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Author Topic: Skunk Problems  (Read 8769 times)

Offline BlueBee

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Skunk Problems
« on: August 14, 2011, 02:06:45 pm »
OK folks, I have a stinky problem.  The skunks have started messing with my foam nucs and my bottom entrance hives.  Never had this problem before.  What are your best tips for dealing with a skunk problem?  Too many to shoot or trap, so what other ideas do you have? 

The skunks are leaving my hives with mid/top entrances alone, but the bottom entrance ones they’re messing with.

BTW…low density foam is not skunk proof!  They can scratch it up pretty bad.


Offline hankdog1

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2011, 02:45:40 pm »
My suggestion would be to get them higher off the ground around 18 inches.  If they are still bothering them get a dog and keep it outside until the shunks have gave up.   :evil:
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Offline LoriMNnice

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2011, 04:01:16 pm »
Coyote pee. sprinkle it in a circle around hives. The first challenge is to get the pee. First capture yourself a coyote and squeeze him or her to make it pee. Just kidding. Go buy some from the hunting store. I don't have beehives yet but this has kept the coyotes off of my deck. I reapply after rains etc.
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Offline kingbee

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2011, 06:00:20 pm »
... First capture yourself a coyote and squeeze him or her to make

it pee...

I think I will just 'rassle' the skunk, thank you.

Offline David McLeod

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2011, 06:50:25 pm »
Coyote pee, interesting. I use coyote pee when I want to catch a coyote or fox or raccoon or bobcat or skunk and to think I've been doing it wrong all these years.
You need to use either food source modification (get rid of the bees) or exclude them aka denying them access. Raising the boxes may do it but slunk can climb especially the spotted. Fencing has to be solid with buried aprons as skunks are diggers. What I like is bird wire. Do a Google search for nixalite. Their stainless spikes tacked down at the entrance will put a stop to all the skunk nonsense, just be careful the nixalite spikes are needle sharp and you will bleed if you aren't.
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Offline David McLeod

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2011, 06:59:21 pm »
You want premium S mounted on the box or premium H mounted on the bottom board.
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Offline derekm

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2011, 07:09:45 pm »
I know nothing about skunks but I when started looking at building hives I originally intended covering the foam with thin (22 swg or thinner) aluminium sheet glued to the outside of the hive.
If they increased energy bill for your home by a factor of 4.5 would you consider that cruel? If so why are you doing that to your bees?

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2011, 08:30:21 pm »
would carpet tack strips work?  they are cheap.
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Offline Sparky

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2011, 08:52:57 pm »
would carpet tack strips work?  they are cheap.

Kathy, I spray painted up the carpet tack strips and fastened to the front and sides of the bottom boards with the tacks facing up at the entrance, earlier in the season when I noticed the balls of chewed up bees on the ground. I then noticed spots of blood on the boxes and the problem went away.

Offline gardeningfireman

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2011, 09:12:42 pm »
A friend of mine used carpet tack strips with great success. I have been fortunate so far and have not had any problems.

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2011, 09:55:44 pm »
Raising the hives is not to keep them from climbing. It exposes the underbelly if the skunk is reaching up a bit to scratch at the door.This makes them more vulnerable to getting stung in more tender areas.
Many on here have lessened the skunk problem by raising the hives a bit off the ground.

Offline BlueBee

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2011, 11:36:39 pm »
Thanks all, I will start by elevating my nucs.  I just built a 20” tall stand for them today.  Will get it painted and into use ASAP.

My full sized hives with a bottom entrance is a bit of a problem.  Due to my odd foam designs, they can’t easily be raised up 18”.  What I have tried so far is some elevated fencing the skunks would have to walk through to get to the entrance as shown here.



This seems to help, but it is a lot of work to build these things.  I like the carpet tack idea.  I think I will give them a try. 

The skunks seem to dig in the dirt at the front of the hives and then paw away at the entrance.  I don’t know what the purpose of the digging is for?  Maybe they’re mashing up bees?

Derekm, no skunks in the UK?  I have thought about an outer protective material over my foam too.  However so far, I have not had reason to justify the extra time and effort.  Have you thought about vinyl house siding over your foam?  Might be cheaper than AL?

Offline kingbee

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #12 on: August 15, 2011, 12:53:44 am »

OK folks, I have a stinky problem.  The skunks have started messing with my foam nucs and my bottom entrance hives.... 

Get one of those Hava-a-heart live traps.  Bait it up with sardines, a mackerel's head or some rotten eggs.  Equip yourself with one of those proverbial 10 foot poles, the stronger the better (more on this later).  After Mr. or Ms Skunk interns him or her self, and being sure to work from the up wind side, carefully pick up the wire trap using the 10 foot (or longer) pole and gently submerse trap, skunk and all, in a 55 gallon drum of water.  Don't you go wimping out on me now, why do you think skunks are called pole cats?  :-D  Grab yourself a cup o joe and come back after 30 minutes. I guarantee you half an hour under water will wash all the starch out of Misuser or Madam Le Pew.

Skunks are a natural reservoir for the rabies virus.  They can carry and transmit rabies without displaying the symptoms themselves.  Skunks, both living and dead ones, can transmit rabies to you and to your family so do be careful.  A good spraying is not the worst thing a skunk can give you, rabies is.

Skunks are like badgers and wolverines (part of the weasel family) and are therefore opportunistic feeders.  If they find an opportunity to feed they will take it.  Do keep all pet food, especially cat and dog food out of the reach of skunks.  In the late Winter Madam skunk will often times commandeer abandoned ground hog holes and use them for natal dens.  Therefore controlling ground hogs (woodchucks) on your land may go a long way towards limiting the severity, duration or frequency of skunk raids on you apiaries.  I think I see 4 sights were a skunk has excavacted the dirt in the picture BlueBee submitted.  Only one of these sights has any relationship to his hives.  I feel skunks don't scrach at the enterance to our hives, in the skunks' little brain he thinks he is digging.

Offline David McLeod

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2011, 01:41:48 am »
No need for the ten foot pole. I regularly catch skunks and not once has one sprayed me or in the truck. Used an enclosed trap so that the skunk never sees you and you tote the cage anywhere you want.
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Offline BlueBee

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2011, 02:48:32 am »
Good information Kingbee and David.  Too bad Kingbee doesn’t live closer; I would like a personal demo of the process :-D  Just kidding Kingbee, you make some excellent points. 

I do have some live traps, but had not thought about covering them to keep the skunk from seeing me.  That’s a great tip. 

Offline BlueBee

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #15 on: August 15, 2011, 02:55:09 am »
Yeah, you’re right Kingbee, in my second photo the skunk seemed to be digging 4 little holes under this hive before I put the light blue fence covered thing in place.  I thought that was very odd.  

After I put the fence in place, the dumb things seems to be crawling under(?) the blue fence thing and is now clawing the foam.  The photo I posted was from a few days ago.  I saw more scratching today.  That hive usually has a lot of bees on the landing board throughout the night.  

Let me throw one more thing out, I ASSUME it is a skunk messing with my hives, but I have not visually seen it in action.  We also have a lot of Opossum and other varmin around.

Offline derekm

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #16 on: August 15, 2011, 09:33:23 am »
We have Woodpeckers and Badgers in the Uk, that go for hives. No skunks, oppossums, or bears.
If they increased energy bill for your home by a factor of 4.5 would you consider that cruel? If so why are you doing that to your bees?

Offline okbees

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #17 on: August 15, 2011, 03:40:33 pm »
I took a roll of fencing wire and made it large enough to force the skunks to stand up, exposing their undersides, when they scoop the bees off of the front landing.  After a while of getting stung on their belly...they left the hives alone.  https://picasaweb.google.com/111863660513010434468/HiveWithSkunkWifeInFront#
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Offline CapnChkn

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #18 on: August 16, 2011, 02:46:29 pm »


BlueBee, is that an electric deterrent?  A Van De Graaff generator and the fencing is to give the skunks contact?  Honestly, that is an awful lot of work!  Do the animals have to be grounded to get the shock?

I always figured if I had problems with Bears, not that there are any this close to town, I would build a pulley system of some sort and hang them in the trees.  Bet it would work for skunks too, though I have mine on cinder blocks holding up 4 by 4's.  The entrance of the hives are about knee height.  The Cardboard on the ground is to block the weeds.

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Offline BlueBee

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Re: Skunk Problems
« Reply #19 on: August 16, 2011, 04:28:57 pm »
No the Van De Graaff is for my Varroa Mite experiments, not skunks.  I just happened to have that photo on photobucket when I made the post showing my anti skunk screen.

Now that you mention it, would an electric fence keep skunks and other vermin out of a bee yard?

CapnChkn, is that a robber screen on the front of your hive?  Has it been effective?  I kind of gave up with my robber screens and now just narrow the entrance way down if robbing starts.  What have you found works best?