Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: phill on January 17, 2014, 03:14:46 pm
-
Today I found a dead possum in front of my hives. It had obviously been killed by something a lot bigger than a bee, but I doubt it was coincidence that I found it there.
The hives are closed up for the winter-- only top entries open-- so there's no way the possum got at my bees. But I wonder if he and his friends have been bothering the bees in the past. What sort of evidence should I be looking for?
-
Sounds like something saw a tasty meal and was dragging it to the dinner table and got distracted, or the little fellow decided to play possum permanently in front of your hives, either way I wouldn't worry about it too much, especially if the lower entrance sealed.
What I look for is scratch marks in the wood if something was trying to climb on or getting at the landing board, ruffled soil around the hives, you can look at the edges where vermin would be getting close to and see if you find hair stuck in the wood fibres etc.
-
Thanks. There are no visible scratch marks, etc. That's reassuring. Now I'm wondering what the predator was, that tore the possum apart but didn't stay to eat his kill.
-
That would be what is referred to as a "wholesale kill". Normally something in the canine family and most likely a dog.
-
Anybody know if possums are even much of an issue with bees? Unlike a skunk, they have more exposed skin, even their hair is thinner over all. And frankly, compared to a skunk or a raccoon, they are not very bright.
JC
-
If there is a shortage of food, yes a possum will try to get to the honey and or bees.
I've had raccoons around my hives before, they'd push the top feeder around and knock it off.
But it sounds like the other folks said, A dog probably did it in.
A coyote would have eat'n it.