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Will deer net affect pollinators ?

 
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Hi all,
My first post.....

The area I'm planting my fruit trees will need to be protected from deer.   I was planning on putting up one of those 7 foot high deer nets......

Will this keep the pollinators away ?      A friend said he saw bees flying close to the ground and stopping at the fence he used.

Will bees, etc.  go up and round to get to the trees/bushes/flowers that are inside ?     The area will be 100 foot square.

thanks.

-mark
 
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To allow pollinators in you need a large enough opening in the mesh (around my area lots of folks are using construction fence (that orange, big holed stuff that can be bought at home depot for keeping people out).
I've noticed the way these folks use this fencing is two sections stacked one on top of the other and wired tightly to T-posts.

I have dogs, so I just use 4 foot horse fencing and a 3 foot 2x4 fence at the bottom for rabbit control.
Wolf has said that she wants me to redo the fence with 5 foot high horse fence just this winter, so one more to do list item.

Redhawk
 
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I was unhappy about deer netting because snakes would get caught in it.  Snakes aren't pollinators but they are beneficial.

 
Mark Sullivan
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Thanks.

What do you think about using a wire every 12 inches ?   (instead of the netting)     So there'd be 7 wires total.      2600 feet of 14 gauge wire is only $45.   I suppose I could electrify it if necessary as well.

 
Tyler Ludens
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This article recommends eight feet for a straight fence with seven feet working if the fence is slanted:  https://www.goodfruit.com/low-cost-fence-keeps-deer-out/

I think they will have trouble seeing it and may crash into it if running, so I would tie strips of white fabric to it here and there.

 
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My garden fence is a deer mesh (not a light-weight net) with about 1" square holes.  The garden is 60x120' and the fence is chicken wire for the first 18 inches and then deer mesh for the next 6 feet.  

I've seen butterflies flap right up to it and then abruptly veer up and over it.  I have tons of bees in the garden that are coming from outside.  So I don't see any issues with 1" mesh.

I've covered my blueberries with the netting and killed one sparrow and a garter snake so I won't be doing that any more.  I think it happened because the netting was held to the ground with bricks so the critters could wrap themselves up in the loose fabric on the ground.  I doubt they'd've gotten trapped in a taut net above or even touching the ground.
 
I agree. Here's the link: http://stoves2.com
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