Toads 
_ Toads are sometimes mentioned as bee enemies. It is not likely 
that if they do eat bees enough are taken to cause appreciable loss. 
Toads are beneficial in keeping down harmful insects and should 
not be killed. If desired they may be kept away from the hive 
by wire cloth with mesh of suitable size. 
Skunks 
Considerable damage may be done in the apiary by skunks, 
both by the untimely disturbance of the bees, particularly in winter, 
and by annoying them in summer, making them more difficult to 
handle by the beekeeper. 
The skunks apparently paw at the hive entrance, induce the bees 
to come out and then eat them. The number of bees eaten would 
not in itself constitute a serious damage, but the disturbance in winter 
dissipates the bees’ energy. This renders the colony less likely to 
survive the winter season in good condition. 
Sometimes in summer the bees are so annoyed by skunks that 
whenever the beekeeper goes to the apiary he finds his work more 
dificult because of cross bees. 
The remedy is either to fence the apiary skunk-tight or to kill 
the skunks. 
Snakes 
These are also beneficial animals, except the venomous kinds, 
and if harm to bees is anticipated through their visits they also 
may be excluded by wire netting. 
Mice 
When the bees are inactive during the colder period of the year, 
mice will enter the bee hives, if possible, make nests in the combs and 
feed on the bees. This occurs only during the inactive period. 
Damage is done a colony both in the mutilation of the combs and 
the dissipation of the bees’ energy due to the disturbance. The bees 
which are eaten constitute only a minor part of the damage. 
The remedy is to reduce the entrance to the hive to such size 
that mice cannot enter. If the entrance is no more than a quarter 
inch high mice will be debarred. 
FEEDING BEES 
Although normally bees gather all the food they need, occasion 
may arise when this is not possible and the beekeeper to properly 
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