Woodpecker protection

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steve_e

House Bee
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
251
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0
Location
East Sussex
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
3
Hi -
I've just moved my hives to a temporary place where there are apparently plenty of woodpeckers. Can anyone tell me (or preferably show me a picture) how to protect the hives with chicken wire please?

eg, should it be tightly wrapped or held out from the walls. If so how.

Thanks!
 
You are unlikely to have any problems at this time of year Steve,and maybe never,i have apairies that have several woodpeckers in residence with no problems at all,even in the depths of winter.....but plastic sheeting pinned to the sides of the hives works if there should be a problem.
 
I use 1m high chicken wire (~1cm x ~2cm rectangular section) and bend 4 right angles into a length ~2m so it is free-standing. Just tie the edges with wire or string. This leaves about 15cm gap (longer than woodpecker beak) all round the hive and rest another square of wire on the top.
 
Hi -
I've just moved my hives to a temporary place where there are apparently plenty of woodpeckers. Can anyone tell me (or preferably show me a picture) how to protect the hives with chicken wire please?

eg, should it be tightly wrapped or held out from the walls. If so how.

Thanks!

http://blog.mbbka.org.uk/2010/01/24/apiary-visit-24th-january/woodpecker-protection/

but saying that i use heavy duty black plastic damp proof memebrame held on by roof from floor to floor on all side with a hole for the entrance
 
Old Fertlliser/animal feed sacks is what's recommended round these parts.

Cut them in half and drawing pin them to the top of the crown board. The flap that's covering the entrance should be trimmed back so that it just comes down to, but doesn't cover the entrance. Then stick the roof back on.

It's thicker plastic so it wont tear as easily as bin bags but protects the wood and the woodpeckers can't grab on to the plastic.

Much easier to sort out than chicken wire which, if you get it wrong, gives a great perch for a woodpecker to have a go at the side of your hive.

You are unlikely to have any problems at this time of year Steve,and maybe never,i have apairies that have several woodpeckers in residence with no problems at all,even in the depths of winter.....but plastic sheeting pinned to the sides of the hives works if there should be a problem.

I was told (and only just put a hive where woodpeckers are likely to be a problem so not verified this yet) that they aren't a problem until they are; if that makes sense. Once they figure out that your hives contain a tasty meal then you not only have that woodpecker to deal with but they "tell" all the other woodpeckers around that your beehives contain lunch.
 
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Great replies, thanks people! They're only there temporarily so I'll probably take your advice hivekeeper and hope that this time of year I'll be ok. I'll keep an eye out though and move in with the other solutions if necessary.
 
Nellie,i suppose thats a bit like being run over by a car,it's not much of a problem,then all of a sudden.....splat....don't think the woodpeckers tell each other as such...or they would all know about it,but believe its hereditary once they learn the trick.
Tits are amusing as well,they spend most of there days playing chicken in front the hive's, picking up bee's.
 
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Our green wood peckers (and we have a lot of them) have certainly learned this trick. I used 1" weldmesh and welded up a cage with a decent gap between the mesh and the hive. Thus they can't use the mesh as a handy perch to batter the hive from.
 
I was told (don't know if its true) that only Green Woodpeckers are a problem.
 
Nellie,i suppose thats a bit like being run over by a car,it's not much of a problem,then all of a sudden.....splat....don't think the woodpeckers tell each other as such...or they would all know about it,but believe its hereditary once they learn the trick.
Tits are amusing as well,they spend most of there days playing chicken in front the hive's, picking up bee's.
Hive, I'm only going on what I'm told, once one local woodpecker learns the trick they apparently communicate this around to the other local woodpeckers and offspring. I'm no expert on woodpeckers nor have direct experience (yet) but that's what I'm told.
 
In which case every woodpeker in the country would be doing it,but they are not,even athough they have had over 100 years or so to pass the message around.
 
I would think the audio from a woodpecker, obviously hard at work in the middle of winter is going to catch the attention of any other woodpecker in hearing range. Fairly simples.

RAB
 
Hive, I'm only going on what I'm told, once one local woodpecker learns the trick they apparently communicate this around to the other local woodpeckers and offspring. I'm no expert on woodpeckers nor have direct experience (yet) but that's what I'm told.

I think, like crows, it is a case of "show and tell" rather than "chalk and talk". Once a woodpecker sees his mum get a load of honey and grubs out of the small square tree, he remembers that small square trees represent a pretty good, if high risk dinner.
 
I have Green woodpecker, Greater spotted woodpecker and Lesser spotted woodpecker all living and breeding on my land - never a problem with them. One woodpecker that could be more of an issue, but you don't have it in the UK, is the Black woodpecker, but even here in France I've never heard of one being a problem for a hive. Perhaps there is a greater abundance of food here in general.

The Green woodpeckers on my land come down all the time round the hives to eat from the ant hills.

Chris
 
I have Green woodpecker, Greater spotted woodpecker and Lesser spotted woodpecker all living and breeding on my land - never a problem with them. One woodpecker that could be more of an issue, but you don't have it in the UK, is the Black woodpecker, but even here in France I've never heard of one being a problem for a hive. Perhaps there is a greater abundance of food here in general.

The Green woodpeckers on my land come down all the time round the hives to eat from the ant hills.

Chris

'Lesser spotted and black woodpecker'
Lucky man, lesser spotted are as their name suggests, very rare here now. Black woodpecker is one of the birds expected to make the 'jump' over the channel in future.

Not tried this as I dont have a problem with woodpeckers but have been told that if you change hive body to Ply for a season they soon learn that its not easily penetrated and will in future shy away.

Cheers
 
Woodpecker damage at an apiary near Kidderminster. Apparently the high risk period is February, presumably when food is in short supply.
 

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