, 2012, 03:04:39 PM
Along with your other ideas, how about painting the hives to blend in? I've been painting my recent builds forest green to blend in better.

My vote is for camo. Would blend real nice!

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

CapnChkn · January 11, 2012, 12:58:47 PM

All I can say about Camo is it gets hot in the sun. Would you be painting the cover?

oliver · January 11, 2012, 01:07:56 PM

If possible place them in plain sight of a homestead, where at least anyone might think they could be seen. I lost my bees in an out yard 1/2 mile off the main rd behind a hedge.. 12 g shotgun through the brood chambers some time from 1 Jan till about the middle of Feb. This was over 20 yrs ago still has a bitter taste..dl

hardwood · January 11, 2012, 04:04:09 PM

oliver, I just lost three the same way last week while we were in TX.

Scott