chicken wire/ woodpeckers

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kronkie

New Bee
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
90
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Location
Portsmouth
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
5
I am going to put some chicken wire around my hives as there are loads of the green woodies in the area, I know that the wire has to be about 4 inches from the hive walls, but what about over the flight path of the girls going to the entrance, will this hinder them when they do have a little flutter in warm weather or5 do I need to leave rthis area clear?
 
What size mesh? The large would make little difference. If nearer aviary size (for budgerigars), some attention may be needed to assist the bees to enter and exit.

RAB
 
I went for the cheaper option. 2 old Compost bags cut down the sides to make 4 pieces drawing pinned to the top of the crown board. The front piece is simply folded over so that the entrance isn't impeded.

Bin Bags are too thin, but the compost bags seem to be thick enough as I couldn't get my hands on Animal feed or gravel bags.

The plastic should stop them getting to the sidewalls and if they perch on the roof or even next to the hive, the plastic is supposed to be thick enough to stop them bashing a hole in the hive.
 
Hijacking the thread slightly - Are speckled woodpeckers as much a threat as Green ones. Have had a family of the former in and around the garden all year and saw one the other day - atop the trellis next to my hive. "Should I be worried".
 
No, green woodpecker only and it's a learned behaviour . . . whew, lucky then!
 
Plastic, the same stuff that builders use for foundation work, rap it around the hive, the wood peckers can't get a grip and fly off...
 
No, green woodpecker only and it's a learned behaviour . . . whew, lucky then!

Speckled are sometimes known as Great Spotted, and according to John Rawsons book, "The World of a Bee Farmer" he suggests and I quote "Most damage to beehives has been attributed to the Green Woodpecker, but the Greater Spotted is just as capable of creating damage, in my view".

As a man keeping bees for more than 60 years, I'd suggest that his opinion might well be worth more than most. Either way, I'd add a bit of protection to the hives.

Adam
 
Speckled are sometimes known as Great Spotted, and according to John Rawsons book, "The World of a Bee Farmer" he suggests and I quote "Most damage to beehives has been attributed to the Green Woodpecker, but the Greater Spotted is just as capable of creating damage, in my view".

As a man keeping bees for more than 60 years, I'd suggest that his opinion might well be worth more than most. Either way, I'd add a bit of protection to the hives.

Adam
There is also another,the lesser spotted....cute little buggers.
 

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