Pest Protection Products

Products for protection against pests and animals are pieces of equipment that physically protect the hive from mice, hornets, ants, woodpeckers, bears and wax moth: entrance reducers, mouse guards, hornet entrance guards, ant barriers, wire cages, electric fences and protection methods for the comb store. A simple barrier fitted at the right time is often more effective and safer than any chemical. No insecticides, poison baits or rodenticides are used in or around the hive.

Why physical protection?

A hive is a box full of honey and wax; any chemical used there can pass into the honey, pollen and wax and can kill the bees themselves. So the first, and often the only, option against pests is a physical barrier: a gap that bees can pass through but pests cannot, a barrier that cannot be climbed, or a fence that cannot be crossed. It is enough to fit it at the right time and remove it at the right time.

The entrance reducer: a basic device for every season

An entrance reducer (entrance block) is a piece of wood or metal that adjusts the width of the entrance. A narrow entrance reduces the area the colony has to defend with its guard bees; it gives protection against robber bees, hornets and, in winter, the cold. It is indispensable for weak colonies, nucs and hives suspected of disease.

• When choosing: It must fit your hive's entrance exactly; a gap left open beside it defeats the purpose. Types with several opening options can be adjusted by season.
• Use: Narrow the entrance in late summer and winter; widen it during the main nectar flow and in hot weather, otherwise ventilation and traffic are restricted.

How do you choose and fit a mouse guard?

A mouse guard is a metal strip that covers the whole entrance and has round holes large enough for bees but too small for mice. In commonly used guards the holes are about 9.5 mm. It is fitted in autumn, before the cluster forms inside the hive, and removed in spring when pollen traffic increases, because the metal edges can scrape off pollen loads.

1. Before fitting, make sure there is no mouse in the hive; otherwise you will trap the animal inside.
2. Fix the guard with nails or drawing pins so that it covers the full width of the entrance.
3. Check that no gap is left open under or beside the guard.
4. Throughout the winter, check whether dead bees are blocking the holes.

Hornet entrance guards

The European hornet (Vespa crabro), the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) and yellowjackets hunt foragers at the hive entrance in late summer and rob weak colonies. For protection:

• Entrance reducer: The first and cheapest measure; it makes defence easier.
• Grid or tunnel entrance guards: A grid or short tunnel with gaps that bees can pass but hornets cannot reduces robbing and entry into the hive.
• Mesh screen in front of the entrance: Wire mesh placed a short distance in front of the entrance makes it harder for a predator hovering in the air to approach the entrance and helps the foragers keep flying.

These guards do not stop hunting in the air entirely, but they strengthen the colony's "home defence". Non-selective sweet or fruit traps also catch honey bees, bumblebees and beneficial insects; if they are used at all, they should be used sparingly and away from the hives. Do not put insecticide in hornet nests or bait stations; ask the municipality or the competent teams for help with nests.

Ant barriers

Ants can nest around the hive and in the crown board, carrying off honey and dead bees and disturbing the colony. Chemical-free solutions:

• Stand-leg barrier: A ring of grease, lanolin or petroleum jelly smeared on the legs of the stand stops ants climbing. The barrier stops working if it is bridged by dust and leaves; it must be renewed regularly.
• Water dish: Standing the legs of the stand in dishes filled with water or oil is a common solution, especially in hot regions.
• Cut the bridges: Remove grass, branches and wall contacts touching the hive.

Protection against bears, badgers and woodpeckers

Electric fence

In areas with bears, the most effective and most common solution is a properly installed, continuously working electric fence. It must be well earthed, the vegetation under the wires cleared regularly and the voltage checked throughout the season. In migratory beekeeping the fence should be put up the day the hives are set down; an animal that has once got in through an unpowered fence and fed is much harder to deter afterwards. For fence dimensions, follow the recommendations of the manufacturer and of experienced beekeepers in your area.

Sturdy stand and hive straps

Badgers and wild boar try to knock hives over or dig at the floor. A sturdy stand raised off the ground and straps securing the hives to it largely prevent this damage.

Wire cage against woodpeckers

In winter, in some areas, woodpeckers drill through wooden bodies to reach the bees inside. Chicken wire wrapped around the hive so that it does not touch the body stops the bird clinging on and pecking; it is removed in spring.

Bears, badgers and many other wild animals and birds are protected. Killing, injuring or poisoning them is an offence; poison baits and traps also endanger dogs, other animals and people.

Protecting the comb store against wax moth

Wax moth is rarely a problem in a strong hive; the real damage is seen in stored comb and in weak hives. Protection methods:

• Freezing: Keeping combs in a deep freezer (–15 °C or colder) for at least two days before storage kills all stages, including the eggs.
• Airy, light storage: Wax moth likes darkness and still air; boxes can be cross-stacked to let air flow.
• Authorised biological product: In some countries authorised products based on Bacillus thuringiensis are used on combs to be stored, against the larvae, according to the label.
• No naphthalene or similar moth repellents: They leave persistent residues in wax and honey and are harmful to bees.