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Skunks

2045 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  Michael Bush
Seems skunks are fond of dead bees as well as honey....Trapped 3 skunks this week that were eating dead bees that were thrown out the door, from some dead out comb that I installed...first sign was their tracks in the snow (LOL) yeah snow last week....I've got the 20 mile fence charger bought and I think the frost is about out, so I can drive some fence posts next weekend...I'm told the bears wont be around until about
solstus or June 20 ish....And then July will bring "HONEY" PTL....lolol...It's always somthing...:):eek:

==McBee7==
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How about live ones?

Skunks scratch the doors to lure them out and when the bees show up the lick and slurp party begins. Scoundrels!!!!!!!!

Tis' the reason I smile every time I see one as roadkill. I personally wish to see more strips on the road.. Black and white ones that is.
I set my hives on 18 inch high hive stands and nail carpet tack strips on the landing board.Either or both work.Don't have to take them stanky jokers of a trap!
I have not had issues with skunks that I know of - I hope/trust my preventative techniques are working. I am in black bear country and have surrounded my yard with electric netting similar to what is often used by migratory pollinators. The electric netting is "powered" by a Parmak solar energizer. A game camera that I have aimed at the yard shows that I am keeping out bunnies and raccoons - skunks haven't showed up on the camera. Deer are another issue - they ignore the fence (they jump it) and have browsed heavily on the young apple trees I have in my bee yard. Thankfully no bears have appeared on the camera.
Hi Guys

A sure fire cure for skunks is an upper entrance. Use one and leave the skunks alone. I've written some more about it:

http://bwrangler.litarium.com/tag/upper-entrance/
been battling skunks since last fall. Set the trap again last week and the thing keeps getting the bait without setting off the trap. 2 nights ago set it with sardines and again empty trap. Am going to set out 2 now with Fancy Feast cat food and set them at hair trigger setting.
Upper entrances work great when you have predators or snow.Tip-skunks love chocolate cake!
been battling skunks since last fall. Set the trap again last week and the thing keeps getting the bait without setting off the trap. 2 nights ago set it with sardines and again empty trap. Am going to set out 2 now with Fancy Feast cat food and set them at hair trigger setting.
I am a professional Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator.
If you need some pointers, send me a private message. We catch hundreds of skunks each year.
Always happy to give some tips!
I use a conibear with a cubby box and dry cat food....They sure do stink though....Wondered if that stink gets into the comb and or syrup/feed or wax?? Had a nice day here today 50 and the
wind took a break, they were starting to bring in bright yellow pollen after a week of cold and rain--I LOVE SPRING--LOL....Fruit trees in town are starting to bloom,,,com-mon 70 degrees!!

==McBee7==
I went to top entrances because of the skunks. It's a never ending battle otherwise... I've never seen skunks eat dead bees, just live ones...
OUCH!!! I think your right Mr. Bush....I had stayed out of the hives for a couple of weeks so I wouldn't chill the hive too much,, and when I went in yesterday I thought the populations were down some in a some of the hives that I thought would be doing great.And one hive that had been re-queened seemed to have more bees than others.....I was thinking I had caught the skunks at the beginning of their waltz through my bee yard, but now I think maybe they had been at work for a week or two, now that I look back,,,, I think they have been bellyed up to the "BEE HIVE BUFFET" for a while :( Why eat dead bees when there are fresh ones just inside the door....lol..:(

==McBee7==
Actually, they don't even eat the live ones, they just suck the juice out and then spit them out. Soggy piles of dead bees...
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