A pilot study in Kenya used beehives successfully as a biological weapon against the elephants. Using knowledge from previous research - that elephants are scared away by the recordings of the buzzing of angry bees - the researchers designed a fence made of wire, with log beehives placed every eight metres along the length of the fence. While the elephants avoid the beehives but still try to penetrate the fence onto the farmland, pushing the wire causes the beehives to swing violently, and the elephant, fearing an attack by angry bees, then retreats from the fence.

The results of the study, published in the African Journal of Ecology, show that a farm protected by the fence experienced fewer successful crop raids by fewer raiding elephants than a control farm without the fence. The hives in question were unoccupied by honeybees, so researchers concluded that the sights and smells of the hives alone are sufficient to remind the elephants of painful previous encounters.

Lucy King, who led the project, said: “We designed the fence as an affordable and practical way to create a barrier that the elephants would be afraid to cross.” She went on to describe added bonuses for the African farmers - the bees give protection against cattle rustlers as well as elephants, and there is always honey to be harvested!

By Georgina Lavender