Slugs and Beehives

[beeno]

Hi all,
What exactly is the relationship between slugs and hives! Caught one just about to squeeze through a mouse guard hole and I often find some in the hives. Do they take up residence to get a bit of warmth or do they go on the comb for honey too? I have never seen one on the comb and I must say I don't like the thought of that!

 

[Cazza]

Never seen any around or in my hives. (On grassy area so they will be around.)
Do you have a damp problem or a damp area?
Cazza

 

[Heather]

You mean you don't have a damp problem ???. This year slugs have been too big to get through mouseguards, but they seem to invade most else. So gross
There must be a reason for them but am sure the planet would survive if they became extinct..

 

[Ely]

Their was a snail entombed in wax in the brood box last year. Wanted to take it out but it would have damaged some brood. Still there for all I know. I think they just travel wherever their mood takes them. Lots of detritus for them to munch on on a hive floor.

 

[pargyle]

I get the occasional slug sheltering overnight in the periscope entrance but I've seen the guard bees harrassing them and the slugs seem to leave. Don't get the big black ones - tend to be the smaller brown or tiger striped ones ... never seen one inside the hive.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hi all,
What exactly is the relationship between slugs and hives! Caught one just about to squeeze through a mouse guard hole and I often find some in the hives. Do they take up residence to get a bit of warmth or do they go on the comb for honey too? I have never seen one on the comb and I must say I don't like the thought of that!

Slug pellets on the ground under the hive - preferably weatherproof ones.

 

[Cazza]

You mean you don't have a damp problem ???. This year slugs have been too big to get through mouseguards, but they seem to invade most else. So gross
There must be a reason for them but am sure the planet would survive if they became extinct..

Dry as a bone in sunny Suffolk! (Actually my garden is on sand and so very well drained.)
Cazza

 

[madasafish]

Slugs speed up recycling of plant matter - like worms. By a factor of several times.

I get them in my hive roofs .. and have snails crawling up our house walls..

We have a semi drained marsh next door in the field.

 

[pargyle]

We have a semi drained marsh .......

Ours is called the garden today !!

 

[Ely]

Collect up all the snails and put them in a conainer of grated carrot. As soon as they start pooing carrot they are safe to eat! Boil them up in some garlic and white wine. Mmm. No different to eating shellfish

 

[beeno]

Never seen any around or in my hives. (On grassy area so they will be around.)
Do you have a damp problem or a damp area?
Cazza

Not particularly. Lots of snails and slugs though.

 

[beeno]

You mean you don't have a damp problem ???. This year slugs have been too big to get through mouseguards, but they seem to invade most else. So gross
There must be a reason for them but am sure the planet would survive if they became extinct..

Hi Heather,
That's what I thought until I watch the octopus on TV the other night that made a dash for it through a very narrow gap! Must be the same with slugs. The nuc is very noisy, so I think something is bothering them.

 

[pargyle]

Collect up all the snails and put them in a conainer of grated carrot. As soon as they start pooing carrot they are safe to eat! Boil them up in some garlic and white wine. Mmm. No different to eating shellfish

Pity you can't get them to eat garlic as well ... saves a bit on the cooking ! I use garlic powder in my hens food to keep them healthy and worm free - if I get a bit heavy handed we get garlic flavoured eggs !

 

[beeno]

Their was a snail entombed in wax in the brood box last year. Wanted to take it out but it would have damaged some brood. Still there for all I know. I think they just travel wherever their mood takes them. Lots of detritus for them to munch on on a hive floor.

Great news thanks Ely.

 

[beeno]

I get the occasional slug sheltering overnight in the periscope entrance but I've seen the guard bees harrassing them and the slugs seem to leave. Don't get the big black ones - tend to be the smaller brown or tiger striped ones ... never seen one inside the hive.

Yep, I have seen some being harassed on the hive floor too. I usually find a couple in the spring sitting where the lugs are. I hate all slugs.

 

[beeno]

Collect up all the snails and put them in a conainer of grated carrot. As soon as they start pooing carrot they are safe to eat! Boil them up in some garlic and white wine. Mmm. No different to eating shellfish

I had a lot of Roman Snails which I understand are the Escargot, but one of the few things I do not eat sadly.

 

[Excession]

Apparently as bees can't evict slugs, they sting them to death and then seal them in propolis to keep the hive hygienic.

Clever girls!

 

[itma]

Summer before last, my attempts at Q rearing (in packaging poly boxes converted to be mini mating nucs) were utterly and totally frustrated by slug invasion.
A full colony should be able to handle them with stings and prop.
But a mating nuc loses the contest.

 

[BeeJayBee]

There are a couple of old threads about slugs.
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=348913
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=25344

The ones I've had in my hives haven't been stung to death, but they've put themselves above the top bars and slimed everything. Like something out of Ghostbusters!

 

[hiveabee]

Collect up all the snails and put them in a conainer of grated carrot. As soon as they start pooing carrot they are safe to eat! Boil them up in some garlic and white wine. Mmm. No different to eating shellfish

I had them in a French restaurant in Southport on Friday, the menu said they came from Dorset. Very tasty, but the service was slow and it took a while for the Waiter to come out of His shell. They was crunchy on the outside but soft in the middle. sorry