Total loss
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
Sorry to hear and see that. I feel bad for you more than the bees. What do you suppose happened there?
Dan , I talked with you earlier , probably back in the fall as I'm familiar with your area around the finger lakes , we camp up there a good bit , so sorry to see your hives in such shape .It reminds me of bear damage but I wouldn't think they would be out yet , but I have heard that the male bears will come out in mid winter for a walk about and then back to sleep , whats you thinking on it . Bruce
Oh, Dan, that's terrible news!
What happened? It seems a bit too early for bears, certainly during this unsually cold and persistent winter in upstate NY. It doesn't look like they just blew over, but I don't see the clawing marks and splintering of the frames that I would expect with bears. Could it have been vandalism? Some of the boxes looked like they might have been partly dumped out (boxes appear to be missing whole sets of frames.)
When were you last there?
You have my great sympathy.
Enj.
What happened? It seems a bit too early for bears, certainly during this unsually cold and persistent winter in upstate NY. It doesn't look like they just blew over, but I don't see the clawing marks and splintering of the frames that I would expect with bears. Could it have been vandalism? Some of the boxes looked like they might have been partly dumped out (boxes appear to be missing whole sets of frames.)
When were you last there?
You have my great sympathy.
Enj.
Sorry for your loss.
According to his web page, Joel Klose still has nucs available for mid May delivery in Erin/Breesport area. (http://www.natureswayfarm.com/nucs.htm)
I haven't bought his bees before, but have heard good things.
I have bought nucs from Kale Luce in the past and they were excellent...he's way out the other side of Salamanca in Cattaragus, though. PM ofr contact info if interested.
I'd just set the boxes back up, let them thaw/dry and wrap them in trash bags or saran rap to keep wax moth out til you can reesock them
I put a ratchet strap around mine ot keep them together and i keep them out of the wind.
I also have a 3 joule elec fence to keep bears out.
If you haven't had a bear visit and you're not right in town, you will.
Don't wait to put that fence upand lose hives like I did.
According to his web page, Joel Klose still has nucs available for mid May delivery in Erin/Breesport area. (http://www.natureswayfarm.com/nucs.htm)
I haven't bought his bees before, but have heard good things.
I have bought nucs from Kale Luce in the past and they were excellent...he's way out the other side of Salamanca in Cattaragus, though. PM ofr contact info if interested.
I'd just set the boxes back up, let them thaw/dry and wrap them in trash bags or saran rap to keep wax moth out til you can reesock them
I put a ratchet strap around mine ot keep them together and i keep them out of the wind.
I also have a 3 joule elec fence to keep bears out.
If you haven't had a bear visit and you're not right in town, you will.
Don't wait to put that fence upand lose hives like I did.
Joined
·
273 Posts
Wow, just wow. Feel terrible for you. I agree that it looks like you will be able to set back up. Let us know if you have a bunch of frames missing, which might be some scum just stealing from you. Hope not.
JC
JC
Joined
·
245 Posts
Sorry to see that, looks like wind damage or vandals. No bite marks on frames.
Kale is sold out of NUCs for the year. However I will be passing thru to deliver and could make a stop at the Auburn exit if need bee. Let me know.
Reminder to all NYS beekeepers. It is legal in the state of NY for ANY beekeeper to kill bears any time of the year that threaten their hives. The only requirement is the beekeeper must turn the bear over to NYS DEC.
Im not suggesting it was a bear that did the damage. The pictures dont paint enough of a picture with all the snow on it to determine how it happened, though bears will just knock hives over without claw marks and eating frames. I have personally had that happen a few times.
Im not suggesting it was a bear that did the damage. The pictures dont paint enough of a picture with all the snow on it to determine how it happened, though bears will just knock hives over without claw marks and eating frames. I have personally had that happen a few times.
So sorry Dan. What a depressing sight.
It doesn't look like wind. I initially thought it was vandals but I can't imagine someone dumping over all the hives in different directions. Someone who hunts bear might be able to find tracks or evidence. It would be good to know but I don't think I would use this site in the future.
It doesn't look like wind. I initially thought it was vandals but I can't imagine someone dumping over all the hives in different directions. Someone who hunts bear might be able to find tracks or evidence. It would be good to know but I don't think I would use this site in the future.
That's got to be the worst . Time to put some money and time in a fence. I live in bear country and have all my bees fenced in with electric and am glad I do if that happen to me some people would be eating a lot of bear meat right about now.
So sorry DAN rebuild and learn from your mistakes. After a winter like we just had the last thing you need is a bear problem .
Good luck
So sorry DAN rebuild and learn from your mistakes. After a winter like we just had the last thing you need is a bear problem .
Good luck
This isn't bear damage. Bears smash everything and none of this equipment looks broken, juts knocked over. Do you have moose around there? May be a young moose got caught up in the hives and knocked them all over trying to get away. Could be vandals, but I can't see how they knocked them in both directions like that, unless they ran a car or truck into them.
Joined
·
5,688 Posts
above is one of the requirements
here is what they say
§ 11-0523. Destructive or menacing wildlife; taking without permit.
2. Any bear killing or worrying livestock on land occupied or cultivated, or destroying an apiary thereon, may be taken or killed, at any time, by shooting or device to entrap or entice on such land, by the owner, lessee or occupant thereof, or any member of the owner's, lessee's or occupant's immediate family or by any person employed by such owner, lessee or occupant. The owner or occupant of such lands shall promptly notify the nearest environmental conservation officer and deliver to such officer the carcass of any bear killed pursuant to this subdivision. The environmental conservation officer shall dispose of the carcass as the department may direct.
on your own land may be true, but the part "by the owner, lessee or occupant thereof" refers to the land I think not the apiary. what I have done is ask the landowner for permission to shoot the bear before I have a bear problem, if they say no I look elsewhere. not sure that covers the law either, a good back hoe is the proper method.
sorry for your losses Dan, are you going to have your new hives in N.J. or back in N.Y.?
I was just talking to a person that has been seeing bear tracks for the last couple of weeks, but I don't see any bear damage either.
I think that it could be. I've had bears pull out frames from boxes that they knocked over and walk them back into the woods to lick the frames clean. Even most of the frames were still usable with new foundation. There were only a few small tooth marks on the frames.
I've also had them break everything into toothpicks. Nothing was usable.
His area of the State doesn't have a bear population according to the NYDEC. http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6960.html
I still think bear attack is highly unlikely. Re looking at the pics it looks like most of the hives were domino effected into each other.
I still think bear attack is highly unlikely. Re looking at the pics it looks like most of the hives were domino effected into each other.
I does look more like a wind topple, miscreants, or a bump by a large animal more than a bear...
But NYS is a reliable source of misinformation. You might find a bear just about anywhere upstate.
Might... But it would be a long shot in some areas. I am sure the state bases the zone data off of harvest results. I haven't hunted bear in NY, but they are the same as other north east states. When a hunter tags a bear they have to report it and where it was harvested... So while a bear may occasionally wander through an area that doesn't typically contain bears, the harvest data is pretty accurate in showing where bears reside continually.
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!