Well, the snow just melted and already the skunks are a problem in some yards. Currently have two hives on each stand, made of treated 2 x 4's on two cement blocks, which puts my bottom entrance at about a foot off the ground. Been putting out multiple containers for the last week with a raw egg mixed with 4 aspirin each (they say 2 aspirin is enough), and they're eating them every night and still coming back and scratching at the entrances. I now realize the height of the stands are too low and need to go higher. I definitely don't want to go with upper entrances. I'm wondering if I used 2 x 10's instead on the cement blocks if that would be high enough? That would put my entrances up about 18" off the ground.
skunk troubles and hive stands
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I am new with no experience but I heard to keep skunks away put a carpet tack strip along the entrance.
Higher is better, and nothing under the hives so that the skunk's belly is exposed. They don't like being drilling in the tender parts, and in general are ground searching critters. We have metal stands about 16" high and have no trouble in spite of having plenty of skunks around. A stand that protects the skunk's belly when it reaches up won't help.
The carpet tack strip is supposed to help, too as the skunks catch the bees and wipe the stinger off on the ground before chewing on them. They don't like having their paws stabbed by the tacks when they grab the bees.
Peter
The carpet tack strip is supposed to help, too as the skunks catch the bees and wipe the stinger off on the ground before chewing on them. They don't like having their paws stabbed by the tacks when they grab the bees.
Peter
The skunks hold their belly to the ground and reach up and scratch the front. When a bee comes out, they grab it between their paws and rub it in the grass to get it to sting the grass. Then they pop it in the mouth and suck out the juice. They repeat this until they have a mouthful and after sucking out the juice the spit them out in a soggy pile.
Knowing this, there are several ways to foil them. My favorite is a top entrance with no bottom entrance. Mostly because moving the hives higher in the air increases the incidence of them blowing over, so I don't want to raise them. But raising them is another. Both of these work because, even if the skunks can stand up and reach the entrance they don't like getting stung so they won't expose their belly.
Another is to foil their ability to rub the bees in the grass. Bare dirt, concrete pads or carpet strips do this. When they can't roll the bees in the grass they get stung if they put them in their mouth.
I tried killing them, but you need to understand there is likely a whole family of skunks and even if you kill off that whole family, another family may move in to fill the void.
Knowing this, there are several ways to foil them. My favorite is a top entrance with no bottom entrance. Mostly because moving the hives higher in the air increases the incidence of them blowing over, so I don't want to raise them. But raising them is another. Both of these work because, even if the skunks can stand up and reach the entrance they don't like getting stung so they won't expose their belly.
Another is to foil their ability to rub the bees in the grass. Bare dirt, concrete pads or carpet strips do this. When they can't roll the bees in the grass they get stung if they put them in their mouth.
I tried killing them, but you need to understand there is likely a whole family of skunks and even if you kill off that whole family, another family may move in to fill the void.
I had no idea. The little boogers. Glad we don't have many skunks around here.
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