Grass Cutting

[Frenchie]

I've had bees for 4 years now,but this is the first year I've had them in my own garden.So my question is how close can I get to the hives with my mower/strimmer before the bees get interested/annoyed and I need to suit up.
Thanks.

 

[itma]

Good idea to always wear a veil of some sort and long trousers around the apiary ...
Especially when doing anything that MIGHT provoke them!

My bees ignore the electric mower itself - BUT they get upset by the air blast that comes out of the sides of the grass collector bag ...
I've avoided strimming up against hive stand legs.

 

[theeggman]

JUST my personal view.

I mow up to the apiary fence , 3 ft. from the hives on a ride on mower with no issues. TRY it out wearing protection and if no problem go with it, if not adjust things.

 

[EKBee]

Put some foam sponge into the entrance after they stop flying the night before
Mow in early am & then pull out foam
Retreat with haste appropriate to your bees temperament

 

[parkranger]

I think it depends entirely on the bees. I have six colonies in my garden and both my wife and I cut the grass with a petrol mower to within 1 yard of the hives. We have been doing this for three years and no stings. If they are very active I have, on a couple of occasions, suited up as a precaution. Remember if a bee coming or going to the hive flies into your hair, it will likely result in a sting.

 

[Dishmop]

I never have a problem.


The wife does it....

 

[ferret]

I also dont have a problem,as the farm i have my hive on gets cut by the farmer and he's not complained about being stung yet.And he strims around the stand also.lol

 

[Canary Honey]

I can use a petrol chainsaw, circular saw within two metres or drill into the hive base even without a care, but an electric lawnmower anywhere near is asking for trouble.

 

[wessexmario]

I can use a petrol chainsaw, circular saw within two metres or drill into the hive base even without a care, but an electric lawnmower anywhere near is asking for trouble.

That, and the other observations can be explained by the fact that bees don't have ears to hear, but can sense vibrations.

A hand-held tool like a powered saw won't be transmitting much vibration through the ground, but the mower in contact with the ground is more likely to.
Similar with a strimmer, while it may be noisy to us, the contact cutting grass won't transmit much vibration into the hive - just be careful with continuous hitting on the hive or stand though. The frequency of the vibration and whether the resonant frequencies of the hive components are in sync may affect whether the bees react.

 

[beeno]

Remember if a bee coming or going to the hive flies into your hair, it will likely result in a sting.

If your gardening takes you into their flight paths then they will get into your hair sooner or later and don't have any alcohol until after the job is done as they will seek you out!

 

[peterbees]

I place an old piece of carpet under the hive stand, to keep down the grass; and a piece of old corrugated iron in front of the hive stand. The mice can make their home under the corrugated iron, rather than using the hives. It keeps down the grass and reduces the need to strim near the hives. I got the idea at a talk by Bob Parsonage, Cheshire BKA many years ago.

 

[Frenchie]

Many thanks everyone, some great advice.I'll may be teach my Wife to use the strimmer.

 

[madasafish]

Requeen.

I can strim under my hive stands with an electric strimmer and cut with a motor mower - and no effect.

If I HIT a stand, one hive gets excited tho

 

[einsteinagogo]

I used to have the bees in my front garden, and although never caused me any issues, grass cutting always concerned me, on occasions I would close them up the night before (if applicable, as sometimes, they would be out late, in the summer, 10.30pm).

I would then not around the hive, once taking the flymo up around the hive I got stung! , after doing it once, it and always wore my suit when cutting the grass, I use an electric flymo, and petrol hedge trimmer to cut my hedges.

later, in the summer when a flow on, it was more difficult, so I would cut around the hive with scissors, and only cutting up to within 20 feet of the hive.

this was one of the reasons for moving the hives out of the garden, my partner could cut the grass without hassling me to do it!

 

[itma]

... a piece of old corrugated iron in front of the hive stand. The mice can make their home under the corrugated iron, rather than using the hives. ... I got the idea at a talk by Bob Parsonage, Cheshire BKA many years ago.

Interesting!

I don't seem to have had any mouse interest in the hives, BUT, I do have a largish "gravel tray" on the ground in the apiary (as a bee drinking feature), and I'm pretty sure there are mice wintering under it. I'm not disturbing it yet awhile.

 

[SimonB]

Just to add my own experiences - I can mow right up to the hive on a ride on mower, and even through activity at the front of the hive if I go slow enough (I have no hair!).

Petrol strimmer is another matter entirely, get within a few feet and the bees go nuts, so I always suit up, or trim the grass with long handled shears whilst suited up for inspections.

I assume it's the frequency of the noise, the strimmer is much higher pitched.

 

[Swinton apiaries]

I do suit up to strim the round the hives when needed I have some hives where the bees don't even move just stand in the entrance watching me but others go nuts it's mainly down to the strain of bees but I do just take a sickle with me during inspections to keep the grass out of the flight path

 

[Erichalfbee]

Husband whizzes past on the ride-on when he cuts the field and when he does the paths......maybe four times a year.....no suit, often just shorts....it's a bit of a dare game for him.....shrug.
The rest of the time I stand at the back of the hives in the evening and pull the grass by hand when it looks like it might start snaking through the OMFs

 

[Thymallus]

I think it depends entirely on the bees.

Absolutely. I've had hives that attacked you when you started the mower in the garage 40 feet away, sting the plug lead (and me to hell). One of the worst hives stayed defensive for about another 12 hours making the garden totally off limits. Naturally these type of bees get moved out sharpish.

With the bees I now keep I can mow right up to the hives wearing shorts.

It is very definitely defined by your bees and their temperament.