What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

well do we honestly think they are a problem?

 

[Moobee]

On two occasions over the last 65 yrs , I have found dead shrews in my hives (presumably stung and killed by the bees) when checking them after winter. One was dead on a floor board and the other was found dead on the frame tops of the lower BC in the bee space between brood chambers (I winter my bees on double BCs ). In the latter case the bees were all in the top BC having eaten all their stores in the bottom one)

According to Pam Hunters book, some years can be significantly worse than other. Guess I’ve just been unlucky or our garden is a shrew Mecca!

 

[Moobee]

well do we honestly think they are a problem?

I can’t find the piece I was reading about colony loss in Canada due to Pygmy shrews. Obvs a big problem there and I’ve had two years of this with at least one colony lost & a couple depleted due to them (judging by the piles of dead bees). Admittedly probably a weaker colony than the others & think I also read somewhere that once they find a food source (& apparently they are very partial to bees), they just keep coming back. Not many cats round here & we rarely see birds of prey this close to the coast so perhaps not enough predators to keep them in check?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I was reading about colony loss in Canada due to Pygmy shrews. Obvs a big problem there

but there isn't here.
I have a friend in Tanzania who has big problems with Ratel predation, but I've never had any issues with them - and I haven't even tried hanging my hives in the trees

 

[Newbeeneil]

Used the slightly warmer weather to sort out some boxes of a couple of hives that had died out late summer.
One was obviously a very small colony that couldn’t have survived the winter but the other was interesting.
There were very few dead bees on the floor probably because there was very little room for the queen to lay any eggs! The whole box seemed to be filled with pollen, which had been dislodged by mites and was piled on the inspection board below the OMF.
From my notes it appears I had removed 5 frames of pollen from this hive during the summer so they were a colony that fatally, decided pollen was more important that nectar!

 

[The Poot]

Well @Moobee, if Jenks states they’re not a problem over here, you must be imagining it. What else do you think it could be? Clearly not honey badgers, as Jenks has had no problems with them either.

 

[Moobee]

but there isn't here.
I have a friend in Tanzania who has big problems with Ratel predation, but I've never had any issues with them - and I haven't even tried hanging my hives in the trees

Well I clearly have a problem with them where I am for whatever reason.

 

[Moobee]

Well @Moobee, if Jenks states they’re not a problem over here, you must be imagining it. What else do you think it could be? Clearly not honey badgers, as Jenks has had no problems with them either.

Indeed. Just because someone doesn’t believe it, doesn’t mean it’s not true!

 

[Parsonage Bees]

For me it's been a bad year for mice and voles in the house. Caught 8-10 under the floors and kitchen cabinets. Tailed off now. The last year this happened I considered getting a cat. I've seen at least one shrew left for me on the path to the hives by the local moggy.
Like wasps I think the population of rodents could have a cycle.

 

[alancooper]

When I started beekeeping about 20 years ago I scorched boxes and old frames for the first year or so, then never since. Based on the assumption that surface propolis acts as a disease deterrence substance I take off propolis with a hive tool at inspections if it hampers management.
Since my apiary is relatively remote (although close to a small village with free living colonies in the redundant chimneys of houses with electric heating), I cannot comment on whether it accounts for my healthy colonies.
I do get occasional frames with the small wax moth species, but this is usually on overwintered super frames in a shed - easily removed with a tool before use.

 

[Nannysbees]

Shrews.. Employ the cat or rat/mouse bait underneath the hive. They go into the hives as mice. Some here put mouse guards with 6mm entrance, or just fix the plain metal on entrance to reduce entrance to 6mm.
I never had mouse guards on the hives. Luckily had no bigger trouble with them. Two times I found something went into the few hives in the bottom box when I moved brood box up and minor damage to couple of empty frames. But strange was that happen in September/October when bees are active.

Oh no don't kill a shrew they are in serious decline!!!

 

[The Poot]

Oh no don't kill a shrew they are in serious decline!!!

I agree, they just need taming.

 

[Goran]

Oh no don't kill a shrew they are in serious decline!!!

Not over here.. Anyway, in my storage of beekeeping material where cats can't enter they were making me serious problem. I placed bait with glue and majority were shrews. It is me or them. So I might be narcissist but I choose me. Outside cats are patrolling..

 

[Sutty]

Not over here.. Anyway, in my storage of beekeeping material where cats can't enter they were making me serious problem. I placed bait with glue and majority were shrews. It is me or them. So I might be narcissist but I choose me. Outside cats are patrolling..

It would be better to use a more humane way of trapping than glue.

 

[Moobee]

Oh no don't kill a shrew they are in serious decline!!!

I’ve deployed lots of 6mm mesh to keep them out!

 

[ericbeaumont]

Outside cats are patrolling

More use patrolling inside (and save on bait & glue).

 

[Goran]

It would be better to use a more humane way of trapping than glue.

Snap traps are less efficient.. Sometimes when " wave" of them come - overnight can be caught 5-10 of the shrews, mice, vole..

 

[Sutty]

Snap traps are less efficient.. Sometimes when " wave" of them come - overnight can be caught 5-10 of the shrews, mice, vole..

Glue traps are held to be so inhumane that they are illegal for public use in the UK, and professional pest controllers need a licence for exceptional use.

 

[Goran]

Tell that to the farmers here, zillions of rodents.. Here You can buy "rat glue" in every shop. With poison I risk to cats catch such mouse and die as well. I don't have luxury of time to play mouse hunter games..

 

[Goran]

More use patrolling inside (and save on bait & glue).

Once marten entered as well when I allowed entrance to cats, massacrated few young cats.. After that I don't allow cats to enter.