Hive Attack??? Who?????

[PaleoPerson]

The hive that was pushed over was very light as it was a small colony. I am convinced it was a fox as there have not been badgers in the garden for the last 12 years and the way the fencing is situated around the property, they would cause some damage getting into the garden.

I have lived in this area for 46 years and have a great interest in wildlife. We have had a badger sett in the back garden before and the only thing we did was to plant a line of blackcurrant bushes to define 'our garden' from the 'badgers garden', eventually, they deserted the sett. Therefore, I feel comfortable with what is and what is not entering my garden.

Urban foxes are endemic in this area, however the problems created by them appear to be down to the individuals trait with some being shy and nervous around humans whereas others completely ignore humans, the photograph is of one that was taken mid day on our front lawn, he just looked at me as I took the photograph and went back to sleep. This is the one that pushed between me and my car door as I was trying to get into it. This one is no longer around.

Magpies are becoming a bigger problem, I have seen the newly fledged magpies going after other birds nests, just killing the young, and I have even seen them take adult sparrows off the ground. They are also opening up bin bags searching for food. They are currently on the bottom rung of wildlife favorites and number one in the pest list.

That all said....
1/ re: Reynard - no action will be taken
2/ re: Magpie - may put some low level netting around the apiary pen as it would seem not to want to fly into it rather hop over.

Neither animal will be harmed on my property by humans and the hive is now strapped.

On another note, I had a problem with a blue tit roosting in our bat box. Problem was solved by a young male sparrow hawk. There are just some feathers now by the washing line.

Also shown is damaged frames from the hive.

 

[biggles]

Magpie with an air rifle is fine, make sure it is close (20 yards tops for a clean kill) - this is the problem with air rifles and magpies, they're crafty buggers and getting close is hard. I prefer a proper .22.

Mr Fox needs a proper gun - even a .22 rimmy is very high risk for a fox. Centerfire .222 would be my min, though dispatching them with a .243 deer rifle is certainly effective. All on FAC of course. Shotgun with large shot at close range is fine, but will get the neighbours itchy.

.22 rimfire is not legal for fox center fire only.

Cross bow?

Hunting with bows inc cross bows was illegal yrs ago.

I was warned because the pigeon I shot landed in someone elses garden and was NOT a clean kill although about 30 seconds later (apparently) it was dead! I am a responsible gun user and it's for vermin only not, pot shots at anything moving!
I don't want to go down the 'vermin' route but if idiots didn't put food out for vermin then the problem wouldn't bee so bad.
There are cats near me that hunt in packs and have decimated the wildlife around me (slow worms, frogs etc and they're not classed as vermin, shame!)
As for rules/the law regarding air guns then a few have been mentioned here. 50' from center of road, pellet must not leave your property, adequate back stop, public right of way footpaths etc, the list goes on.

If you wound an animal while hunting you can legally go onto anyones land to finish it off.

 

[Gardenbees]

Very bad luck about the damage done. I've never heard of a fox doing this: they're fairly wimpy on the whole, and not much bigger than a cat in some cases. Badgers are another matter - and VERY good at getting into unlikely places if they smell something nice, especially when they're extra hungry due to very dry soil (= lack of worms). They're like little tanks in that respect - and have good memories too, so will return if they've found something nice.

Shooting varmints is very satisfying but I'm afraid it won't solve the problem: if the incentive is still there, more varmints can easily move in. They're not exactly in short supply - and they all have excellent senses of vision and/or smell when it comes to locating tasty bee brood and honey. Prevention is definitely better than cure (ditto with green woodys).

I weigh down all my hives with big chunks of wall capping (firestone colour, gabled in cross section - very stable and heavy without denting the roof). The poly nuc is a particular worry, as a strong gale could conceivably blow the whole thing off its stand.

I'd fortify the base rather than risk opprobrium by picking off miscreants...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

.22 rimfire is not legal for fox center fire only.



If you wound an animal while hunting you can legally go onto anyones land to finish it off.

Shooting a fox with a .22 is not illegal just not advisable as wounding more likely and therefore not humane.If you have to use a .22 headshots only (and only if that use is specified on your ceretificate.
You may not legally enter anyones land without permission to finish off a wounded animal. Firearms(rifles) may only be used on land where you have specific permission, otherwise (if you're lucky)it's a breach of your licensing conditions or worse armed trespass
the firing of guns near a public highway is not as clear cut as everyone thinks it's all got to do with whether you interfere/distress another person's 'enjoyment' of the highway.
But this seems by the bye as paleoperson obviously doesn't want the creature harmed.
Have you tried bunches of human hair (from your local barber) dotted around your garden apparently it can be effective.Or put some tiger poo in your flower beds.
Catching the tiger afterwards may be a problem though!!

 

[biggles]

I will tell my fire arms officer that was standing next to me, and checking what I wrote when I done my last message, that he has it wrong.

He was just saying that if I was to wound an animal I have right of trespass with a fire arm even if you don't have an open licence. Seems its not just the highway laws that are unclear.

My FOC says 22lr for vermin and .22h .223 for vermin and fox. In Kent you would not get 22lr for fox. (they do seem to like 17hmr for fox here, where other forces say no)

I have seen fox walk past my hives but never touch them. Badges on the other hand are very hard to stop once they have had a taste. When working on your hive be very careful not to leave wax or anything about. If it was a fox I would shoot it, as I doubt if another one would do the same, if it took its place.

Good luck whatever you do.

 

[oliver90owner]

I think you can recover shot game legally, but you sure as h*ll are not allowed to take your firearm with you! A very subtle difference which used to be clearly stated in law.

RAB

 

[rae]

My FOC says 22lr for vermin and .22h .223 for vermin and fox. In Kent you would not get 22lr for fox. (they do seem to like 17hmr for fox here, where other forces say no)

There is the difference between reasons for getting the gun and using it.

If I put .22 rimfire on my FAC with a request for fox, it would get turned down in all probability. However, my .22 is listed as "used for shooting Vermin and Ground Game" - so there are no legal problems using it for fox. On the application, my request for that gun was based on rabbits, but the permission is broader. That said, I wouldn't shoot a fox with a .22 rimmy - far too high a chance of maiming. As far as I know, the only animal where calibre is legally defined is deer.

I doubt it is a fox, unless the fox is simply an opportunistic visitor after someone else has turned it over. Badgers would certainly turn a hive over if they worked out what was in it!

 

[666bees]

People have quickly forgot about the little girl attacked by a town fox. They are great in small numbers in the countryside but there is now place for them in towns.

 

[Ceph]

I think your damage is from squirrels.

I put some brood comb with brood an honey on the bird table, I don't realise there was any honey in it at the time but it appears the squirrels loved both, I had to retrieve comb with very similar damage from next doors shed roof.

We have loads of foxes here an they sniff around the apiary but can't do anything if they wanted due to ratchet straps on hives.

I don't think they would but was concerned they may jump and knock the hives levels out for a draft between boxes.

Squirrels don't try and get in the hives but they nest all around the apiary.

I know someone who had badgers smashing through his garden fences everynight after considerable repair each day. He put dog flaps in fences and everyone lived happily ever after.

That fox looks brilliant and he looks quite healthy. You should read the recent national geographic article about people taming them and keeping them as pets.

 

[oliver90owner]

The first pic is typical of a hedgehog having a feed from a frame.

Doubt if they could up-end a hive without absolutely everything being in their favour! That would include wind direction, balance of hive, mass of hive, type of stand, etc. But they could inflict that damage on the frame once the frames were exposed.

Regards, RAB

 

[susbees]

My money would be on a two legged pest as badgers are unlikely to be hungry enough to bother with a hive at this time of year and a fox is too much of coward.

With respect you are quite possibly wrong. Unless Essex has had serious rain they are in the same situation as us here in Wales (and everywhere we've been recently). The ground is cracked and bone dry. Hence badgers can't dig well for worms etc.

We have a sett on our hill and another couple of runs intersect the bottom of our land including through the apiary field.

Twice in seven years the summers have been so dry that badgers have ripped apart a raised and solidly built bantam house a foot from the kitchen window killing all the occupants. The second time is the only time that foxes have been seen near the house in broad daylight...on the roofs of chicken houses trying to get in.

Drought + Cubs to feed = Tactical changes

 

[Daithebees]

Around mid morning today, noticed that the poly hive in the garden had been pushed over and all the frames were strewn about. Two frames were about 2 metres away from the hive and the comb and honey that was in this frame had been eaten.

What was left was a very small cluster and a small frame of brood which was put back into the hive and the queen seems okay, but I am now only keeping them to look after the queen until I need one in the next few weeks.

Who did this?

My main suspect is FOX, although I have no positive proof yet, I suspect a fox pushed over the hive as the only other possible culprit being badger cannot get into our garden without causing some damage to the fencing. I also think that once the frames were in the open, his accomplice MAGPIE helped himself to the brood, as one has been attacking my home hives over the past four or five days. He even ignores you when you are in the garden and helps himself to bees off the entrance.

I think I shall ponder on the possible solution for this, so far I keep coming up with shotgun.

And to add insult to injury, when I removed my beesuit, a bee stung me on the top lip.

My only instant thought is, try using wooden hives with a large brick on top. When I was taught beekeeping in Scotland this was standard practice. I twont deter the determined, but does save from casual damage, including high winds.