After 20 years of peaceful coexistence this persistent dry weather has obviously left my local sett pretty hungry. They can’t get at the worms as they have gone down.
Unfortunately they first had a go at a nuc on the ground (with three bricks on top) and all the combs were chewed out and frames scattered about. I rather hoped it was a one off opportunistic foray and then two days ago they took out the only single brood box colony (and expanding ex-nuc), all frames gone, hive scattered and roof knocked off another. Very disappointing. Tracking the disturbance several frames went back to a huge burrow.
Have tonight put a double strand electric fence round hives and cross fingers they unlearn they habit when it rains again. I have left all the supers on as the weight makes the stack less vulnerable to being knocked over.
Don’t blame the badgers just hope I can dissuade them from making a habit of it.
Unfortunately they first had a go at a nuc on the ground (with three bricks on top) and all the combs were chewed out and frames scattered about. I rather hoped it was a one off opportunistic foray and then two days ago they took out the only single brood box colony (and expanding ex-nuc), all frames gone, hive scattered and roof knocked off another. Very disappointing. Tracking the disturbance several frames went back to a huge burrow.
Have tonight put a double strand electric fence round hives and cross fingers they unlearn they habit when it rains again. I have left all the supers on as the weight makes the stack less vulnerable to being knocked over.
Don’t blame the badgers just hope I can dissuade them from making a habit of it.