bees and horses

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welshstar

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My horses field has two groups of hives bordering one side- they have only been there about a month or two but we had reservations when they were first put in. However, after the recent 'bee attacks' and horses been killed by them, I'm having even more reservations!

One group of hives is possibly 15m away but the other is closer- about the width of a single track. This is right alongside our field that the horses are on all the time. We have spoken to the man that has them there but he basically spoke to us like we were idiots and said they won't attack them ever (they are friendly bees apparently!) and he made out that it was a load of rubbish surrounding the horses that were killed by them. But to be honest, he is a bit of an idiot himself and talking to him ends up going around in circles! The landowner is back briefly this weekend so I'm hoping he will move them for us (he has plenty more land further away from our field)

But, if it is insisted that the bees won't be moved- what can we do? I know it was a freak accident with the other horses but to me, it seems just too big a risk that can be avoided- I don't want to come down to a field of dead horses :(
 
I just started a thread below about the 4 dead horses. Although like you I would not want to find my horse dead. Is the land owner the same person that owns your land? or do you own the land your horses are on. If you own the land I would copy the headlines from the link and print it off for the owner of the other land (where the bees are). If he refuses to move the bees do explain that if they even string your horse and vets are required or anything worse happens because of the bees your will sue.:)
 
i kept my horses in a field with bee hives the other side of the fence (just a fence, not a hedgerow or anything), the closest hive was one stride from the fence.

it worried me alot at the time and then my horse got liver fluke so i HAD to move them from the land so was only there a few weeks at most. as soon as i saw the news about this story i thought how lucky i was to get out of there before the bees did harm to my horses.
however i'm now wondering if they had anything to do with my horse getting fluke, i know it's unlikely but strange all the same!
 
It is such a worry them being so close :(

The land is our own. The man who we spoke to looks after a lot of the stuff on this other man land (the one next door with the bees on). We will hopefully be able to speak to the landowner when he is home.

We showed the man the article in horse and hound but he basically 'poo pooed' it saying that bees can't sting in a swarm and that the article said the horses knocked it over which is why it happened (When it didn't say this- it was speculated that something may have knocked them over) He had very little to say (other than the bees were friendly :P ) when I said what if an outside influence knocked over the hives causing an load of angry bees to fly at our horses!

I have no idea if they ever would anything but I'm not really prepared to take the risk when it can be easily avoided by moving them. I'll speak to the landowner but I'm just touching the feelers out for what to do next incase he just follows the advice of this other man :(
 
Hi,

We keep bees as well as horses so maybe I can explain abit about the 'friendly bees'. What he probably means is they are not an agressive strain of bees, these are bees that have been bred and developed for honey production so are a more placid, but it may have been nicer if he had explained this to you.

We keep a hive in the orchard where our old pony is but it is fenced or with electric fence so that she does not knock it over and we use hurdles to make the bees fly 'up and over'.

Bee's are the ultimate survival creature and will not attack unless they feel threatened. They are far to interested in doing there jobs hence why we use hurdles as they will occasionally sting if you are in their flight path. If you watch a hive of bees they will use the same flight path to where the food is. Always remember that when a bee stings it dies and the bee knows this.

If your horses cant reach the hive I don't think you have much to worry about but unless you have a high boundary wall or solid fence I would place a barrocade to make them fly upwards and build up higher.

On another note having been hospitalised from a swarm of wasps that sting repetativly and live where you can't see thhep. I must of accidentally disturbed these walking the dog but have. no idea where they were as they like allsorts of nooks and crannys. I think it is these evil b******S that we need to watch. We have had to dispose of 3 nests around the barn this year, 1 being in the axle of an old trailer.

Hope this helps.
 
Interesting post. I have a bee nest in one of my stables but none of the horses seem bothered if a bee flies around.
I'm more concerned about one of the bees dying and falling in the bedding. I only use the stable for short periods but thinking about it now, I think I'll see if they can be moved. The swallows are more of a problem at the moment TBH.

I did have a bad experience with a swarm of bees when riding by some hives a few years back. The bee keeper was doing something and the bees surrounded me and my horse. They were flying around our heads and I could feel them getting in my chin strap and ears. Kicked horse into canter on the tarmac and she flew. I had to shut my eyes to protect them from stings. Honest little mare, pulled up on cue a relatively short distance away and we rode into the American barn, with me jumping off horse and pulling off hat and shaking my hair. Neither of us were stung, although the air was blue with me cursing. Little mare stood patiently like a lamb.
 
horserider said:
Interesting post. I have a bee nest in one of my stables but none of the horses seem bothered if a bee flies around.
I'm more concerned about one of the bees dying and falling in the bedding. I only use the stable for short periods but thinking about it now, I think I'll see if they can be moved. The swallows are more of a problem at the moment TBH.

I did have a bad experience with a swarm of bees when riding by some hives a few years back. The bee keeper was doing something and the bees surrounded me and my horse. They were flying around our heads and I could feel them getting in my chin strap and ears. Kicked horse into canter on the tarmac and she flew. I had to shut my eyes to protect them from stings. Honest little mare, pulled up on cue a relatively short distance away and we rode into the American barn, with me jumping off horse and pulling off hat and shaking my hair. Neither of us were stung, although the air was blue with me cursing. Little mare stood patiently like a lamb.
Click to expand...

HORSE RIDER - Contact your local Beekepping Association.... There is bound to be a Keeper who will come and remove them for free. Free bees for them and a lot less and a lot nicer than paying pest control to come and kill them.
 
Shoei said:
HORSE RIDER - Contact your local Beekepping Association.... There is bound to be a Keeper who will come and remove them for free. Free bees for them and a lot less and a lot nicer than paying pest control to come and kill them.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, I will.
 
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