Mowing your lawn can be a nerve-wracking experience when you have a beehive. You’re worried you might get stung, or that you might upset the bees. If this situation sounds like you, look no further. Here are some tips on how to mow around a beehive.
Bee Behavior – Are They a Threat?
The first thing you need to know is this: bees will do anything to protect their hive. If they feel like their hive is being threatened, they may become aggressive in order to protect their honey from the threat. Bees do not attack humans without reason. They would only go to sting you if you are a perceived threat.
With that being said, the lawn mower could potentially be seen as a threat. Bees are sensitive to vibrations as well as loud noises. This means they could potentially become aggressive if the lawn mower is considered a threat.
Always be extra careful. Whether you mow far away or up close to the hive, there is always a risk of stinging, so it’s best to follow this guide to be safe.
Tips To Mow Around a Beehive
Let’s get right to it; how do you mow around a beehive? Well, following these steps we can ensure that you will get your lawn mowed with few errors.
Mow Around the Hive
Mow a large square shape in the area around the beehive. Be careful not to get too close, as the areas closest to the hive will be done later.
Use a Weed Whacker
Once you have mowed the area surrounding the hive, grab a weed whacker and trim the grass that is closest to the beehive (inside the square)
Be Careful!
Be mindful of the bees and do not bump or hit the hive. On the off chance that they come out of the hive, be sure to just ignore them and absolutely do not swat at them.
If you follow these steps, you will give the bees no reason to sting you, plus you’ll be able to get the job done effectively. Now onto some more frequently asked questions about the behavior of bees and what we can do as we mow our lawn to protect ourselves.
Will Bees Sting You While Mowing?
Even though you are extra cautious, will bees still sting you while mowing? It is definitely a possibility. If the bees dislike the loud sounds coming from the mower and they consider it a threat, they may resort to stinging you. However, this doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to be stung by a bee while mowing your lawn. You do need to exercise caution when approaching the beehive, and there are some specific ways you can do this.
Namely, you could wear a beekeeping suit. This will protect you from any threat of being stung, although it could be considered inconvenient to wear while mowing your lawn. You could simply wear gloves, or use a smoker as well. But usually, you don’t need to be worrying about a bee stinging you while mowing your lawn unless you accidentally bump the beehive.
These are simple fixes that some may choose to use when mowing their lawn around a beehive. They aren’t necessary; however, they do add another layer of protection.
So, in conclusion, there is a possibility of bees stinging you. However, if you follow the necessary precautions, you will most likely avoid angering the bees and therefore avoiding a sting.
What is the Best Time to Mow Around Beehives?
Did you know that bees are only active during certain times of the day? Bees are usually active in the early mornings and afternoon. This is the prime time for collecting nectar. So, if you’re planning to mow your lawn, it might be best to work during the late afternoon or early evening.
Another behavioral pattern to note is that bees do not go outside when it is cold. Once the temperature hits around 55° F (12° C), bees risk dying from the cold. They are very sensitive to the cold. So, this is another reason to mow your lawn in the cold early evenings so that you can avoid the bees.
Make sure you follow the bees’ behavioral patterns. If you do this, you should be able to determine the best possible time for mowing around the beehive.
So, what is the best time to mow around your beehive? Based on these facts we have reviewed; the best time would be the early evening. If you mow your lawn at this time, the bees are likely to be asleep and will not exit the hive as it will be colder outside as well. If you follow this rule, you are more likely to avoid angering the bees or getting a sting.
How Close Can You Mow to a Beehive?
Now that we better understand the bees behavior and when the best time is for us to mow our lawn, how close can we get?
Well, if you’re following all the procedures previously mentioned, you might find that the bees are quite docile. In this case, feel free to mow right up to the edge of the beehive. As long as you don’t directly touch the beehive, they may see this as a threat.
Make sure you are still cautious, however. The bees might feel the vibrations from the motor and become aggressive. It’s best to always be alert when getting near the beehive with the mower. Although, you should be able to mow relatively close to the edge of the beehive with no issues. If you think the bees are waking up or becoming aggressive, direct your lawn mower in the opposite direction of the hive.
It is important to note that we can only predict the behavior of bees to an extent. We know their sleeping patterns and whether they might become aggressive or not, however we cannot predict each individual bees’ reactions.
With that being said, exercise caution when mowing near the edge of the beehive. Make sure that you are completely alert and going out of your way to make sure you do not touch the beehive. If you do this, you should be able to mow all around the beehive with little room for error.
Overall, you should be able to get right to the edge of the beehive. However, you should never let your guard down, the bees can still sense you so it’s best to go out of your way to avoid upsetting them.
Conclusion
In summary, the best way to know when you should mow your lawn around the beehive is to listen to the bees. Making sure that you don’t disturb or bother them is very important, and we can figure this out by learning about bees’ behavioral patterns.
To understand the bees’ behaviors, we can look at the studies and explanations. For example, we discussed that bees do not go out in the cold and that they also prefer the early hours of the day for collecting pollen.
We also discussed the bees’ dislike for loud noises and their ability to sense and detect vibrations. This is important to note when mowing close to the beehive as if you end up hitting the hive the bees are likely to become aggressive.
Following these patterns and making sure to not bother them with the mower is a sure-fire way to get your lawn mowed with fewer issues. Make sure you go out of your way to accommodate the bees so that they are less likely to become aggressive.
If you do all of this, you should be able to mow your lawn around the beehive with little room for error. But always remember to be cautious and calm around the bees, this will surely prevent any stings. Being conscious of the bees is the best thing you can do to make mowing your lawn an easier process for both you and the bees in the hive.
