Woodpeckers

[sherwood]

For those not in the know, we have already had 2 members reporting substantial hive damage from our feathered"friends". Please do examine your hives regularly and take remedial action ie repair hole and protect with something like chicken wire.

 

[Onge]

Blimey already !!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is that just the green woody?
We have spotted ones here but they feed well in the garden so hopefully will leave hives alone.

 

[rich]

Yes, our nice green friends. I’ve never had any problems with them in the fives years I’ve had them at home, until this weekend when I heard a rather loud "tapping" I though who the heck’s banging in nails on a frosty morning like this. Then the light went on.
Lucky there was only the beginnings of a hole. Needless to say protection was immediately applied to all the hives.

Rich

 

[crazy_bull]

Yes one of my out apiaries which was fine a fortnight ago, now looks like someone has run a machine gun over them, only a few actual holes about a bee size so far but heaps of started holes, so now all wired up for the first time in 17 yrs if the winter remains harsh and cold the problem will only get worse.

C B

 

[Dishmop]

Somebody told me that woodpeckers dont like things near to them that move,

bits of tin on string like a wind chime mobile thing..... He suggested old CD's for the reflection...

 

[tonybloke]

Somebody told me that woodpeckers dont like things near to them that move,

bits of tin on string like a wind chime mobile thing..... He suggested old CD's for the reflection...

seen that bull-**** tried on several allotment sites to 'keep pigeons off of the cabbages' LOL, these ideas don't work! physical barriers do work! simples.

 

[Hivemaker.]

What do you call a woodpecker without a beek.......

 

[Dishmop]

seen that bull-**** tried on several allotment sites to 'keep pigeons off of the cabbages' LOL, these ideas don't work! physical barriers do work! simples

perhaps so and therefore they wouldnt be much good at stopping pigeons from pecking at a beehive but might be relative regarding woodpeckers...

 

[sherwood]

He wouldn't be chipper would he.

 

[Hivemaker.]

No.......a head banger

 

[johnandyrob]

A head banger

 

[johnandyrob]

A head banger

whoops too slow

 

[Hombre]

Yes one of my out apiaries which was fine a fortnight ago, now looks like someone has run a machine gun over them, only a few actual holes about a bee size so far but heaps of started holes, so now all wired up for the first time in 17 yrs if the winter remains harsh and cold the problem will only get worse.C B

I guess it's a wood filler job in the spring CB? What's the answer for next year, Fort Knox defences or not a future wintering apiary?

 

[BobsBees]

Woodies

I,m trying out Black poly dustbin bags around the Brood boxes this year. Read about it somewhere.
will let you all know if it works later.
Bob

 

[Hombre]

Not sure bob if it's more normal to use something a bit thicker, like old fertiliser bags. A combination of the movement and the durability I think.

Unfortunately once learned the damned things never stop. I don't suppose that it's passed down to their offspring . . .

 

[rae]

It is definitely learned behaviour. We had a very fine green woodpecker knocking the living daylights out of an empty stack of supers - there can't be any "noises" of insects inside. They've learned that a square stack of boxes that whiffs of honey probably has goodies in it.

All of our hives are protected with weldmesh - they won't be getting through that in a hurry.

 

[thurrock bees]

On one site have had two hives attacked, but lucky not getting tho, so the farmer as given me a big roll of wire to but around them, which was finished off today. little buggers

 

[psafloyd]

Where can you get welded wire mesh from? I am in the east London/south Essex area.

I had hoped to access some I could cut down and then cable tie together so I could break them down in the spring.

I hope my hive hasn't been raided.

 

[oliver90owner]

Agricultural suppliers! OK for new.

Scrappies for second hand, but need to be rural-ish.

Regards, RAB