Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Wombat2 on June 13, 2015, 09:08:10 am
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Anyone have any experience with Alpacas and Bees? We are looking at collecting some Alpacas from a property that the owners are downsizing and need to move the Alpacas on. There is one beehive on the property but not in the Alpaca paddock but the alpacas are allowed to free range sometimes and we are assured they don't bother the hive.
We are planning to keep them in a the same area as our apiary which would be a pain to have to fence off.
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I do not have alpacas but I do have cows that graze in my apiary. They often graze pretty close to to the hives with no problems. When they stick there nose in the entrance, the bees let them know that they do not like it. They usually only do it once.
Horses are different. I think it more of a smell thing.
I doubt you will have any problems.
Jim
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Any large animal seems to get along fine as long as they have room to run away from the hives.
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Any large animal seems to get along fine as long as they have room to run away from the hives.
Cattle and horses may try to "itch" on the hives, i dont know about alpacas.. as stated, they only do it once. A simple solar charger on a metal post with a single wire around the hive works.. i used the metal post as the ground.. a ten mile fencer charging 9 feet of wire, even WITH a metal t post as a ground flattens me every idiotic time I run into it... some people are too dumb to learn.. but cows and horses? No, they only touch it once!
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Thanks for the input everyone - they say electric fences don't work with alpacas as their coat is too thick and the only sensitive spot is their nose and its too cruel to zap that - the bees will be enough in that area. I'll take the current owners word that they don't bother their hive and see what happens. I will be gaining their hive as well so if the alpacas recognize it they may keep away from mine if its among them. Apparently alpacas are very intelligent and these are trained to freeze on the command "STOP" as well as hand signals.
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We kept a llama out back with the bees for several months one time. On several occasions we had a couple for a day or two (pre/post-pack trips). There were no conflicts that I know of. I'd sure like to be able to "borrow" one from time to time - nature's weed eaters ( poop pile aside)!
Does Alpaca "residue" have a similar pungent aroma? It's a very potent "barnyard smell"... tolerable, but most could do without it.
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I always fence the boxes off from the animals. My horses will knock them over otherwise. But my horses will also graze right in front of the hives... as far as they can reach under the fence.
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Does Alpaca "residue" have a similar pungent aroma? It's a very potent "barnyard smell"... tolerable, but most could do without it.
Didn't seem to be that bad - told that it can be put straight onto the garden/vegie patch without composting or "ageing" as it doesn't burn like other manures. The beauty is they do it all in one spot so makes it easy to collect.