From: "deelusbybeekeeper" <deelusbybeekeeper@excelonline.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2001 07:39:44 -0700
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: Bee-eating snakes

Hi to all on Biological Beekeeping

Clay wrote:

> They are common grass snakes. Don't know scientific name. They are eating
> bees(maybe dead ones too). They enter hives at enterance on bottom board.
> Hives are on individual stands of treated lumber in the shape of a square.
> Bottom boards are 4-5 inches off ground.

Reply:

Clay, don't they have water moccasins in NY? I know that the larger
rattlesnakes here go under our hives and the smaller year olds or less can
go inside the hives. For the ones under the hives, we just wear high top
workboots and watch where we put our feet. To keep the young rattlesnakes
out of our hives on bottom boards (along with mice and rats) we use 3/8 inch
entrances on 2 x 4 sliced strips (rat guards on pollen traps also keep them
out there).

How big are the entrances you use? Could you reduce them to keep the snakes out like we do? Then if they cannot get in, all they can eat is dead bees in front of the hives as old bees die or drones are thrown out.