Beehive fence frightens away elephants

clipped from www.telegraph.co.uk Farmers in Africa have managed to save their crops from elephants by using tiny bees to frighten some of the biggest animals on earth away. Elephants regularly destroy food crops in Kenya, but because the huge animals are impossible to keep out with fences, locals are forced to shoot the endangered species. Now a pilot study by Oxford University and Save the Elephants charity has found the one thing elephants seem to be scared of – bees. A simple beehive fence has been shown to significantly reduce crop raids by elephants. The fence is constructed of beehives suspended on poles and connected by lengths of fencing wire. Elephants avoid the hives and will attempt to push through the wire but this causes the hives to swing violently, prompting an attack of angry bees. Even when the hives are empty the elephants remember the harm that can be caused by the insects and stay away. Farmers are also protected from cattle rustlers and can harvest the honey two or three times a year