# Will the vibrations of the lawn mower disturb the bees?



## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

This is one of those answers that is not so clear cut. Most of the time I can mow the grass without being bothered by the bees. But, I always keep an eye on them with each pass of the lawn mower. I have also had them come out and run me back to the house for my bee jacket. Bees tend to be a little more defensive during certain times of the year or even from day to day depending on the weather. Bottom line is they are animals and as such must be expected to be unpredictable. If it makes you feel better there are a lot of backyard beekeepers that manage to keep bees in their small backyards without many problems.


----------



## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

Your bees, maybe. My bees, definitely. A flow or a dearth changes everything. Look out in July and August.


----------



## RudyT (Jan 25, 2012)

If you are cautious, you can smoke the entrance before starting and/or wear your suit or at least veil. Like others have said, there is enormous variability of defensiveness due to flow/dearth, weather, harassment by skunks or other robbers, queenrightness, and the genetics of the bees which can change due to queen supercedure. I've had one hive that always had a bee or two chase me 10 yards or so (just walking by)--a new queen solved that issue. Most times I mow all around without any extra bees taking flight. You can look for other posts; the other advice includes don't throw grass or fumes into the hive.


----------



## Santa Caras (Aug 14, 2013)

I have no problems with mine and I mow with a big 22HP 50" rider. I pass in front and drive on and it may be a minute or two before I make it back for another swing. Dont mow with the grass being thrown onto the hive..point away. Do I cringe and tuck my neck down into my shirt when I pass by? Yes but i havent been stung once yet. If your bees are gentle than i really dont think you have a problem. Your up in Oregan so I'm fairly sure the very defensive African Bee are not in your area.


----------



## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

as santa says.. blow the discharge away from the hive.


----------



## beemilk (Sep 12, 2012)

Mow around the bees in the early morning when it is usually much cooler....but do it as fast as you can. Sneak up on them from behind the hive first.


----------



## imthegrumpyone (Jun 29, 2013)

50/50 chance, wife has no problem when mowing the lawn !


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Interesting. This has got me scratching my head. I have limited space to raise my bees, about 20 feet from the back of the house to the neighboring farmer's grass seed acreage (about 300 open acres) and, since I'm about to start my first colony, I'm wondering about this: My bee boxes will be located just off the edge of my back lawn, which means that in the summer, I will be mowing about once a week. Will the vibrations of the lawn mower disturb the bees? 

Get a light veil like this:
http://bugbaffler.com/collections/insect-protection/products/headnet

Put it in your back pocket whenever you mow. If any bee looks like it's coming after you, put it on, or if you are really close to the hive, put it on.

Most bees most of the time won't care as long as you are throwing the grass away from the hive. Some bees sometimes will get worked up. I would always be prepared for that possibility.


----------



## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

I've found that it varies significantly throughout the season. Also, if your lawnmower has the grass discharge and exhaust on opposite sides you are going to disturb them more than one that has these on the same side. Of course you'll always want the non-discharging side facing towards the hive. So, if you're buying a new mower, keep that in mind. Bee dislike exhaust discharge as much as grass flying into their home.


----------



## flylooper (Oct 14, 2014)

I am encouraged by the responses here. I was really considering placing my hives at my girlfriend's place in Springfield, which is 45 miles from here. She has some acreage and I could put the boxes well away from human activity. But I'd rather them be here, of course, so I'm going to stay with the plan, at least this first year out. 

A couple of other thoughts: Is it a good assumption that I could lessen the chances of disturbing them with the lawnmower (which has a rear discharge bag) if I place the entrance away from the house and the lawn, to the east? Also, What are bees typically up to late in the day? Do they go to bed around dusk? Better to mow at dusk or first light? (Although in midsummer it doesn't get fully dark until around 10 or 10:30) Or is there no hard and fast rule (which seems to be the general rule about beekeeping!!


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

the only time I ever got stung mowing was when a returning bee wasn't paying attention on approach to the hive and accidentally landed in my beard. once they go in they can't back out LOL


----------



## flylooper (Oct 14, 2014)

Harley Craig said:


> the only time I ever got stung mowing was when a returning bee wasn't paying attention on approach to the hive and accidentally landed in my beard. once they go in they can't back out LOL


.....which reminds me of that old familiar warning: "Never let a bee fly your airplane."


----------



## SpringGreen (Jun 26, 2014)

Well, it depends.

Easily in the season, we mowed with the tractor and Z turn right up to the hives. We weed whacked pretty close too with no protection and was completely ignored. But later in the season...um...no way. Hubby took one pass on the Z one day, and they chased him on the second pass, done a few minutes later. I thought he had lost his mind as he zig zagged across the hilly pasture, sure he was going to lose the Z and slide to the bottom until he came back and told me the bees were after him. I went to mow out there a few weeks later and ended up having to suit completely up, and they followed me back to the house and around the house for long minutes because they didn't like the new landscaping..and the bees are on the far side of our back pasture. 

But I started feeding them in preparation for fall some weeks ago, and we can mow again near the hives (although mowing season seems to have abruptly ended here).


----------



## Santa Caras (Aug 14, 2013)

SpringGreen said:


> Well, it depends. But I started feeding them and we can mow again near the hives (although mowing season seems to have abruptly ended here).


Awww...that reminds me of sumthin I read. During the summer when a dearth (lack of nectar) is going on, the bees tend to get cranky. I read that if bees are feed for a day before you go in to inspect, that they are a lot more docile. Probably applies to lawn cutting too. If you find that they are defensive and stingin you while mowing, try feeding them some syrup the day before and see if that helps.


----------

