From: "deelusbybeekeeper" <deelusbybeekeeper@excelonline.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2001 21:13:54 -0700
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: Bee-eating snakes

Hi Clay

You wrote:

> Use hardware cloth for mice too. Going to lift hives higher off ground to
> slow up the snakes as I like the larger entrances.

Reply:

Let me know how it works! But we couldn't do that, the packrats would bring
jumping cholla cactus into the hives and make a big mess.

Out in front of our entrances also (3/8 inch high) we put large rocks with
coarse surfaces also. The rocks help deter skunks, possoms, raccoons,
badgers, etc from eating bees at the entrances. Flat pavers are good for
this too! It works two ways. first it dulls the nails and the animals don't
like their nails shortened and filed and second they cannot roll the bees
fast in the dirt to kill and then eat them.

Also put big rocks on our lids for animals that like to take the lids off
and pull out frames to eat.

Dee