Glossary
The strategies and methods used to protect beehives from non-insect predators and pests that damage equipment, consume honey, kill bees, or stress colonies. Common apiary pests include bears, skunks, mice, ants, wax moths, and birds, each requiring different preventive approaches.
Bears are the most destructive apiary pest in regions where they are present. A bear can destroy multiple hives in a single night, consuming honey, brood, and bees, and scattering frames and boxes across the yard. Electric fencing is the only reliably effective bear deterrent; it should be installed before a bear discovers the apiary, as bears remember food sources and will return repeatedly.
Skunks are a more subtle problem. They scratch at the hive entrance at night, eating guard bees that come out to investigate. Signs include scratch marks on the landing board, chewed bees (skunks eat the body and spit out the hard head capsule), and increasingly defensive daytime hive behavior. Elevating hives 18 inches off the ground forces skunks to expose their sensitive bellies to stinging bees, which usually deters them. Mice enter hives in fall seeking winter shelter and can damage comb and disturb the cluster. Entrance reducers installed before cold weather prevent mouse entry.
Ants can invade hives to steal honey, particularly in tropical and subtropical climates. Moats (hive legs sitting in containers of oil) and ant-proof hive stands are effective physical barriers. Some beekeepers use cinnamon or diatomaceous earth at the base of hive stands as deterrents.
Wax moths enter hives and lay eggs on comb. Their larvae tunnel through comb, consuming wax, pollen, and cocoons. Strong colonies defend against wax moths effectively; the problem occurs in weak colonies and in stored equipment. Proper comb storage (freezing followed by sealed storage) prevents wax moth damage to unused frames.
If bears are present in your area, yes. An electric fence is the single most important investment for protecting your apiary. Even one bear visit can destroy an entire apiary. Contact your state wildlife agency about bear populations in your area.
Place hive legs in containers filled with vegetable oil, creating moats that ants cannot cross. Alternatively, coat hive stand legs with a sticky barrier product. Avoid pesticides near hives, as they can harm bees. Keep grass trimmed around hives to reduce ant bridging.
Nighttime defensiveness is a common sign of skunk predation. Skunks scratch at the entrance after dark, eating bees that emerge to investigate. Look for scratch marks on the landing board and chewed bee heads (bodies eaten, heads discarded) on the ground in front of the hive.
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