Woodpeckers + polystyrene

[Jimmy]

What's the foolproof woodpecker protection when using polystyrene? What about the roof?

My national cedar hives are surrounded by chicken wire which is fine provided I set it up properly and keep it far enough away from the BC wall. I had one woodpecker standing on the hive stand and pecking through the mesh last winter. The same bird started to go through a felt covered roof as well before I swapped it for a metal one.

Thanks.

 

[user 6228]

can wood peckers get through correx?

 

[VEG]

if they get through wood correx will be no problem

 

[Finman]

Using twenty years polyhives now woodpeckers have learned to make holes in hives. Mice too notice the holes.

This autumn I put a bird net over all hives (strawbwerry net).

My neighbour installed an animal camera to see what woodperkers do. Birds are able to dig 1 metre tunnel via snow to get themselves under the bottom and then make holes into bottom.

Hanging CD PLATES MAY HELP

a mouse trap affects well on woodpecker too.

 

[Poly Hive]

I have never with any hive type had a w/pecker issue.

I have been told anecdotally that they a, hate the feel of the material on their beaks, b, go through it like a dose of salts.

From that I can only surmise that it depends on the individual bird.

Usual protection required if you have the wrong type.


PH

 

[Nose Ma]

a mouse trap affects well on woodpecker too.

How do you use a mousetrap - sounds interesting.

 

[The Cumbrian]

How do you use a mousetrap - sounds interesting.

Sounds illegal!

 

[OXFORDBEE]

b, go through it like a dose of salts.

Have to go with option b where I am, especially with polystyrene roofs...

 

[user 6228]

if they get through wood correx will be no problem

Correx although softer is tough it stretches and is very difficult to rip. So I don't think its an easy question to answer.

 

[JohnF]

I have 2 types of Poly hives and it was only in the very cold spell last winter that a green Woodpecker started to try first on the roof then the sides and entrance.
Interestingly it just passed the MB ones and had a go at the Swienty ones.
Started with chicken wire across roof and sides but ended up with a mesh cage (only because I had it) across the whole hive. They do seem to be able to reach in so having a clearance of at least 100mm should deter them.
The slight damage was repaired with filler.

 

[Gardenbees]

My favourite bird actually - my phone ringtone is a yaffle call, and I love seeing them flitting about in the trees at the end of the garden. However, the pair at the end of my garden have been seen hopping about peering at the hives with that unnervingly intelligent expression that birds have when they're hungry... it's only a matter of time before they find a way in, I think.

Last year I put black rubble sacks, with one side opened up, over each hive, weighting the top and leaving the bottom loose and flappy. The opened side obviously goes on the hive entrance side, so they don't offer 360 degree protection, but they keep the worst of the wet off whilst allowing air circulation around the hive. The flapping seems to be offputting to birds - I haven't seen it work on woodies, but a jay I was watching was very put off by it when trying to approach the hive entrance. I think that if Mr & Mrs Yafflingale start getting any nosier, then I will use a loose chickenwire hoop frame over each hive and drape it in the black plastic in the same way. As long as the plastic isn't close enough to make the hive "sweaty" then I think it works well both for keeping things dry and putting off inquisitive birds.

I have thought of putting out some creepy crawlies for the yaffles to eat, in a woolly liberal attempt to distract them from eating the bees... But I abandoned that idea partly because I suspect I would just be encouraging them in, and partly because the hordes of local cats, my own included, might be tempted to lie in wait.

PS - for those of us who get the BBK* magazine, this month's has a good picture of a hammered hive with chickenwire too close to offer protection (the woodies just use it as an extended perch!). The wood behind the chickenwire is peppered with holes!

 

[VEG]

Correx although softer is tough it stretches and is very difficult to rip. So I don't think its an easy question to answer.

Very easy to answer they will get through it if they want to. I watched one pecking its way into a live oak tree, it was quite amazing.

 

[Hivemaker.]

This is an interesting woodpecker v poly thread.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8603&page=3

 

[Finman]

.
Did you know that woodpecker is quite a predator. It eates tens of other birds' youngs.
It may drum the bird house. When bird young gets nervous and rushes out, the pecker catch it even from air.
It strategy is make every year a new nest hole. The old holes acts as food stores. It may forage several old holes when bird youngs arre piping inside.

Woodpecker has amasing strategy to catch insects in spring. It hits small holes in birch (2mm). When sap flows, flyes come to suck the sap. Woodpecker can easily catch those flyes. Those holes are very common in birches.

 

[Erichalfbee]

.
Did you know that woodpecker is quite a predator. It eates tens of other birds' youngs.

Too true.
I have cameras in some nest boxes and I have pictures of woodpeckers' heads through the entrance hole trying to get at the chicks. These are the Greater Spotted though which are not the ones that eat beehives.

 

[RoofTops]

I had a problem with woodpeckers at one apiary last winter. They started to nibble a few holes in the poly hives, starting as usual at the inset handles - as they do. They only penetrated one of the two hives in one spot but didn't get very far as the bird hit the side bars of my plastic frames!

However, after plugging the hole with flexible wood filler I strung a plastic fruit net over the hives and pegged it down round the edges with home made pegs made from stiff fence wire. The design of the roof on these hives kept the net off the main part of the roof but the net could have been raised by placing strips of timber along the roof. Essentially, the net formed a tent over the hives, with the sides of the net hitting the ground at about 45 degrees.

The net was the thin green plastic stuff you get from garden centres for throwing over soft fruit bushes. I left it on until the end of March and the bees had no problem flying through it.

You can also drape open weave plastic bags over the hives, of the sort used for storing onions - if you can get them large enough. The bit over the roof needs to be raised on timber battens but the sides can touch the hive as it is too lose for the birds to get into a descent position from which to attack the hives. The birds grip the material with their feet and then try to brace themselves with their tail - but the sack comes away and they tip backwards.

 

[user 6228]

I had a problem with woodpeckers at one apiary last winter. They started to nibble a few holes in the poly hives, starting as usual at the inset handles - as they do. They only penetrated one of the two hives in one spot but didn't get very far as the bird hit the side bars of my plastic frames!

However, after plugging the hole with flexible wood filler I strung a plastic fruit net over the hives and pegged it down round the edges with home made pegs made from stiff fence wire. The design of the roof on these hives kept the net off the main part of the roof but the net could have been raised by placing strips of timber along the roof. Essentially, the net formed a tent over the hives, with the sides of the net hitting the ground at about 45 degrees.

The net was the thin green plastic stuff you get from garden centres for throwing over soft fruit bushes. I left it on until the end of March and the bees had no problem flying through it.

You can also drape open weave plastic bags over the hives, of the sort used for storing onions - if you can get them large enough. The bit over the roof needs to be raised on timber battens but the sides can touch the hive as it is too lose for the birds to get into a descent position from which to attack the hives. The birds grip the material with their feet and then try to brace themselves with their tail - but the sack comes away and they tip backwards.

get the netting from an army surplus outfit instead of a garden centre and it will keep the hive rustlers guessing as well ^