# skunks and racoons



## frankthomas (Aug 2, 2012)

I am installing my first hive in a couple weeks in my backyard. I live in wooded area and have a few skunks and lots of raccoons in the area. I've seen as many as 6 raccoons at once foraging seed beneath my bird feeders and once they discovered I stored the seed in a metal can on the deck they were always trying to get in it.

I will be putting my hive up on concrete blocks. Is there anything else I should do to give the bees a fighting chance? Will they be strong enough the first few nights after install to discourage a skunk or racoon?

Thanks


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## Laurence Hope (Aug 24, 2005)

I like the idea of using carpet tack strips in front of the hives. It really stops the skunks.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Better yet, Traps and a pellet rifle. In California its illegal to trap and release elsewhere. Therefore we trap, "demise" them and release them to the turkey vultures.


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## frankthomas (Aug 2, 2012)

That would work!


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## Bubbles (Jul 14, 2012)

How about strapping the whole hive down and anchoring them to the ground with mobile home anchors or T-posts to keep the ***** from opening it?


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Ya ..... Right............ When you get done helping me strap down 5000 mating nucs and then help tie and untie them each time a queen and cell goes in I will gladly help you with that half a hive you are able to keep. Hope you have fun getting in a lunch break or even hive time to take a wee behind the local bush as you will be working 30 hours a day just on straps. Might work for ones and twos but I doubt you have a clue what goes into 1000's time wise which was the basis of my answer :scratch:


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## Bubbles (Jul 14, 2012)

To Honey-4-all:

The OP said he only has one hive. It shouldn't take him long to unstrap and do whatever he needs to do with his hive. Better than having the ***** get into his hive and chowing down on the combs.


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## frankthomas (Aug 2, 2012)

The tie down would certainly work however, as I drive around the country side and see hives I don't see them tied down. I assume that is true for most of you. And racoons are pretty much everywhere in North America. So maybe a good size rock or brick on the top is enough. Has anyone had problems with racoons?


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## Bubbles (Jul 14, 2012)

Do a search on racoons in this forum and you'll read a few complaints of what they can do.


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## Sticky Bear (Mar 15, 2012)

Trap and dispatch per DOW advice, bear in mind it's an endless process.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Top entrances
No problems with skunks, raccoons, opossums and mice...


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

***** don't bother them as much as the skunks. Two to three rows of concrete blocks should deter the skunks.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> Top entrances; No problems with skunks, raccoons, opossums and mice...

Here is more on that from Michael Bush:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

On the chance that this thread morphs into a top entrance debate, it is important to remember that perhaps the only real downside to them (and this is my own personal observations over many years) is that the most aggressive guard bees will be concentrated around the entrance. Also the bearding activity to keep cool commonly seen with populous hives in the heat of the summer will be concentrated around the entrance, wherever that might be. Personally I still prefer a bottom entrance and leaving yourself the option of leaving the lids cracked slightly to allow for better ventilation (and the resulting second entrance) in the heat of the summer.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

An electric fence works. Place pressure treated 1X8 or 2X8 on the ground or spray a perimeter with round up. Then install electric fence posts. You need not use T post for raccoon and skunks. just the small round portable kind, the wood or spray will keep grass from grounding out the fence. Then place 3 hot wires no more than 8 inches apart so the vermin can not crawl under or go between the wires without getting zapped. A cheep low impedance fence charger will do the job for a few hives. Problem solved. 
Nothing dies and your bees are safe.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

***** are very seldom a problem..... I do understand occasionly one learns , but given that 90% of the US is covered with *****, very few have issues.
Skunks are a huge pain. Up on bricks should solve that , but if you notice a bare spot in the grass in front of the hive, rest assured its a skunk. Top entrances. tack boards or a 12" dia. roll of chicken wire in front of tehhive will stop them.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

After disposing of a few skunks and still not resolving the problem, I went to top entrances.

http://bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm


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## SRBrooks (Jun 24, 2012)

We have loads of raccoons and skunks here. I have heavy rocks on the lids of my hives.


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

gmcharlie said:


> <snip> Top entrances. tack boards or a 12" dia. roll of chicken wire in front of tehhive will stop them.


I'm smelling "wisp'o skunk" about every other time I walk down to the bee yard in the mornings. I haven't noticed any scratch marks on the ground or landing boards but I'm going to take a closer look tomorrow morning. The bees' attitude seem to be about normal...no increased defensiveness. 

I had been trying to figure out which avenue to take in protecting the hives and had heard of using chicken wire. I guess I'm a bit slow, but I couldn't figure out the best way to put it to use. A rolled up piece of it should work and is simple enough! Thanks for sharing, Charlie.

Ed


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

gmcharlie said:


> ***** are very seldom a problem..... .


Mabee in your part of the wourld but around here ***** are a LOT worse than skunks I have traped as many as 22 ***** in my bee yard and not one skunk and let me tell you bees are NOT in a good mood after ***** bother them @ night


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

I will be darned Honeyman, don't doubt you! I think though that its a learned behavior. Momma teaching babies etc.... We litteraly have thousands of ***** here (the purina night hunts are less than 1 mile from my house) and never had an issue with one.


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## John D. (Sep 5, 2007)

My hives are in a wooded area with skunks, ***** & whatever. I never realized how many skunks were around until I went hunting with night vision. Also learned the skunks are like Marines, they charge the source of fire. Anyway I keep my hives on a stand about 18" tall, use a slatted rack so they don't have to beard outside & keep a 10# weight on top. The only problem I ever had was hogs scratching on the hive stand & pushing it off its' slab. They get lead poisoning when I see them.


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