Some bird species hunt bees. The damage they cause is usually exaggerated, though it becomes noticeable in certain periods and conditions.

How they hunt

Some catch bees in flight, others wait near the entrance. Intensive predation usually coincides with migration periods and with the birds' own breeding season.

The real effect

The number a bird takes in a day is small beside the daily natural losses of a strong colony. The colony absorbs it without difficulty.

The real effect is indirect:

• Reluctance to fly: Under heavy pressure the bees fly less and foraging drops
• Queen loss: A queen taken on her mating flight is a genuine risk and leads directly to the loss of a colony
• Concentration: An apiary with many hives becomes a reliable food source

The second point matters most: where queens are reared, bird pressure should be taken seriously.

What you can do

• Review the site. Prefer positions away from established bird flight routes
• Choose sheltered rather than open ground
• Plan mating outside periods of intensive predation
• Keep colonies strong

What is not permitted

Many bird species are legally protected. Killing them, destroying nests and poisoning are offences in most countries.

These species also perform other functions in the ecosystem; removing them creates different problems.

A balanced view

Bird pressure ranks low among the causes of colony loss. Varroa, nutrition and wintering problems are far more decisive.

Checking those three before blaming the birds gives a more accurate answer.