Tampa bees orienting to back of hive? Cane toad sentry?

I dont think we have cane toads in florida, but 1 toads not gonna mess the bees up, I have some hanging around the screen on 1 of my hives, they find the way in sooner or later, where are you in Tampa? I was just in town and county and st pete today at trapouts I have going on

Yeah we do more commonly know as marine toad quite large and the college students used to lick it because of the toxins in it's skin.
Barry

Zookeep said:

I dont think we have cane toads in florida

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http://www.wec.ufl.edu/extension/wildlife_info/frogstoads/bufo_marinus.php


Unfortunately, its one more invasive species Florida has to deal with.

I have watched the bees go all the way around a hive to inspect and propolise up cracks from the outside.

Toad licking?!?! got to be jonesing pretty bad for that!

now licking that thing is just wrong, I dont care how bad any1 needs a buzz its just wrong

Oh yes, we do have them in Florida. I lost one of my best dogs to one of these cane toads. Once a dog picks one up in its mouth, you have about 30 minutes to rinse their mouth out with a garden hose or they are dead!

Several years ago we had a bad infestation with these toads. I think me and the next door neighbor killed over 40-50 of these things. Had a blast sitting on the patio with a 22 rifle and the super quiet shells shooting them as they came out after a rain.

To show you how nasty they are, you could put a dead one on a fire ant bed, and the ants would move the nest without bothering the toad.
Robert

Cane toad situation fixed

Zookeep said:

I dont think we have cane toads in florida, but 1 toads not gonna mess the bees up, I have some hanging around the screen on 1 of my hives, they find the way in sooner or later, where are you in Tampa? I was just in town and county and st pete today at trapouts I have going on

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Update on Cane Toad: I had made a net out of screening, coathanger and a length of pvc (too cheap to buy $20 pool net at HD). Planned my attack. Right according to plan, when bees started orienting to back of hive again, yup, that toad was posted at the entrance to the hive picking them off. They are very brave. I tried to push it with the net, but she stayed put until I turned the net around and pushed with the pvc. When she jumped down under the hive, I trapped her with the net and dropped a concrete block on her. Problem solved. The bees returned to the front of the hive. Amazing the things you learn (and do) when bees are your hobby.

jim314 said:

http://www.wec.ufl.edu/extension/wildlife_info/frogstoads/bufo_marinus.php


Unfortunately, its one more invasive species Florida has to deal with.

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This was not the first toad I've dealt with in a similar way (concrete block). I've killed two others and one died in my goldfish pond because of the freeze. Found it floating. They don't seem to bother with the goldfish, or the fish are too fast. Who knows. Homemade net: I had bought cheap nets at the flea market, but didn't have one available for this time, so I made my own. With the flea market nets, the netting was either chewed through or for some other reason, ended up with big holes, so they don't last. That's why I made my own.