I am looking to set a new hive, as a first time bee keeper but am concerned that local Possums may upset the hive. I notice a few droppings in my courtyard and on my deck from them eating berries from a nearby tree. Are they known to trouble bees at night and if so what precautions can I take if they do like to snack on the busy girls?
Maybe they do but I doubt it.
We live in a high possum population area and never experienced them interested in the hives. I assume if they got too inquisitive they would be stung and quickly back off never to trouble them again.
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I’ve seen possums eating the dead/dying bees on the ground but never standing up to reach the entrance. Maybe if the entrance was really low they would.
They do. Here is the proof - click on the blue link (not the photo in the post, the link above it) to watch the video:
Wow, that’s interesting Dawn, thanks for sharing. I would have thought “no”. Thinking that a few stings would drive them away.
I’m noticing now that magpies eat the odd one off the ground. They take a while to eat each one because they rub them on the ground before eating them. However I don’t think that bees are their favorite food. Nothing holds a candle to a nice fat grub 
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But the US (o)possum is a very different animal to the Australian and NZ possum.
Indeed! Both marsupial but quite different.
On the fence:
Playing ‘possum after being scared by our dogs.
Looking for a midnight snack:
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This Dawn. I have seen that but we don’t get Opossums around here, only the pesky little monsters that get in your roof