Racoons

GSF · April 12, 2016, 10:39:58 PM

Does anyone have a clue if raccoons (or 'possums) harass and eat bees at the hive? My bees have been pretty ugly the last few days. They've buzzed me several times at a distance of about 30 yards. I thought it might be due to the swarming or me going in the hives.

I've noticed several times that something had chewed up a lot of bees and left them compacted together (poop?) on the carpet in front of the hives. I just figured something had been eating the dead bees. Several times I've found the entrance reducers on the ground. This morning I caught my second raccoon at the chicken house, btw we've caught about 35+ 'possums since Christmas.

This evening the girls were more mellow than the days before. I'm wondering if me dispatching the 'coon had anything to do with it.

iddee · April 12, 2016, 11:03:26 PM

This area is covered up in coons and possums. I've never had a problem with the bees from them. Skunks will eat bees, but we don't have many of them here.

SawBee · April 12, 2016, 11:37:06 PM

I had something spinning a single box hive off of its bottom board. There were also some entrance reducers being knocked off. I trapped a raccoon and relocated it several miles away. So far the hives have been undisturbed since the relocation. I think the raccoon is a creature of habit and returns nightly to anyplace it finds a tasty meal. I'm sure there are many more raccoon in the area, but hopefully they haven't discovered the bee hives yet. I'm trying to be more meticulous about not leaving any old comb or other tasty treats around the bee yard.

Michael Bush · April 13, 2016, 11:46:24 AM

Skunks often cause a problem. Opossums sometimes cause a problem. Raccons very seldom cause a problem.

splitrock · April 13, 2016, 10:11:47 PM

Skunks are often a problem up here. When the need arises, I put a special little treat out for them at the hives after sunset. Come morning, the offender is out for good, and only a few feet away. The only offender I have had beside many skunks, has been one Opossum, and there are probably more coons around than the other critters mentioned.

rober · April 14, 2016, 10:21:22 AM

spinning a hive on it's bottom board sounds more like a bear. coons have destroyed frames if I space out & leave them laying buy the hives but that's my fault. you can put carpet tack strips on the entrance board & when the skunks tap on the hive they get jabbed. I live trap & drown skunks.

SawBee · April 16, 2016, 11:15:28 PM

Quote from Rober "spinning a hive on it's bottom board sounds more like a bear. coons have destroyed frames if I space out & leave them laying buy the hives but that's my fault. you can put carpet tack strips on the entrance board & when the skunks tap on the hive they get jabbed. I live trap & drown skunks."

No bears around the Kansas City area that I know of. The hive was sitting on a 4 foot high stand beside a second hive. I guess a skunk could have climbed up there and moved he hive body.