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what animals eat bees in MA
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Posted by sophia2000 Massachusetts (My Page) on Fri, Aug 10, 07 at 16:12
| Hi,
We had a problem--a bee colony in our lawn. Last night the problem was solved. A critter dug out the hive. Today we found the dug out hole, some random bits of honeycomb and some nearby scat. Any idea what animal might have done this?
Thanks,
Sophia2000 |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: what animals eat bees in MA
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| Sophia, Bears love bees and bee brood. Check a large area around your yard for any signs of tracks especialy in soft or wet ground. What was in the scat? Blueberries are coming ripe around now, so there may be signs of those in it. Skunks will eat honeybees. They will scratch on the hive entrance at night and eat the bees as they come out to investigate. I know they dig for grubs, but I don't know if they would dig up an entire nest of bees. Where abouts in mass do you live? Here in Berkshire county there are lots of bears. Since running bears or hunting with dogs was banned the population has really gone up and they are less and less fearful of people. |
RE: what animals eat bees in MA
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| IF they are in the ground most likley they are NOT honeybees can you say "YELLOW JACKETS" and the "critter" that dug them out was probably a coon or skunk (they dig a nice round hole) and we beekeepers dont care if you kill YJs because they are a pest to our BEES. |
RE: what animals eat bees in MA
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| honeyman, I know yellowjackets have ground nests but do they make "honeycomb" Could it have been bumblebees, which will also nest in the ground? |
RE: what animals eat bees in MA
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| What is the "honey comb" you are seeing made of paper or wax YJs comb is paper and I have never seen a Bumble nest but have seen lots of YJs (some hanging from the bottom of a "beehive") Sorry for the delay in replying, I don`t look at this forum every day. |
RE: what animals eat bees in MA
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Yes, this sounds like yellow jackets to me too.
The combs are well defined like honey bee comb, but made of paper like substance.
Bumble combs are not well defined and not nice looking at all.
Konrad |
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