Thank you to everyone who came along, about a dozen folk in all, it wasn't a
terribly structured meeting but there was a good buzz of conversation. I hope
everyone learned something.
A write-up will appear on the blog, er, "soon", and we need to sort out the
next meeting. To Be Announced!
2 of our 3 garden hives are flying right now. I took their mouse guards off
yesterday as the temperature seemed warm and one hive was evidently having
difficulty pulling bodies through its mouse guard. Incidentally, Norman (at the
meeting yesterday - 16 hives) said he lost 2 this winter to pygmy shrews, which
was a new problem for him. Pygmy shrews are a protected species which limits
your options dealing with them.
I reckon I can reinforce the base of my TBH's to make them much less vulnerable
to badgers so I will move them to that otherwise great location I mentioned.
Thank you to everyone for your advice here. Further research indicated badgers
only begin to go for hives if the ground is frozen for a long time (thus no
other food). But my neighbour-farmer's experience of losing many hives to
badgers implies, once badgers learn they are a food source they may munch more
hives if there are plenty around. It looks, though, like their favourite attack
is to push over a stack of hive boxes which is why TBH's are less vulnerable
and Nationals / Warres need to be well strapped down in badger areas.
Paul
