# Mowing and yard work around bees?



## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Smoke the yard, wear your suit. Try not to blow the exhaust onto the entrances


----------



## TWall (May 19, 2010)

I have only had problems when I have bumped a hive with the mower. And, the problem was during subsequent passes by the entrance. I typically wait until later evening when flights are slowing down. Weighted down forages will fly into you.

Tom


----------



## larrybeach (May 25, 2013)

I use landscape fabric with gravel and mulch around my hives. Keeps me from having to mow next to my hives, I only have 3. I also use a reel type push mower close by, no motor and very quiet. It works very well as long as I do not let the grass get too tall. For the rest of my yard I use my riding mower, never had a problem with my bees.


----------



## Colleen O. (Jun 5, 2012)

I put landscaping blocks down under the hives with bee friendly perennials planted between. Pine bark mulch around the perennials to keep the weeds down. I needed the blocks to level my hives, the perennials are for aesthetics and bee forage. All together it makes it so I don't have to mow too close. I pass by fast to not get in the foragers way more than necessary but they really don't seem to mind the mower. Once in a while I get that one annoyed bee but have not been stung while mowing


----------



## NewJoe (Jul 1, 2012)

I spray round-up around the hives out to about a foot...then ride right by with the lawn tractor and have never been stung while mowing.


----------



## Raincrow (May 10, 2013)

Don't lose any sleep over this. Just turn the exhaust away from the hive as you stated and keep moving. I asked the same question before I started with bees and was told that the bees seemed to dislike a weedeater more than a lawnmower. I replied that, well...I can understand that. I feel the same way myself. You'll be fine.


----------



## KPeacock (Jan 29, 2013)

5 of my hives are perfectly fine with me mowing close to them. they don;t care about the diesel tractor, and the weed wacker is fine as long as I don;t hit the the hive stand legs too much. The 6th hive is a wild caught swarm, and ever since I've had that one, i suit up to mow near them. Some days they are okay and leave me alone, but other days, they protect themselves. I have thrown down a fair bit of rock salt to kill growth beneath the hives. I understand that this may not work well for many beekeepers.


----------



## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

I usually wear my jacket and veil when mowing around the hives. Some days they could care less about you being there, other days they are very offended and they let you know it. Bees are like people, they have their good days and their bad days. It seems like it was always their bad days when I tried to mow without a suit. 

As suggested, make sure the exhaust is pointing away from the entrance, and mow when you have the least amount of traffic.


----------



## SS1 (Jun 1, 2013)

I do the same as NewJoe. I spray roundup in the late evening to keep the grass and weeds down then .. just mow. Lot of other good advice too, keeping exhaust and deck exit pointing away from the hive etc.. I DID run into a stand holding four hives this fall... that wasnt really pretty.. mower doesnt HAVE a high gear... Imagining my wife watching out the window as I run past.. followed by the mower....


----------



## Chemguy (Nov 26, 2012)

I have only had one mowing season since starting my bees. Mowing near a hive during a nectar dearth was a bad move for me. At other times, it seemed like the pitch of the mower made a difference: when I used a riding mower or push mower, I couldn't get far enough from the hives for my bee's liking. But, my PTO-driven mower didn't seem to bother them. In the end, I usually left the grass near the hives unmown until after dusk. This worked well.


----------



## Hokie Bee Daddy (Apr 1, 2011)

First I wear a tyvek disposable suit so I don't mess up my good bee suit. Next I put on a veil and leather work gloves. I then push mow all that I can and follow that up with the weedeater. The only time I've had trouble was during the dearth when I used the wrong procedure and used the weed eater first. Apparently I used it too long and one hive got a little testy.


----------



## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

Ian gave the best advice on cutting near your hives:
Smoke the yard and suit up.
I don't mow during summer dearth, the bees are grumpy then and it's dry enough not to need to.

I found an electric weed whacker to be less provoking than a gas one where an outlet is available one.

When I only had one hive I found that if I pulled a gas push mower instead of pushing it as I crossed in front of the hive, I was past it before the guard bees came out and they didn't bother me. (That was one hive. Others sometimes have more diligent guard bees)

Have fun
Enjoy your bees


----------



## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

I make it a practice not to mow in the early afternoon. New bees during their orientation flights are a little... let's say... testy.
Most often I drive right by within inches of the hives then trim the weeds every other week.
During a dearth however, all bets are off.


----------



## urbanoutlaw (Nov 19, 2012)

We clear the "yard" about to 5' with a cordless electric weedeater. The landowners mow the rest with their tractor. No problems...unless I forget to charge the battery pack!


----------



## scorpionmain (Apr 17, 2012)

I just drive by on my lawn mower and keep on moving.


----------



## dadandsonsbees (Jan 25, 2012)

Round-up or any weed killer works for me.


----------



## jrhoto (Mar 2, 2009)

Bees react different at different times of the season,never take for granted that they will be calm.Wear protection and keep the discharge of the mower away from the hive and avoid bumping the hive with a mower or weedeater.


www.poorvalleybeefarm.com


----------



## merince (Jul 19, 2011)

I always suit up just in case - haven't had a bad reaction to either the weed eater or the push mower. As Ian said, try to keep the exhaust and the grass clipping from hitting the entrance.


----------



## RudyT (Jan 25, 2012)

I've had no problem in 3 years, even the time I bumped a hive, but agree with the advice above. Especially not throwing clippings or exhaust into the hive, not blocking the flight path into hive with my body, avoiding orientation flights, and wearing a veil as a precaution. I would smoke entrances if the bees appeared grumpy.


----------



## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

dadandsonsbees said:


> Round-up or any weed killer works for me.


Does this not affect the bees?, particularly if the weeds and grass are around the hives?


----------



## NewJoe (Jul 1, 2012)

fieldsofnaturalhoney said:


> Does this not affect the bees?, particularly if the weeds and grass are around the hives?


I have screen bottoms on some of mine, and they sit on 16" stands. I spray right up under mine and have seen no ill effects.


----------



## Nabber86 (Apr 15, 2009)

I dont think the vibration/noise = upset bees is real, at least in my experience. I mow right up to my hives on a riding mower. I dont like to wear a suit/veil while mowing because it is really visable to the neighbors. I got stung on the back of the neck one time as I turned the mower around and was heading away for the hives, that's about it.


----------



## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Nabber86 said:


> I dont think the vibration/noise = upset bees is real, at least in my experience.


Likely depends on the bees. I have some friends that work down next to the Rio Grande. Some run heavy equipment and a few are firefighters. They have tangled with AHB quite a few times, and before they got enclosed cabs on the equipement they would try to throw the dozer or tractor in neutral and run. Most of the time the bees would swarm around the engine trying to sting it. The firefights get called to lots of brush fires and such in the rural areas, really at times. They hate those things cause they will attack the equipment, but mostly if you can get away from the running motors, most the bees stay around trying to sting it. Got a text from one last summer where 4 of 5 on the crew were at the hospital for stings. Hive in old tractor tire the dozer hit.


----------



## Nabber86 (Apr 15, 2009)

marshmasterpat said:


> Likely depends on the bees.


Well yeah, AHB obiously excepted.


----------



## SS1 (Jun 1, 2013)

I have not looked at any studies on Roundup and bees.. I have NO DOUBT that it gets into the hives.. EVERY farmer for hundreds of miles around me sprays roundup, especially now with monsanto's roundup ready beans (not capitalized on purpose).. I rotate my comb to try to keep buildup to a minimum.. and when i spray roundup around my hives it is done in the evening when the bees are done foraging for the day. By morning its dried/soaked in etc.. and have not seen any problems to this point..
Beans are sprayed WELL before they bossum, so I have doubts that there is much to attract bees to the desert like conditions in the field.. flowers along the edges, water ways and fence rows are another story.. Anyone finds information on this please let us all know!

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...05/monsanto-roundup-effects-on-honeybees.aspx

By design, Roundup weed killer interferes with a plant's growth process. An understanding of this process paved the way for genetically modified agricultural crops that are not affected by Roundup, enabling agricultural workers to spray an entire field without regard to protecting the desired crop plants -- making it possible to eradicate large populations of weeds. Although all but crop plants are weeds in an agricultural field, many weeds are part of the ecology of certain insect species. The loss of habitat or food sources kills these insects. The active ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, does not affect insects in the same way it impacts plants, but it does kill insects, either directly -- as in the case of a small number of honeybees in Monsanto's research -- or as a consequence of killing weeds.

I stand corrected!!! I wonder what effect it has if sprayed in the evening so its dried by morning?


----------



## Nabber86 (Apr 15, 2009)

SS1 said:


> http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...05/monsanto-roundup-effects-on-honeybees.aspx


_"The state claims the bees were destroyed because they were infected with a disease called foulbrood. Some people, including the beekeeper, Terrence Ingram, suspect the raid has more to do with Ingram's 15 years of research on Monsanto's Roundup and his documented evidence that Roundup kills bees, than it does about any concerns about his hives"

_Wut, seriously? Break out the tinfoil.


----------



## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

NewJoe said:


> I have screen bottoms on some of mine, and they sit on 16" stands. I spray right up under mine and have seen no ill effects.


New Joe, I guess it is the ill effects you haven't seen you might want to consider:scratch:


----------



## dadandsonsbees (Jan 25, 2012)

I have used round up or some other weed killer for years and I haven't had any problems. Oh wait that might be the reason for my winter losses


----------



## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

Its actualy simple.. Yup you can use roundup... but don't badmouth Monsanto, and then spray around your hives int eh same paragraph....


When you mow.. take one pass close, discharge chute away from the hive. make another pass in a few minutes... It takes the bees 10-15 seconds to get really riled (for the most part) they come out and nothing going on they go right back to work..... Repeat 4 times....

weed eating is a gamble...


----------



## dadandsonsbees (Jan 25, 2012)

gmcharlie, I totally agree. I have friends of mine that when I ask then what ya got in the sprayer that say "um weed killer". But when I walk in their shop there it is gallons of round up. And they are the same ones bad mouthing Monsanto.


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

You can buy and apply _glyphosate _without putting a single penny in Monsanto's pocket. Monsanto's patent on glyphosate expired in 2000, and there are quite a number of manufacturers offering generic versions. _Cornerstone_, shown here is one generic version. I buy Cornerstone at the local farm Coop, not at Amazon, the Amazon link is just an easy way to display the package.

Monsanto still sells glyphosate products branded as Roundup, but it usually cost a _lot _more than the generic products. This summer I bought a 2.5 gallon jug of Cornerstone 41% glyphosate at the Coop for $49.99. An equivalent Roundup branded product would have been several times more $$$.

There is normally a small amount of _surfactant _in glyphosate mixes. That surfactant is essentially similar to soapy water, and can kill bees if sprayed directly on the bee. But other than spraying enough to seriously wet down the bees, glyphosate has no effect on bees.
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/5-toc.pdf
- and -
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profile...ohol-monuron/glyphosate/glyphos_prf_0285.html


----------



## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> You can buy and apply _glyphosate _without putting a single penny in Monsanto's pocket.


So you are so upset that "Monsnto" developed this that you hold a grudge against them and want to make sure they recieve no credit for teh product THEY invented to use on your yard??

Got to wonder sometimes how people think??? Maybe its me but that logic seems convoluted as all get out.......I am betting money that cornerstone has not done near the testing of their products.....


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

gmcharlie said:


> So you are so upset that "Monsnto" developed this that you hold a grudge against them and want to make sure they recieve no credit for teh product THEY invented to use on your yard??


Where did you get the idea that I am upset? :scratch:

I simply pointed out that many manufacturers offer glyphosate. Glyphosate is glyphosate. Why pay more than you have to?? 

Do you demand that the gas stations where you fuel your vehicles do comparison tests on their gasoline? 

Pesticides and herbicides are _tightly regulated_. Do you really believe that what the label says is not what is in the jug? :s


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Be one with the bees and use a scythe.


----------



## Nabber86 (Apr 15, 2009)

A buddy of mine works for county maintenance. He corrects me with "glyphosate" every time I say Roundup. He is not anti-Mansanto, that's just what they call it. The county buys it by the drum from the State Department of Environmetal Health (Ag. division).


----------



## Nabber86 (Apr 15, 2009)

Acebird said:


> Be one with the bees and use a scythe.


Beleive it or not, that is a "thing" now. I recommend that every Monsanto hater go buy one for Christmas. It will also reduce your carbon foot print as well. 

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2012/sep/05/scythe-meadow-garden-tools


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> It will also reduce your carbon foot print as well. 

Only if you actually *use it *in place of the powered alternative. I wonder how many scythes see any practical use ...  I tried a scythe some years ago. It was _hard _work!

Just letting the weeds _grow _is the _real _carbon footprint reduction.  :lookout:


----------



## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Or you can mulch around your hives so you don't have to mow or spray.

That's a young apple orchard and garden area in front of the hives, Shavings in back











Don't forget landscape fabric too


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

I'm pretty sure I saw "tree service" style _chipper _sitting on the property in one of _Lauri'_s earlier photos.  :lookout:



Watch your fingers, or worse .... 
:bus

OK, I just wanted to use that new smiley in a post ...


----------



## imthegrumpyone (Jun 29, 2013)

Cedar mulch worked great for me, no weeds around my hive, no tree roaches in my hive. Besides round up today is nothing like round up of years ago, it's closer to water. I can remember if you wanted it gone for good, spray it with round up, don't know what they've done with it, but it no longer works like it did.


----------



## erik58 (Oct 19, 2013)

never got stung but dont ever touch the hive with the mower they CANNOT stand vibration (ran like hell) I alway point the exhaust away from the hive. the weed wacker is pretty much the same.


----------



## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

NewJoe, OldJoe here does the same.


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Never point the lawnmower so that the clippings blow into the entrance!:no:


----------



## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> Where did you get the idea that I am upset? :scratch:
> 
> I simply pointed out that many manufacturers offer glyphosate. Glyphosate is glyphosate. Why pay more than you have to??
> 
> ...


My apoligies radar... I was still scratching my head from someone elese's anti corporate post. I am sure whats in the jug is on the label... but have no clue when it comes to reading it. types of surfactants and such vary a lot. never been disapointed with name brands.... been burned by generics a lot.


----------



## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Actually Graham, I know the guy who owns the local lumbermill. He likes chocolate chip cookies and honey.We do some traidin' for surplus chips in late summer when they are not in demand from the stables. A person can get all the free mulch from those stables they want. Some will even load it for you for free.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

imthegrumpyone said:


> I can remember if you wanted it gone for good, spray it with round up, don't know what they've done with it, but it no longer works like it did.


That is why I think you will find a difference in the generic. Round up II is a different formula. It is a never ending battle to eradicate weeds or insects. That is why the chemistry has to change over time. The bees don't really mind vegetation around the hive, people do. Anything that blocks the sun will kill every plant underneath it. We have used scrap carpet for controlling weeds around plants. Just replace it every three years because it breaks down. Be careful running the power mower over the rug because it will make a mess of the lawn mower.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Lauri said:


> A person can get all the free mulch from those stables they want. Some will even load it for you for free.


Isn't hoarse manure loaded with weed seed?


----------



## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Acebird said:


> Isn't hoarse manure loaded with weed seed?


If it is fresh, yes. Just take it out of their pile that has had a chance to compost a few weeks. Most of the stables have piles that have been sitting for months or even years.
If you end up with fresh, just unload it in a pile and let it sit for about 2 weeks. It will heat up immediatly upon being exposed to oxygen, then piled up. Even leaving it overnight in your trailer wll heat it up. 
When I unload mine, it steams like crazy..smell gets in my long hair...My husband calls me poopy momma Not exactly the fresh smell I prefer..but I get the job done, wash my clothes and take a good shower.
Thank goodness horse manure doesn't smell like chicken crap..UGH. There I draw the line.

Heres my compost pile from my own animals. Black Gold finished pile in front, fresh pile in back.


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> Isn't hoarse manure loaded with weed seed?




Lauri said:


> I know the guy who owns the local lumbermill. He likes chocolate chip cookies and honey.We do some traidin' for surplus chips in late summer when they are not in demand from the stables.


I suspect that the "chips" shown on the ground in _Lauri_'s bee yard photos come from the chipper at the local lumbermill, not from stables.

The lumbermill chips are generally just wood waste _without _manure in it. If it goes to a stable and gets poop mixed in, then it is more appropriate for composting to add to the garden soil, as per the steaming piles _Lauri_ showed above..


I have hauled multiple trailer loads of manure from a local _miniature horse_ farm.  The manure from those little critters seems to be just as aromatic as that from their bigger brethren.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Lauri said:


> Heres my compost pile from my own animals. Black Gold finished pile in front, fresh pile in back.


Now that is a pile of crap.

I have been told that some weed seeds can take the heat from composting manure. At any rate the compost will in a short time grow everything as new seeds get deposited.

Seeing as how you mentioned chickens. If you fence off your bee hives you can throw in a couple of chickens and you won't have any grass or smell to worry about. Secondly, if you put the same bedding down that you do for horses your chickens won't smell any worse than your horses.


----------



## jredburn (Feb 25, 2012)

There is an easy way to deal with aggressive bees. All you have to do is put a barrier in front of the hive so that the bees have to fly up above head height before they can fly horizontally.
I have several 4' x 7" wooden frames covered in insect mesh from a nursery. I put them around the entrance to the hive when I do a trap out. Since the bees cannot get back into the wall/shed/tree/whatever, they tend to bunch up close to the entrance and can get very nasty. I put the screens up and I have not had a problem since. I live in SW Florida and all most all feral bees have some African in them.


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

has anyone tried putting old carpet down underneath the stands?


----------



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Yep, works great . . . . until you hit it with the mower!


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

'slaps forehead'

should have known there had to be a downside. 

assuming i can avoid that barry did you have any other issues using carpet?


----------



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Only thing was I had a few blow away (but retrievable) in a big wind we had. If you put your hive on top of it, no problem. I just had large pieces laying in front. Once they get wet and stuck to dirt, I think they stay put.


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

understood and thanks. i got permission to dumpster dive the local carpet dealer so i was thinking about getting some.

i was going to put the stands on a solid piece that extended far enough out to keep me away with the mower and weedeater. 

i envisioned that maybe they would get stuck like that, perfect.


----------



## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

I've tried using carpet and rubber conveyor belt material around my hives to keep the weeds down. The only minor issue I ran into was that it created a nice dry cozy spot for ants to set up their nests ... right next to the hives.


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

thanks mike. fire ants do that around the legs my stands, until i put a little amdro out. the mounds not right at the hives i leave, it's supposed to help with shb.


----------



## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

Sounds like you have it covered. :thumbsup:


----------



## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

squarepeg said:


> has anyone tried putting old carpet down underneath the stands?


Yes, and it's quite effective. 

You can get miles and miles of free carpeting from the dumpster of any carpet store which advertises how they joyfully carry away your old carpet (most do). As a courtesy, I always ask and they always say, "Take as much as you want."

I use old carpet in many of my remote bee yards where I can't mow and don't want to bother the bees with a string trimmer. I lay down the carpet and put the leading edge of my hive stand on it. It's good for about four years, then some weeds will start to poke through. Then in that fifth year, it really disintegrates. About this time I'm ready to reset my hives stands anyway as they've settled and I'm tired of shimming each hive to keep them level.

Grant
Jackson, MO

P.S. The only downside I've found is the condition of the old carpet that usually reeks of cigarette smoke and pet urine. It's like I want to wear a haz-mat suit. Once on the ground, it doesn't stink any more.


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

thanks grant. maybe i won't have to dig too deep to find the non-stinky ones. i'm going to cut them to size at the dumpster. 4 years will be great. i hope that once they get stuck i'll be able to pass close enough with the mower, and if not a narrow pass with glycosphate should do the trick. either way it will beat the heck out of the current set up


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

I was going to mention the 4 year disintegration problem. DO NOT run a power mower over the carpet, not even an inch. It will grab the warp threads and make a mess of your lawn mower. Stay a little bit away and clip it by hand if you have to. If you make the carpet big enough you can fold it over when you mow and then lay it back down.


----------



## southeastflorida (May 23, 2010)

mucho pelegro (very dangerous, in my humble experience) 100 stings here, 100 stings there.


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

never underestimate the precision of a john deere zero turn radius mower.

(and i hope i don't end up eating those words) :lookout:


----------



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

The guy where I kept my hives underestimated his. Took him a good amount of time to get it all out of the deck. We'll want to see pictures when you do it!


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

yikes! i hope that didn't cost you the yard barry. in a former life, i was setting distance records in hangliders. since then i've gotten to be a little more conservative. no worries mates, i'll be careful. many thanks for the replies.


----------



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

No, we got along great. It was the neighborhood meddler, who used his property (4.5 acres no house) for her dog to crap on, called the county complaining that my bees were on her flowers, in her yard. If it would have been 5 acres, they could have stayed according to zoning. Sad to lose that location.


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

hmm. sounds like the meddler was able to accept generosity but not give it. reminds me of a parable... oops, off topic, sorry about the loss of the yard. hopefully you were able to locate your bees on an even better one.  how's the ankle doin'?


----------



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

You haven't seen me debating Mark have you?


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

good point. wishing you well, and thanks for beesource.


----------



## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

squarepeg said:


> never underestimate the precision of a john deere zero turn radius mower.


I mowed my field with a flail mower which doesn't have the suction of a rotary blade mower and as much as I tried to avoid the rugs inevitably it would grab the rug. It only has to get one thread and the whole thing goes in. There is like 300 small swinging blades on a flail mower and it takes hours to cut it free.


----------

