Hi,
Starting new colony in Maine this spring. Live in a rural area, and bear been seen in the area before (but not in my yard). Wondering what would be the best way to protect bees.
Barbed wire fence around the hive? Perhaps a electric fence? Both?
Wondering how many have had experience with bears knocking over hives?
Also read that skunks like eating bees (need to raise the hives up to combat skunks). I never knew that before.
thanks
David
I have bears around but have had no problem with them. I put my hives in a old dog run that has 2x4 welded wire fencing around and on the top also. I had a bear get on top and broke a old 4x4 trying to get in. After that I put electric around it also. No skunk problems with the fence also. Good luck with your bees.
If you have bears, you will get hit sooner or later if you aren't proactive about it. There are few things more devastating than seeing one of your thriving hives destroyed in a matter of minutes. Electric fences work well, but are not fool-proof. Flashing lights and load sounds help as well. I highly recommend whatever method(s) you choose also use a ratchet straps around your hives. Many times bears will knock a hive over and if it doesn't come apart they will just move on, they can be lazy at times.
bears are most certainly a threat and an electric fence is a good start. Get a high powered one and if need be make a sturdy enclosure around them also. Putting the hives up will deter skunks, however when the snow pack builds up they may be-able to reach them. I found the only way to stop a persistent skunk is by shooting it. I haven?t had that problem in many years but i have moved the bees into the yard and credit the dogs with keeping them away.
>Also read that skunks like eating bees (need to raise the hives up to combat skunks). I never knew that before.
I don't like the hives high off the ground because they blow over easier and I don't like putting supers on with a stepladder. Mine are all 3 1/2" off the ground. But I have top entrances to deal with the skunks.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm
Having lost a nucleus colony to a bear I think the only thing that saved the rest of my bees was my dog. A .30/06 should be effective but you have to see it happen for it to work. In New Yuck it is legal to shoot them but you have to call the DEC and prove that it was destroying your hives. http://www.eshpa.org/index.php/links/beekeeping-other/ny-dec-bear-law I don't know what your laws are. A fence might help but I would highly recommend electrifying it. If you have a place you can put them that the bears can't get to that would be a good option but other than perhaps an upper level deck on your house I am not sure where that might be.
David,
My father kept 5 hives on his roof. The entire yard was less than a quarter acre and the house took up almost half if it, so there was not much land left. Not sure I would recommend doing that unless you have easy access to the roof or a second deck. It is very difficult to carry a full super, let alone an entire hive down a ladder. make sure there are no trees close to the house. While vacationing in WY last year, we had a bear that would climb a tree and come up to our second story deck looking for food.
Jim
Eric, Thank you for posting that link, I may be able to use that some day. A little over a decade ago, after my first bear attack, at least 5 DEC officials told me that i could not shoot a bear even if it was destroying my hives. A sixth one, told me I could shoot him, in the act, but not before and not after. I would have to report it immediately. He gave me two 12 Ga. shells of rubber bullets to use on it. Said I?d have to be with in 25 feet of the bear to be effective. I think he may have meant 25 yards but either way, if I?m going to be that close to a bear, I?m going in with something other than rubber bullets! :) :wink:
>Said I?d have to be with in 25 feet of the bear...
Yea... I don't think I want to anger a bear I'm within 25 feet of...
Hilltop: rubber bullets on a bear? What was the guy smoking? I think I will either use slugs with my 12 gage or at least 150 grain 30/06. Probably the shotgun is a better choice for close range stopping power. My hives are only about 40 or 50 yards from my house.
I had one skunked hive in 14 years. Would be more but we don't seem to have as many as there use to be here. Hoosier Hogs' yes, but so far they haven't bothered the bees' Bears' it's only a matter of time. They have hit two bee keepers about 8+/- miles away but have been seen within 3 miles away. d2
PDF document for a bear fence plan for a small apiary.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7j4matM-tXaQWNaQ0FhRGxqTkU/view?usp=sharing