# What in the world is tipping my hives over? Solutions?



## westernbeekeeper

Hello all,
I have had three hives now that have been turned over and scattered at my bee yard. The yard is fenced in by 4-foot pallets, in which the widest opening is about 8-10 inches. The fence make an awesome windbreak, too. The hives are sitting on railroad ties 16 inches above the ground, and they each also have a 15-20 lb rock on top of their lids. Now I first noted something interesting when I set 8 old dryish half-consumed pollen sub patties in the corner of the yard. I forgot about them and went home. I remembered the next morning and drove the 4 minutes back to get them. Not one of them was there and I found just one patty 40 yards outside the bee yard, mostly eaten with small claw marks (skunk or opossum size?) in it. I kinda scratched my head, picked it up and went home. I came back about a week and a half later to find one of my two single deep hives flipped over and scattered. None of the woodenware was damaged in any way, and the hive body had fallen upside down with all the frames intact. The comb had not been touched, and all the bees plus the queen were there still. I put everything back together, and then went home. So now I just got back from the yard, and the same hive plus the other single deep are flipped, too. Same scenario, bees and queens all there, zero comb damage, and no woodenware damage. Just turned over and scattered. The frames landed less orderly this time, but the bees are all there, and like I said, no comb damage. So I put everything back together again, and came home to ask you all about it. There are horses grazing in the pasture around the yard, but I doubt it was them. There are quite a few dog-like tracks around and in the bee yard, but I can't quite tell what shape and size. I am sick of this and am wondering what you think may be doing this and what solutions you may have. Thanks in advance!


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## Joebee

Sounds like its time for a motion activated wildlife camera, could be interesting...


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## westernbeekeeper

Joebee said:


> Sounds like its time for a motion activated wildlife camera, could be interesting...


I thought the same thing, but I can't justify the cost yet.  Maybe after I actually lose several hives, I'll really wake up to it and decide to pay the $$$ to get one.


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## Rader Sidetrack

Borrow a "live trap" from someone, and bait it with pollen patties. See what you catch!

You _may _be able to borrow a trap from a county extension agent.


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## westernbeekeeper

Thanks Rader! I hadn't thought of that. I have a fairly large one, underneath a pile of tractor parts in the barn. I'll dig it out and set it. Smart idea, thanks!

I also was going to look into one of those little red LED flashing lights, I can't recall the name right now. NightGuard, maybe? Do they work? Has anyone had experience with them?


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## Ravenseye

Can you spread powder, flour or some other stuff around and see if you can get some tracks? Might be worth a try.


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## jdmidwest

Game cams are the greatest little spy tools out there. I have caught neighbors pigs poking around near mine. 

Game cams are cheap right now. Holiday specials, end of season, etc. I just picked up 2 refurb Primos 35 cameras for $50 each that are my security system on the house and hive. I have 2 others at the farm watching deer trails. Infrared lights work great, they don't spook game when they flash. They also record video.

It has really opened up my eyes as to what has traveled thru my rural yard in a subdivision. Dogs, armadillos, cats, *****, possum, deer, birds, squirrels, rabbits, and even a coyote a few times.


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## BeeTech

what are you going to do if your live trap catches a skunk?


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## jdmidwest

BeeTech said:


> what are you going to do if your live trap catches a skunk?


Throw a blanket over it and toss it in the river to drown the skunk would be the best idea. The blanket calms it and keeps it from spraying, the river lets it pass peacefully without stinking up the place.


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## beegeorge

I think I would invest about $12 in ratchet straps from Lowes,, for a starter, and tie them down,, then if you can get a deer cam,, like jdmidwest suggested,,,


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## beegeorge

Game cams are cheap right now. Holiday specials, end of season, etc. I just picked up 2 refurb Primos 35 cameras for $50 each 

JD,, where did you get them for that price,, I need a few,,,


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## dirt road

Badger maybe???? They're certainly strong enough to do what you've described. I think they mostly eat small rodents and birds, but I really don't know. If there is any way for the horses to get to the hives, they would be my first guess. I had a lot of trouble with some about 10 years ago. Don't know if it was curiosity or boredom.


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## Oldtimer

Yes I've had hives tipped over by horses.

If it was some carnivore such as a skunk, raccoon or similar, you would think once they tipped the hive over the whole object for them would be to eat some comb. Kinda makes me wonder if it's something like a horse, or maybe a human.

A camera is your best bet.


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## Riskybizz

Wild guess says its a raccoon. Spread some play sand around the hives and smooth it out and then look for tracks when you go back.


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## SilverBack

Any kids in the area?


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## Ian

sounds like raccoon, they are probably doing so just to play around, as raccoons do. They are not interested in bees. Are the hives set up easy to knock over?
A bear would destroy your hives, so its not a bear


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## Riskybizz

I've never seen adult raccoons play around by tipping bee hives over. They are incredibly strong for their size, human like hands, keen sense of smell, and they would also be interested in eating a foodsource like pollen supplement laying around on the ground. They could also smell it inside the hive and would go after it.


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## westernbeekeeper

There are no children in the area. The hives are on a ranch 20 miles out of town, and a couple in there sixties live there. The hives are half a mile away from the house, just off an access road/field lane. Thanks for all the ideas, thoughts, and speculations y'all have given here so far. I have quite an arsenal by now  ! I'll try some things, and try to let you all know what the outcome is.


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## SRBrooks

What about deer? Jumping high fences is easy for them, plus hungry deer will eat just about anything. I weighted down my top-bar hives with huge rocks for that very reason.


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## jdmidwest

beegeorge said:


> Game cams are cheap right now. Holiday specials, end of season, etc. I just picked up 2 refurb Primos 35 cameras for $50 each
> 
> JD,, where did you get them for that price,, I need a few,,,


Natchez Shooting Sports. Come with a 90 day warranty. I have 2 running in my yard and another watching the rabbit pen at the farm. They have good lighting and are sensitive, photos are not as sharp as the ones I use for deer. Just look for Primos 35 refurb on the website.

http://www.natchezss.com/index.cfm


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## mike haney

jdmidwest said:


> Natchez Shooting Sports. Come with a 90 day warranty. I have 2 running in my yard and another watching the rabbit pen at the farm. They have good lighting and are sensitive, photos are not as sharp as the ones I use for deer. Just look for Primos 35 refurb on the website.
> 
> http://www.natchezss.com/index.cfm


Menards has deer cams $35 an $50 this week


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## jdmidwest

Now is the time to buy a deer cam, all kinds of specials. Some of the cheap ones are just that, low pixels, regular flash, smaller picture coverage area. Look for one with infrared flash and at least 3 megapixels. I have a Tasco and a Wildgame I use for the deer, both are 5 MP. The ones around the house and rabbit pens are Primos 3 MP.


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## Moon

I'm late to the party but all your windbreak and 15 pound rocks aside the wind down in cheyenne whips like a bastard. It will blow semi's completely off the road in the blink of an eye. I think 60mph gusts would topple a hive regardless of a pallet fence. Maybe I'm wrong but **** that Wyoming wind!!!


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## westernbeekeeper

Moon said:


> I'm late to the party but all your windbreak and 15 pound rocks aside the wind down in cheyenne whips like a bastard. It will blow semi's completely off the road in the blink of an eye. I think 60mph gusts would topple a hive regardless of a pallet fence. Maybe I'm wrong but **** that Wyoming wind!!!


That is a good consideration. It was gusting at around 50 mph on those days. That could be it. I have an eye on some good cams, just in case, though. You are right in your thoughts and speculations about the wind; right on! 

P.S. I like your signature line.


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## sjj

westernbeekeeper said:


> That is a good consideration. It was gusting at around 50 mph on those days. That could be it. I have an eye on some good cams, just in case, though. You are right in your thoughts and speculations about the wind; right on!
> 
> P.S. I like your signature line.


Wagnerian harmony at the Apiary ...


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## westernbeekeeper

I dusted flour around the hives, 4 feet around in every direction. Went to the yard this morning, and my little nuc was knocked over, with nothing but rabbit tracks in the dust. We just had pretty high winds, so I'll assume it was that, but I still would like to get a game cam. There was no damage to the nuc; I had it tightly rachet-strapped together, and the bees seem to be fine.


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## Adrian Quiney WI

Ben, what kind of rabbits do you have out there?


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## westernbeekeeper

Ha ha ha! Just cottontails, but I do follow your train of thought.


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