Woodpecker black plastic sheeting

[Onge]

Hi

Does anyone have a picture of the black plastic method of securing a hive against woodpeckers as I have 2 new apiaries this year in wood pecker country.

Would be nice to get an idea of what it looks like when all pinned in place.

Don't rally fancy mucking about with chicken wire when I can pin a few sheets of plastic membrane stuff.

Thanks if anyone could help

 

[fatshark]

No pics but couldn't be easier to arrange. I use old compost sacks, cut so they cover the height from the bottom of the floor to immediately below the crown board (i.e. to a point that will be covered by the sides of the roof). I then use drawing pins to attach them to the top of the brood box (or super if on one and a half), wrapping them round the hive and using extra pins as necessary to hold down the overlaps (you'll need more than one piece). Don't pin them to the crown board - you might need to lift this to add fondant. I then cut around the entrance and mouse guard to allow access, again using pins to stop bits of plastic flapping about.

I've no proof that this stops Woody ... but all the hives in our apiary were wrapped like this last year and we had no signs of damage whereas one half a mile away was badly damaged. I know that there are lots of woodpeckers around but believe this is learned behaviour ... our local birds may not have learned yet ...

 

[Onge]

It sounds like you are wrapping your hives with plastic? I thought It all had to hang loosely.

Please can you take a picture and post here when you are set for winter.

Thanks.

 

[Jimmy]

Google images for woodpecker hives and the BBKA site image should come up.

 

[Silly Bee]

Saw reference to this in latest BBKA

Careful of condensation, if you only have a couple or so hives, go for chicken wire netting, saced 300 mm around and over the hive.

 

[Heather]

We had an out apiary that was vulnerable to woodpeckers.
Black plastic was wrapped around the hives- they became VERY damp- much more life threatening to the bees health. Chicken wire is easy -just 1 layer of small diameter pinned round.
What's so difficult about that- and removable, storable and there next year...

 

[Finman]

.
Have you used bird protective net which is used on strawberry field.

Bees fly through it.

 

[Heather]

Have used both, Finman- The netting drifted a bit- not sure if animal interference- but I admit it wasn't strapped down... but yes, both work- but never black plastic-please

 

[fatshark]

Jimmy (#4 above) is spot on ... first hit on Google images for me. Mine are on OMF with a good amount of insulation over the CB. No evidence of condensation last year. Most of the colonies at the shared apiary were wrapped like this last year and all got through the winter well.

 

[Onge]

.
Have you used bird protective net which is used on strawberry field.

Bees fly through it.

Sounds like a good idea with the least mucking about.

 

[Queens59]

Until today I thought I didn't need to worry about 'peckers, as they are always seen in the front garden...until today...how do they know?!?

 

[Heather]

Did they make a start on the hive- or still ignoring?

 

[jack]

Never had trouble with woodpeckers until this winter. Two hives badly damaged. Stapled black damp proof membrane round each hive. Hives are all on mesh floors and, touch wood, condensation doesn't seem to be a problem. No further trouble with wood peckers though!

 

[Bad Boy Bee]

Got one round one of my apiary's, keep hearing it but can't see it. I need to see the colour (green in this case being the danger sign). It has been suggested I employ an air rifle or a catapault but I find feeding it a little further away from the site gives the little bugger easy pickens and keeps it away for the time being.

 

[Headnavigator]

Are you all having trouble with green woodies or are the spotted at it as well? Would like to know as we have lesser and greater spotted around but only seen green once in this garden. Would like to be able to assess risk. Thanks.

 

[oliver90owner]

It is the middle of March. The risk is virtually zero - unless you are expecting a covering of snow for a few days.

RAB

 

[nelletap]

We have greenwoodpeckers, can hear them and have seen them in the garden in the past (hives in part of garden, too). However, no hive problems from them overwinter. I did add a surround to the then solitary hive.
Tricia

 

[AMAE]

It's the greenies you have to watch......saw them breaking repeatedly into my super stack at the back of the house, after my husband had thwarted their break ins to the real bees with weld mesh cages( hope it gave them a head ache!) Never witnessed spotties causing trouble.

Agree risk minimal now, only trouble when ground hard frozen and they can't get at the ants..

 

[Onge]

In the end I didn't protect my hives and they are all fine. so I guess I was lucky.

 

[oliver90owner]

Not so much a case of 'being lucky', more like a case of being 'unlucky' to get woodpecker damage unless there is (a) prior history of it, or (b) very hard weather.

Damage can be severe for those that experience the attacks but I would think the number of hives attacked each year is a very tiny percentage of the total number. Same with sites attacked, unless with previous history.

So risks are very much dependent on local conditions. Any risk assessments will be pointless if taking reports from the forum as a basis for decision making.

RAB