# How close to a hive



## teethdoc (Feb 24, 2012)

A buddy wants to put a hive out at my farm. How close can I get to it with the tractor before they get all ----ed off and come out after me?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I mow right up to the entrance of our bee hives in the front and back yard. doesn't seem to bother the bees much at all unless I allow the exhusty of the tractor to blow in the entrance. 
I would bee pizzed off if some one blew exhaust in my home too.
At the horse farm John uses his hatbine to cut hay with in a foot of the hive entrances.

 Al


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

I mow within a couple feet of my hives. As part of the deal to let your buddy place a hive at your farm, you could make him responsible for keeping things trimmed around the hive.


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

It depends on the engine noise. With one tractor, I can get right next to them. With the other, I cannot get within 20 feet without being attacked in mass. 

Also, the weather will effect their reaction, too.


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## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

And 'some' colonies have different temperments as well . . . one may allow you to come within 

inches of their entrance with a machine making noise and fumes, while another won't let you

even unload said machine from a hundred feet away. So the answer boils down to: "it depends."


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## greg273 (Aug 5, 2003)

I usually wear a bee suit when trimming the weeds around the hives... I can get pretty close with the mower, but unfortunately I have to drive right past the entrances, and have had a few hit me because I was in the flight path. Getting stung in the head is no fun.


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## kendall j (Mar 30, 2007)

Depends on the hive and even then depends on the day and if you have been in them lately. I have one that I can get close to most of the time with my tractor, but sometimes, they will come after me. Especially if I have been in them in the past few days. 

Flight path is a factor as well. Like Greg said, getting stung in the head is no fun. If I know I am going to be in their flight path for a while I go ahead and suit up. Once one gets in your hair, chances are you aren't getting her out without getting stung.


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## DarleneJ (Jan 29, 2012)

I find it easier to pass though the flight path either early in the morning or later in the evening when the hive isn't so busy. Cooler and cloudier days are better as well.

We've got our hives on a hive stand on top of an area with wood chips. The mower doesn't have to get as close that way and we don't have to deal with grass and weeds growing so close to the hives.


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