# Do opposums really eat live bees?



## stavros (Feb 26, 2008)

I've looked at several threads regarding opossums. Today I noticed a small one near a group of three of my beehives. It was moving slowly and did not look threatening. Surely they eat dead bees, (which can only be beneficial) but have you had any experience of an opossum decimating your hive? I can put a couple of rows of tack nails if needed, but I wonder if it is worth the effort. Thanks a lot,
Stavros


----------



## jimsteelejr (Sep 21, 2012)

I don't think opossums are much of a threat to a healthy hive. I have raised and kept several as pets over the years and they will eat live bees. Generally opossums are nocturnal so they don't usually bother the bees. That being said They are stronger and more persistent than you would think so its conceivable that a really determined one could knock over a hive but I have never heard of it. The biggest threat from opossum are the several internal parasites that they carry. Some of them can decimate an Aviary if you raise birds, and some cause problems for humans and other animals. Talk to your vet or check out zoonotic diseases carried by opossum at the library. I really hate to hurt them but I really try not to attract them so I don't leave dog food outside and I clean up all hive products so there is nothing to interest them in staying around.


----------



## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Only heard of skunks being a problem. We get opossum in the yard, but haven't seen any sign of them messing with the hives.


----------



## Bees In Miami (Nov 30, 2012)

We have opossum frequently. They have never bothered with any hives, though I do have them at least 15" off the ground. I had an open air colony high in a tree that fell one night. We caught an opossum on video taking fallen brood comb from the pile and dragging it under our shed for a late night meal. So if given the opportunity, yes, they will even eat brood comb, but I don't think they'd be too successful actually going into a healthy hive.


----------



## stavros (Feb 26, 2008)

Thank you for your responses. It seems that opossums are not really a threat to a healthy hive, although they might nibble a few bees. One less thing to worry about! 
Stavros


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

i recently found some chewed up bees on the ground in front of a couple of my hives and i thought i had another skunk. i put the trap out and found an opossum in it the next morning. i hauled it away and the predation stopped for a couple of weeks. after seeing more chewed up bees, i put the trap back out and this time caught a raccoon. i'm not 100% sure that skunks are not involved, but when they are around we get an occaisional whiff of them in the air and have not noticed that for a long time now.


----------

