Bees and lawn tractors

[Suzi Q]

I've been provisionally offered a site to keep two hives in a large garden. It really seems ideal, crocus, snowdrops, chaenomoles, a tulip tree, lots of borage and comfrey and apple, pear, and plum etc. However the only fly in the ointment is the owner has a ride-on lawnmower and houses it in a shed maybe 30' from where would be an ideal place for the hives. The grass would be about another 20' away. Is 30 feet far enough away for the bees to be undisturbed and the tractor driver to be safe and not get stung? Would it help if the entrance was facing away from the sound of the tractor although that would be north east!

 

[Cazza]

Works in our house. HWMBO mows to within 30ft. I won't let him mow closer. Bees have their grumpy moments but he's never been stung.

Would I risk it at someone else's house? Only IF I knew them VERY well and had explained the risks carefully.

Cazza

 

[Hombre]

Lots of briefing, occasional veil and high speed mowing runs very early in the morning.
Watch out for colonies that become nasty and start following. Move them quickly.

 

[theeggman]

Last year I was mowing to within 4ft. of my hive with a quad + flail topper with no problems. I did check hive activity first though.
As I've ordered 2 occasional jacket/veils from T's for visitors I will have the option this year.

 

[will]

The farmer were I keep my bees drives his tractor within 2ft of the front of the hives and cuts the hedge no problem, mind you he dose have the cab closed, the bees are Ok afterwards

 

[mexbigshow]

i use petrol hedge trimmers within a couple of feet from my hive without any bother

 

[Poly Hive]

I used to petrol flymow the apiary at Craibstone and I always used a veil. And it was needed.

All it takes is one sting and the fan has a workload.

PH

 

[beebreeder]

Or one stone thrown out by the blades and hitting a hive.

 

[Queens59]

We mow within 6 ft with a lawn tractor - no probs...and that is bee-phobe FinL!

 

[Suzi Q]

Thanks for all your replies! Doesn't seem as though it will be a problem.

 

[rae]

Hmmm. I walked a scrub mower past our (normally placid) hives and took 14 stings to the back of the head. I had to abandon the mower (still running) and leg it to the house. The missus suited up and turned off the mower, which was covered in the critters.

Don't trust bees and mowers.

 

[Poly Hive]

It might be a problem ... and that might is enough or should be to make you have a serious think.

I mentioned issues, yet you ignored that. Fair enough. But it is not you the owner at risk. It is a third party. Insured for death?

PH

 

[yantabulla]

I mow right up to the front of mine. Go in close the first time taking advantage of the element of surprise.

Try not to let the exhaust puff into the entrances

Set your hives up so that you don't have to do any fiddly mowing or trimming around them.

I also place a sheet of tin or a board along the front to smother the grass.

They don't like mowers. You just have to take them by surprise & retreat.

Yanta

 

[madasafish]

I run lawn mowers under my TBHs with no problems. Also strim under them.. ditto.

Depends on the bees.

 

[Suzi Q]

No, no, PH I didn't ignore the issues you raised, took them into account...the thing is the chap won't be riding his lawnmower past the hives, there's no grass there. He will be starting the machine up and riding it out of his shed, and that's maybe 30 feet away. Will be impossible for any debris to be thrown out that far? I am thinking seriously about this, probably to the point of being over cautious.

 

[drex]

All my hives face North, as that is the quiet area of the plot with no one wanting to walk or work there. Works fine. Do not know if they start work late as they are all in this direction. As soon as direct sun is on back of hive they are all up and out anyway.

 

[MJBee]

I use a ride on mower and cut to within 6 ft of the back four of my hives. There is, however a 3ft sheep netting fence which is laced with blackberry and tayberry. When the bees are flying hard I keep as low as I can as I pass (ie lay forward over the steering wheel.) I have never been stung BUT I ALWAYS wear a smock - with the hood back but available if I get buzzed.

My advice would be make the operator aware of the potential sting risk and provide a smock for him/her to wear if they want to.

 

[Cazza]

My advice would be make the operator aware of the potential sting risk and provide a smock for him/her to wear if they want to.

That is a good idea. Then you have made sure they were informed of the risk and given PPE.

Cazza

 

[Suzi Q]

I have a spare bee jacket, if he won't wear it I could offer to mow the grass for him!

 

[victor meldrew]

I have a spare bee jacket, if he won't wear it I could offer to mow the grass for him!

I use a rotary (petrol) mower, 20" cut , no grass box .
I mow so that the side exit cuttings fire away from the hives .
I start away from the hives and work towards them . The cut before the one that passes the hives directly usually has the bees running out to see what's going on . The cut right up to the hives has the bees scuttling back in again .
I used to trim around the hives with a strimmer , now that was a different ball game . the bees flooded out and stayed out . Maybe it was the pitch of the whine that set their teeth on edge (metaphorically speaking ).
Recently I set the flag stones upon which the hives sit on concrete blocks, high enough to allow the mower to reach easily . Problem solved
VM