GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - What would eat or carry off a bumblebee nest?

27-06-2004, 07:02 PM

(Dave) wrote in message . com...
(Beecrofter) wrote in message . com...
(Dave) wrote:
The nest was in an old 2lb coffee can out next to the garden. I saw
the bees and pushed it out in the open to deal with later. A few days
later I noticed it was gone. The can was 98% empty. What the heck
could do that? I have never seen a bee nest disappear, although I know
mice will chew on them.

Skunks
They also eat honeybees and will tear into a ground nest of yellow
jackets for a feast and they are immune to toad venom.

Interesting. Bee venom too? I remember now reading that they were a
problem for beekeepers but I did not realize this was a true
specialization.

Nah they get stung just like you or me, what beekeepers do is put
their hives up on blocks so the skunks have to stretch out to reach
the entrance and their underbelly is exposed which is easier to sting.
They aren't immune to bee venom they just find a few stings to be
worth a full belly.