[Paul McCarty]

Had my best and strongest hive totally demolished by a bear. Luckily, the queen and about 1/2 the bees were in a swarm on the ground where the hive used to be. All 14 frames of honey and comb completely destroyed. Moved them to a new hive box. Hopefully I can get them started enough to survive the winter with diligent feeding. I will probably move them to a smaller 5 frame nuc in a week or so, to get them ready for winter. Just happened to have a larger box available on short notice, and no free nucs.

Here is something sort of weird about the whole deal... I had the bees in a screened wooden box I use to transport bees, totally sealed. I had it sitting in the back yard on a bench. I went went down the street to retrieve some tools I would need later, and when I returned, there was about a 2 pound ball of bees hanging in a swarm under the screened box, with the original bees still inside. Where did these guys come from? The hive location was about a mile away, is it possible they flew and found their queen?

 

[Mtn. Bee]

I would say you already answered your question and I would definitely agree with you that they found there queen and flew the mile! Unless the bees were on clinging to something when you traveled (ie. beesuit, empty super, top cover, bottom board, etc) ???

 

[Mtn. Bee]

Forgot to mention that Bear Sausage is really good!
Also for revenge a fresh bear steak with a honey sauce on top! :thumbsup:

 

[Paul McCarty]

Pretty amazing if that's the case. Small swarm about the size of a cantaloupe. They definitely did not hitchhike on anything. I think If I stick them in a small nuc and feed the crud out of them, they might make it. I really don't want to lose this queen, mostly. I have given up on them being a functional hive for now. If I can keep her and some of the workers going then maybe next spring they will do even better.

They are Carnis, so I have faith in them.

 

[Mtn. Bee]

Best of Luck with them!

 

[dingo983]

You might want to purchace a solar electric fence kit to protect your hives. I use it around my chicken coup after I had 3 flocks killed by wild dogs. I haven't lost any chickens to predators since. I got mine at the local Home Depot. I also use it to keep my livestock fenced in.
If you need to diagnose it I use one of the kids. *Hey, go touch that wire....Ow!....Good it still works*
If you need help or pictures of the system, let me know and I will PM you or put it up here.

 

[Live Oak]

Had my best and strongest hive totally demolished by a bear. Luckily, the queen and about 1/2 the bees were in a swarm on the ground where the hive used to be. All 14 frames of honey and comb completely destroyed. Moved them to a new hive box. Hopefully I can get them started enough to survive the winter with diligent feeding. I will probably move them to a smaller 5 frame nuc in a week or so, to get them ready for winter. Just happened to have a larger box available on short notice, and no free nucs.

Here is something sort of weird about the whole deal... I had the bees in a screened wooden box I use to transport bees, totally sealed. I had it sitting in the back yard on a bench. I went went down the street to retrieve some tools I would need later, and when I returned, there was about a 2 pound ball of bees hanging in a swarm under the screened box, with the original bees still inside. Where did these guys come from? The hive location was about a mile away, is it possible they flew and found their queen?

The bear will be back now that it knows food can be had probably at night. If you can, I would be waiting with the appropriate caliber rifle or shotgun with OO buckshot loads and tune the bear up when it comes back again. Once the bear knows the honey is there, I am not sure any fence, electric or otherwise will stop it.

 

[Charlie B]

The bear will be back now that it knows food can be had probably at night. If you can, I would be waiting with the appropriate caliber rifle or shotgun with OO buckshot loads and tune the bear up when it comes back again. Once the bear knows the honey is there, I am not sure any fence, electric or otherwise will stop it.

Please video your encounter and post it. :applause:

 

[Paul McCarty]

Sorry to disappoint, but there will probably not be a second bear encounter there. It was my only hive at the location. On a side note, the neighbors did see the bear. It was a mama and two cubs.

 

[lazy shooter]

From what I have read bears are a cousin to raccoons. If that is the case, she will probably be back. A **** would return. They are quick learners. I bet bears are also.

 

[Bear Creek Steve]

Paul,

Sorry to hear about your unfortunant experiences, but as someone above said, the bears know where you are , and they will be back, especially when mama is training her cubs. I've had a solar powered electrical bear fence for nearly five years and although it has been tested, it has never been breached (yet). I have had as many as five different bears through here in a year. I currently have a cub from three years ago whom mama has has turned on and bitten in order to get him out of her house. He is trying to establish "his" territory now.

I have made several posts previously regarding my solar electric bear fence which you might want to read through for information and ideas since you live in an arid environment also.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...c-Fencing-Recommendations&p=614483#post614483 , Post # 13

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?253954-I-hate-New-York-bears...&p=651904#post651904 , Post # 10

Best of luck keeping the bears on the outside of the fence.

Steve

 

[dingo983]

>I am not sure any fence, electric or otherwise will stop it. <

Cattle are like tanks, but it keeps them in. When an animal approaches an electric fence (or any barrier in their way) they usually stop and investigate. They sniff and either touch their nose to the fence of stick their head through the wires to push through it. Once they get a pop of that electricity, they jump off that fence immediately (so do I when I'm too lazy to shut it off before trying to contort myself through the wires). If the first shock didn't click in their little cow brains (or mine)the 2nd shock does.
I have a nice green field on the other side of that fence my horses and cattle would LOVE to get to, but the electric fence is there and they hate getting shocked more than they like to graze on fresh grass.
Think of the electric fence as a training tool. The bear will figure out pretty quickly that it is too uncomfortable to be getting shocked all the time trying to get to your hives, they will look somewhere else for an easier lunch.
For approximately a $250 investment, I would consider it a good investment.