Woodpecker damage

[MRBB]

I chose to delay the deployment of chicken wire defence until December 29th to coincide with planned OA application as much reading on the subject indicated that woodpeckers would not strike before February. Arrrrggghhh........peckers (much like the bees that they hope to eat) do not read books! No hive damage noted when visually checked on 27th so the rotten begger had a go on the 28th. It didn´t break through the brood box wall so no real harm done. Posting as I am interested if others have also been been "hit" 2 months prior to literature indications and wondering if this is indicative of the December cold snap. BTW North Beds was not badly hit with snow in December.

 

[Midland Beek]

They have damaged my hives good and proper this winter - the first time they have struck. But that's Mother Nature for you, and they must have had a hard time of finding a meal when we had the bad weather.

 

[Haughton Honey]

They have damaged my hives good and proper this winter - the first time they have struck. But that's Mother Nature for you, and they must have had a hard time of finding a meal when we had the bad weather.

Have you tried large pieces of 'fisherman's netting' over a group of hives, rather than chicken wire around an individual hive?

It's quite easy to deploy across an apiary if it's not too spread out and is a trick used by a few commercial guys.

 

[MRBB]

Thanks WPC. I read your reply and had one of those..."oohhhh of course" moments. That sounds simple, easy to get into hives (me, not the blasted woodpecker) and so much easier to deal with than springy chicken wire. I hope to expand to 5 colonies this year, apiary is well contained so I will try fishing net next winter.

 

[MuswellMetro]

yes this year one of our association apiaries over the new year period has been heavily attacked, ,usually it is later in February when the ground is frozen

 

[Hombre]

Alas, it seems that the books talk about dates, which is all well and good, but the dates probably refer, as has been said by MM and MB, to the period when the ground is frozen.

This year that period came early. The pattern was the same, when there was nowhere else to find food, but the dates in the books fell apart of course, having not passed on the understanding of why the dates were particular in the first place. An oversight that has caused a few authors to mislead rather than inform their inexperienced readers perhaps?

Mr Woody will be getting roundly cursed far and wide this winter by the sound of it.

 

[Moggs]

I'm glad that I got all my winter prep done in one hit. It's quite straightforward to get OA treatment done with netting in place, after all, the netting needn't go over top of the hives, assuming that woody prefers timber to metal cladding. As my hives were to be left alone with the exception of the OA and fondant (both accessed from the roof) the staked netting has also been a deterrent for all manner of other four-legged beasties.

 

[Midland Beek]

Have you tried large pieces of 'fisherman's netting' over a group of hives, rather than chicken wire around an individual hive?

It's quite easy to deploy across an apiary if it's not too spread out and is a trick used by a few commercial guys.

Bleedin 'ell, I ain't going to go to all that trouble. Next frozen spell I will hang up half dozen old CD's on string.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Bleedin 'ell, I ain't going to go to all that trouble. Next frozen spell I will hang up half dozen old CD's on string.

pin some fertiliser sack on all four sides, the woodpecker cant get a grip, deters them rather than stops them

 

[oliver90owner]

I chose to delay the deployment

A simple error of judgement on your part. Boy scouts comes to mind.

As Hombre really. A good book will suggest high risk periods without actually forecating the weather for you. The others, if they issue you with specified dates, are obviously suspect as a useful reference material. The new beek, reading just that book, would not question the discrepancy between theory and practice; so what may be 'thought of' as a 'good book' could be riddled with errors, omissions, fallacies - and down right lies at times! But, hey-ho, you say you have read widely

Last winter was the first time I had encountered woodpecker damage in ten years. None, so far, this winter, but the entrances on two of my hives have been interfered with.

I only leave a very restricted gap (with a short mouse guard over, if required) and the rest is jammed with a piece of wood. On one hive it has been pushed in and on the other pulled out. Looks like some 'T' shaped blocks will be made for next year, or simply change all entries to only one bee height!

I can recommend trying 'woodpecker damage' in the 'search' facility at the top of the page. Loads of hits there.

RAB

 

[tonybloke]

Bleedin 'ell, I ain't going to go to all that trouble. Next frozen spell I will hang up half dozen old CD's on string.

that doesn't work for more than the first visit by the bird