January 12, 2011

One of the pests of beehives in south Florida are the marine toads, Bufo marinas.  These toads can get as big as a dinner plate and they have a voracious appetite.  Many people find them munching on their pets dog food if the food bowl is left out of doors.
In a bee hive the toad will sit by the hive entrance and consume mass quantities of foraging bees entering or leaving the hive.  The picture below depicts a dissected toad where I found the remains of 45 bees in its stomach.

One means of defense against the marine toad is elevating your hives to get out of their reach.  This helps but the toads have been found on top of 55 gallon drums so it isn't a complete solution.  I keep my hives on top of three cinder blocks as a precaution.

 Check your bee yard after dark when the toads come out to feed to determine if marine toads are a problem in your area.  If you find them capture them and dispose of them before they decimate your hives.