Horses and bees

[Itchy]

I've tried searching, because I'm sure it is here, but cant get good search results.
What IS the official advice on keeping bees in proximity to horses?

 

[Walrus]

I don't think there is any "official" advice specific to horses, although it is recommended to keep hives fenced off from livestock.

There are some horror stories where bees & horses have wound each other up resulting in badly stung/dead horses but I think it's rare. Pretty awful when it does happen though.

My bees are on a farm which has horses. The only problem I had was a skittish colt didn't like the sight of me in a bee suit. Can't say I blame it. My hives are about 100 yards away from the field where the horses are & no problems so far.


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[Gilberdyke John]

I don't think there is any "official" advice specific to horses, although it is recommended to keep hives fenced off from livestock.

There are some horror stories where bees & horses have wound each other up resulting in badly stung/dead horses but I think it's rare. Pretty awful when it does happen though.

My bees are on a farm which has horses. The only problem I had was a skittish colt didn't like the sight of me in a bee suit. Can't say I blame it. My hives are about 100 yards away from the field where the horses are & no problems so far.


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Before getting bees I was advised by our area BHS access officer (also a beekeeper) to face hive entrances away from horse trafficked areas. In my case I have three hives facing South in a chicken run which have a horse fence about 4 feet behind them and a horse paddock about 30 feet in front. Another hive facing South in a second chicken run with similar separation distances.
The chickens seem to below the bees interest or the feathers are stingproof. The horses are protected by distance as I have never noticed any effects during observations or swellings during grooming activity, even when one hive was queenless for a while. Uniting the queenless hive sorted that little problem.

 

[Luminos]

As with GJ, my hive entrances face away from the horses.
The meadow is about 15m from the apiary and the stable block about 30m.
The horses are behind electric fencing and additionally, a chicken wire fence separates the apiary.
Bees like horse manure...

 

[Itchy]

Thanks folks....
As I'm led to believe, a sweaty horse smells similar to an alarm pheromone that upsets the bees...anyone heard this or knows of any research?

 

[enrico]

Never heard that, but like cows, if your bees end up on the grass near the hives and the horses eat it they get stung. They only do it a couple of times before steering well clear of the man in the white suit!
E

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Thanks folks....
As I'm led to believe, a sweaty horse smells similar to an alarm pheromone that upsets the bees...anyone heard this or knows of any research?

Never heard of that and not observed anything to suggest it might be true.

 

[DarynWebb]

I have bee's in the next field to horses, no problems as yet

 

[steve1958]

One of my Hives is sites in a field with Horses.
Its important that you have a good fence to separate the Hive area from the Horses, otherwise they will rub themselves against the Hive and knock the whole thing over.
(same with cattle).

The Bees and the Horses dont appear to bother each other,
but if I go to inspect the Bees and their is a Horse near to the Hive I leave things be and return a little later.
(No sence asking fro trouble).

I have another Hive in a field with Cows next door.
It doesnt matter where the cows are when I go to insoect the Bees, as soon as they see me they wander across and stand and watch me do whatever it is I need to do.

(I have tried telling them to go away in case they get stung, but it seems Cows arent bothered by my Bees).

 

[Smokeyred]

Cows are curious animals. Your experience is typical. After they become bored with watching, they will probably disperse. Sheep,on theother hand will stay away, unless they think you are about to feed them. They are greedier than cows in my experiece.

 

[Itchy]

Thanks all for your replies, risk assessment carried out!

 

[rayz_x]

As with neighbours (no pun intended) it depends on the owners. A friend's horse snorted up a bee and went into anaphylactic shock from the sting. The vet cost a fortune but the horse survived.
If your bees are in the next field it would inevitably be them that stung the horse if you don't get on with them.
Ray

 

[Stiffy]

I was given advise on a 'course' that keeping bees near horses is not a good idea but the impression I and many others on the course got was the tutor didnt really want anyone else to keep bees and we were there just to hear how clever he is!
I keep bees next to a field that has horses and I was worried that they would become a target for the bees. I have had the bees there for 4 years and speak to the owners regularly, they have never had a problem. I know there has been problems with bees and horses that have been widely publicized but like most stories there was probably other things going on. I would like others have said face the hives away from the horse field and only keep gentle bees.
S

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[Itchy]

I spoke to a retired rural vet about this - he's never heard of bees attacking horses, or any other animal, but suspects they may well do if an animal knock a hive over!

 

[whoosling]

If you go into search and put in- bees and horses to find the link -I had some good advice about this subject last year which might be helpful. Oh and remember you will never get one simple answer to a question from various beekeepers lol

 

[Russel]

On a number of sites we have to contend with goats, sheep, horses, and farm dogs where we have fences high enough ,so far, to keep them separated from the hives. Although last year the "goats" at one managed to open the gate with no apparent damage to either bees or goats. We also have ducks and geese that roam freely but tend to stay away from the hives.
You need to prevent the larger animals using the hives and stands as scratching posts!