Bl***dy Woodpecker

[Bucks_Boy]

Seems the hot and dry weather is having an effect on a local woodpecker.

Ground too hard for ants so decided to knock a hole in the top super of 2 hives.

Weekly inspection today I arrive to see streams of bees leaving from the top and the bottom of the hives.

Woody would pick the brand new supers not the old manky ones underneath :-(

For those of you who have a known woodpecker problem ( I normally dont, first damage ever ), be warned.....

 

[Winker]

Seems the hot and dry weather is having an effect on a local woodpecker.

Ground too hard for ants so decided to knock a hole in the top super of 2 hives.

Weekly inspection today I arrive to see streams of bees leaving from the top and the bottom of the hives.

Woody would pick the brand new supers not the old manky ones underneath :-(

For those of you who have a known woodpecker problem ( I normally dont, first damage ever ), be warned.....

Be warned, it will be back! Now it knows that there is a tasty meal there. Dammed things learn way to fast

 

[oliver90owner]

That is the first time I have heard of woodpecker damage other than in very cold weather (winter). That is in ten years beekeeping. Has to be a first, of course!

Regards, RAB

 

[terryme]

Our local association apiary has been experimenting with woodpecker deterrents - so far I think bubble wrap and dangling cds are the winners. Any other successful strategies recommended?

 

[nelletap]

I was quite pleased with my woodpecker protection. Do you know those indoor airer/dryers that are often in 4 sections of plastic covered wire? They fold away and if folded round into an upright square cylinder (mathematically totally wrong but hopefully describes it) it fits round a national hive with just an inch or two between the hive and teh surround. I bought some thin garden netting and covered the entire structure with a double layer. I then cit a large hole like an oversized letterbox coinciding with the entrance hole. I used string /old shoe laces to create a way of closing and easily opening the thing and with hindsight, lacing around the opening would be good as one or two bees got caught between the layers of plastic netting. I did take a photo. My daughter left another couple of these when she moved out so I need to make one for each of my other hives. I'll try and add the photo here by putting a link to a facebook album set to public being able to view. hope it works. There are only two photos in the album at the moment.
This contraption has the advantage that I can open it easily and because it is not actually attached to the hive, the noise of my doing so does not disturb those inside. I read that the key to protection is making it hard for the woodpecker to hold on and they can't hold on to the netting nor get between it and the hive so they cannot make a hole. I hadn't wanted to keep it on over summer but it would not interfere too much if I did.
Tricia

 

[susbees]

Ours just bash h*ll out of the house oak frame...as thanks for giving them peanuts. But these are lesser spotted......are the hive muggers greens?

 

[BobsBees]

Woody Protection

I used black dustbin liners last winter, no problems reported.
Keep them folded double and staple around and above the entrance, gives a bit of extra insulation too.
If your careful with removal the liners can be used for the bins as well.
Bob.

 

[Bucks_Boy]

are the hive muggers greens?

Thanks for the suggestions --

Yes the woody is Green and will be an ex-woody if I get my hands on it ....

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Thanks for the suggestions --

Yes the woody is Green and will be an ex-woody if I get my hands on it ....

Just remember they are protected. Killing one will land you with a £5000 fine or 6 months in prison

 

[Midland Beek]

Our local association apiary has been experimenting with woodpecker deterrents - so far I think bubble wrap and dangling cds are the winners. Any other successful strategies recommended?

Plastic owl. A stick on pair of eyes, just like a fox's (whatever a fox's eyes are like). A papier mache cat.

 

[psafloyd]

This is an invention from a new beek at our division.

He took some simple metre-long plastic fencing mesh, cut it in half and applied it to the frame. Not only does it fit over the roof over the brood box, but folds up to a tiny space and isn't as annoying as chicken wire.

 

[grizzly]

Plastic owl.

Do they actually work ?
Got a woody around at the moment who caused damage over winter, making chicken wire covers each time i split is a pain. Might also try the hanging cds.

 

[Bucks_Boy]

Do they actually work ?
Got a woody around at the moment who caused damage over winter, making chicken wire covers each time i split is a pain. Might also try the hanging cds.

Not if they are half as intelligent as seagulls.
My boat became a mecca for them once I put up a plastic owl, they seemed to use it for perching on or target practice
I've seen Wood Pigeons admiring themselves in the reflection of a CD and magpies pull fleece off crops just to see what is underneath..

I've had to resort to the Chicken Wire ( razor wire being too expensive )

 

[psafloyd]

This is an invention from a new beek at our division.

He took some simple metre-long plastic fencing mesh, cut it in half and applied it to the frame. Not only does it fit over the roof over the brood box, but folds up to a tiny space and isn't as annoying as chicken wire.

Hey, where's my pic gone? It was here yesterday...

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=254&pictureid=1466

 

[psafloyd]

Do they actually work ?
Got a woody around at the moment who caused damage over winter, making chicken wire covers each time i split is a pain. Might also try the hanging cds.

He had no attacks in an apiary where another did. QED.

 

[tonybloke]

Do they actually work ?
Got a woody around at the moment who caused damage over winter, making chicken wire covers each time i split is a pain. Might also try the hanging cds.

plastic owl on an allotment is used as a perch by loads of varieties of birds, including green woodpeckers, sparrow-hawks, gulls, pigeons, but no-one has seen an owl on it yet, so perhaps it works for them!

( btw, plastic owls are used to lure in magpies for shooting. place dead rabbit/partridge/etc nr owl on the ground, pretty soon a group of magpies will appear and try to 'mob' off the owl)

 

[lceumt]

Hi,

We also have woodpeckers and am about to get a hive (newbie). Do I only need
to worry about Green Woodpeckers or are the Greater / Lesser Spotted ones also going to give me trouble at some point?

Thanks


Mick

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Hi,

We also have woodpeckers and am about to get a hive (newbie). Do I only need
to worry about Green Woodpeckers or are the Greater / Lesser Spotted ones also going to give me trouble at some point?

Thanks


Mick

I think it's only greens that are the problem. We've got tons of the other types and have never had a hive attacked.

 

[lceumt]

Thanks. Only seen 1 of these and that was about 1 year ago. Hopefully we will be ok.

 

[MJBee]

Woodpeckers have to "learn" that a beehive contains food. I am surrounded by deciduous woodland with lots of all varieties of woodpecker and have had no problem - YET.

If you do get an attack it will probably be a Green and it will keep coming back.