# Bluebirds and Bees?



## sagittarius (Feb 17, 2004)

Has anyone observed bluebirds being a problem around hives or eating alot of bees in the field? Or tree swallows for that matter?

------------------
SE Wisconsin
*"Resource management is relatively easy. It's human management that's difficult." Aldo Leopold*


----------



## clintonbemrose (Oct 23, 2001)

Not that I have seen.

------------------
Clinton Bemrose
just South of Lansing Michigan
Beekeeping sence 1964


----------



## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001633.html 
http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/001854.html 
http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000198.html 
http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000350.html


----------



## sagittarius (Feb 17, 2004)

bullseye bill, I read all those posts before starting the thread. Primarily interested in bluebirds predation on honeybees. I have bluebirds, treeswallows, and wrens in my bluebird houses .... just trying to get some insite to any preference to honeybees. 

------------------
SE Wisconsin
*"Resource management is relatively easy. It's human management that's difficult." Aldo Leopold*


----------



## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

I'm sure that bluebirds eat bees, but I doubt that they eat enough bees to impact a hive very much. Birds are oppertunistic, they will eat what is in front of them. So as long as they are not setting on your hive I think you will be ok.


----------



## Guest (Dec 29, 2004)

Bluebirds have very specific preferences in
nesting, so much so that I can put up a new
Bluebird box in spring, and see a nesting
pair of birds making use of the box within
days. I have about 100 boxes spread around
on my land and the land of my neighbors, and
they have never been seen anywhere near any
hive.

That said, one cannot place more than 1 box
per acre or so, as they are territorial.

But if one were to put up a dozen or so boxes
in the area around (but not near) one's
apiary, the local Bluebirds would take up
residence in the boxes, making the acres
around your apiary "more attractive" than
the apiary itself. There are only so many
Bluebirds in any one area, and their population
does not seem to grow much, no matter how
many houses bird enthusiasts put up.


----------



## danno1800 (Mar 13, 2004)

I have lots of bluebird houses near my apiary and have never seen bluebirds bothering the bees.


----------



## bjerm2 (Jun 9, 2004)

I have blue bird nests up and also swallow nests. I have seen them eating my bees but they go after the drones, guess they figured out the others have a stinger and that might take away from the taste!








I have not noticed any of my queens eaten but there might be a problem with that, but you have to realize that these birds eat an awful lot of bad insects like mosquitoes, caterpillars, flies, etc.
I hope this helps.
Dan


----------



## Robert Brenchley (Apr 23, 2000)

I don't really know what a bluebird is, but every year I get great tits nesting near my hives, and constantly taking bees for the nestlings. It doesn't seem to impact hive population noticeably.

------------------
Regards,

Robert Brenchley

[email protected]
Birmingham UK


----------



## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

Is it just me, or are we ALL trying to resist?

I haven't seen any great tits for quite a while. I'd love to see some resting on my hives, well, anywhere for that matter.


----------



## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

>I haven't seen any great tits for quite a while.

hmmm. maybe you need to get out a bit more often bill.


----------



## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

Don't I know it.


----------

