Only skunks?

[Bill_newbee]

I trapped a couple skunks that were killing my bees....but I am still finding animal droppings full of bee carcasses. Do I have yet another skunk about, or do other animals eat bees? I trapped a possum the other day but let it loose figuring it was an innocent scavenger. Same for the black cat I caught. But do other animals such as coons or possums eat bees? Thanks as always for your input.

[bobbb]

found skunks to visit one hive for as long it still has bees. look for a hive with a lot of traffic marks in front and scratch marks on the front landing board

[This message has been edited by bobbb (edited September 16, 2004).]

[bjerm2]

A boiled egg with two crushed asprins in it should take care of your skunk problems.
Dan

[Michael Bush]

I'd make it a raw egg with three aspirins. But that's me.

Possums will also eat bees.

THere are a few things you can do. The most effective one I've done is nail a block into the bottom boards and blaock all my entrances and make top entrances on all my hives. If you buy wood shingles or the long wood shingle shims (16" or more long) then you can use them on top of the inner cover to make a slot all the way across above the inner cover or under the inner cover to make one all the way acrosee underneath it. and slide your telescopic back. Or if you have migratory covers, just put one on each side to make a slot all the way across. The migratory one will end up on the side. I just turned my hives that way on some and didn't get around to it on others.

The skunks haven't bothered my hives since.