[Lindsksq]

Hello all!
We have a small farm with a 6 acre hay field. My bees will be showing up quickly. Since the field is mainly clover and alfalfa, I think the girls will love it.
My husband is worried that he will be stung while mowing the hay. I think he's overreacting, but I told him I would consult the experts.
What do you think experts?

 

[indypartridge]

My experience is that he's more likely to be stung after running over a nest of yellow jackets or wasps! The honeybees that he runs over will be dead, the others aren't likely to bother him.

 

[Swobee]

What about the feral bees that are probably already out there foraging on your little farm? Have they bothered him yet while mowing? Yes, he's over reacting, so he can put the worry to rest. Other events like Indy mentioned will be more likely.

 

[sgwjr1979]

how close is the hive to the field? My grandfather mowed around his with the blow-out pointed away from the hive and I don't think he ever got stung because of it and that was with a mower!

 

[knpeterson]

I always mow and weed-eat right up to my hives and I have never been stung.

 

[standman]

Only time I have ever had a problem with mine is when the exhaust on the tractor blew into the hive when I was mowing beside the hive. Foraging bees are usually preoccupied with the task at hand. He should be o.k. unless he takes his shoes off and goes walking through the pasture and steps on one.

 

[knpeterson]

Come to think of it, we have a feral hive in a tree next to our corn field split with a hayfield and we ride the tractor right next to the tree and cut hay from that field last year and never had any problems....and we have open station tractors. However, my husband did not have the same experience when he ran over a hornets nest on the ground with the brush hog.

 

[mothergoosemagic]

Ditto on the ground wasps. My poor husband about got eaten alive when he ran the lawnmower near the nest. As for the hives, we use an electric weedwhacker right around them & no problem. That way we avoid an accidental bumping of the hive, and then you've got problems. :no:

 

[mrspock]

I always mow and weed-eat right up to my hives and I have never been stung.

Interesting. I may have to rototill near my hives in a few weeks..... This should be ok to do?

 

[knpeterson]

I only mow around them in the late evening. I can tell their temperment and if they are fiesty then I may wait, but I don't hang out there long with the weed wacker and mower. I just get it done and out of there!

 

[Naturegoods]

Interesting. I may have to rototill near my hives in a few weeks..... This should be ok to do?

I think that all this talk about ‘oh you can mow around them like they’re a shrub” is a bit optimistic. It has been my experience, 16 years of trimming the bee yard with a weed eater, that they do not like the noise, fumes or grass clippings. And of course, DO NOT bump them. It only takes one bee to ruin the occasion. An ounce of prevention - wear some gear while working around the hives.

 

[beedeetee]

Interesting. I may have to rototill near my hives in a few weeks..... This should be ok to do?

I rototilled right behind 4 hives last year. I had just enough room between the hives and a retaining wall for my Troybilt tiller with 1" to spare. I was in back of the hives, so it didn't seem to bother them. If I had hit one rock at the wrong time I think that would have changed though.

Mowing and weed eating in front of hives has gotten variable responses. Eventually you will have guard bees take issue with you.

 

[PeeVee]

I mowed with a rider around my 2 hives last year with no problems.

I have heard that with a weed whacker you need to start it up and sneak up on them so they are used to the noise.

I mowed a lot of acres over the years on the farm and had no problems although i can't say I ever saw honey bees there either. Mowing the lawn, I always stop to let them get out of the way when they are working the white clover :lpf:

 

[mike haney]

Hello all!
We have a small farm with a 6 acre hay field. My bees will be showing up quickly. Since the field is mainly clover and alfalfa, I think the girls will love it.
My husband is worried that he will be stung while mowing the hay. I think he's overreacting, but I told him I would consult the experts.
What do you think experts?

back to the OP,hubby will be fine-honeybees are not agressive or teritorial when working plants. his only problem will be if he runs into a flying bee,but mowing,raking and baling are done at a pretty slow ground speed. i've done plenty and never been stung by a honeybee. good luck,mike