Bear attacked my hives oh no, please no!!!

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Commenting on the original subject of the post:

When I had my operation going in upstate NY, I had a double line of wire for my electric fence. Outside row was 14 gauge aluminum wire on metal T posts.  Inside line was heavy duty braided wire on fiberglass posts. Bears were in my area, and I never had an intrusion in the 10 years of operation there. 

Side note:  Bear broke in through my shed window where I had comb stored. Couldn't fit through but made a mess just reaching inside. Two hours later I had a solar fence put up.  I even had a cutout honey feeding station next to the shed, behind the wires - 24/7.  Bear never attempted to get at it - all the years I had it there.

My handyman told me a story of a bear he encountered, peering into my bee yard, laying down with his head in his hands.

It's curious to me - and very disappointing - hearing the suggestions of those here who advocate killing bears.  Not to preach, but we all caretakers of living beings who have their niche in nature and we put our sweat and blood into preserving it.  Certainly, every creature has its niche and purpose in the environment. Is it not our responsibility to respect that and do everything we can to preserve it too?

Yes, it takes some time and sweat to put up a fence, but so does beekeeping. I also maintain that anyone who puts hives in the woods WITHOUT a fence is betting on a losing game. I'd go so far as to say it's foolish to do so.

Mr Sox, thanks for your post.  I probably will not put up an electric fence due to neighborhood dogs that occasionally visit.  Also a close neighbor has young kids that have no idea what an electric fence is.  Last, I have been shocked myself so many times by an electric fence that they make me uncomfortable.  If the bear persists, I can always call in fish and game to safely trap the bear or I could use motion detector alarm.

Rest assured the bear will NOT be harmed, but to me, an electric fence is not an option.  Denver, my neighbors pet lab retriever is my Buddy, the friendliest pup who inspects my hives on a weekly basis.  Denver does not pester the bees, but he is very courious.

Strapping my hives saved my bees, the bear never tasted honey and never came back.  Looks like I will lose 2 hives, the combine I mentioned is being robbed so I will let nature decide.

Thank you Mr. Ben F.
Blessings

[Ben Framed]

Well, it looks like you took it a lot harder than it was meant. Maybe my old skin is just a lot tougher than yours. I meant for it to go over lightly, but if it hit you as being hard, then go ahead and throw it back as hard as you wish. I will understand. No hard feelings on this end.

I could do just that but I have been sit in the corner by the moderator for a direct attack.  How is it that the same has not happened to you ??  Hum

[Ben Framed]

Well, it looks like you took it a lot harder than it was meant. Maybe my old skin is just a lot tougher than yours. I meant for it to go over lightly, but if it hit you as being hard, then go ahead and throw it back as hard as you wish. I will understand. No hard feelings on this end.

I could do just that but I have been sit in the corner by the moderator for a direct attack.  How is it that the same has not happened to you ??  Hum I remember I ask Jim not to repermand you but let you get it out of you system. Ah haa haa haa

[Ben Framed]

. No hard feelings on this end.

No hard feeling on this end either, I'm glad you got it out of your system Mr Thick skin.. Ah haa haa haa 😁

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Mr. Ace, good evening Buddy.  I am sure a 22 rim fire bullet would cause harm to a bear.  The bullet would penetrate the skin and at the very least cause infection. 

Wild animals survive infection pretty easily.  Much the same way they survive the electric fence.  I wasn't suggesting a kill shot I was suggesting a flesh wound that would deter the bear.  I know people that use 22's to keep bears out of their garbage.  Unfortunately like a fence you have to hit every bear that comes around.  The advantage of the fence is that you don't have to be there but it is a lot quicker to load a gun then to build a fence so it might cover that immediate time span until you get the fence up.

Yes, Mr. Ace, you mentioned {wild animals survive infections}. Note: alligators, their immune system is being studied presently: for cancer research.  A gator can lose a limb to a fight, then lay in sewage water and NOT get an infection while completely healing the would leaving a stub where the limb was.  Amazing immune system, just incredible.  A bit off subject so I won?t elaborate further.
Blessings

[iddee]

""Let?s just get back to the bears and the bees.""

I took that as being for both of us. That's why I didn't reply back. I'm sitting in the corner peeking out from under my dunce cap.      

[Ben Framed]

""Let?s just get back to the bears and the bees.""

Yea, me too 😊😁 Hats off to you iddee. Let's move on... The corner is one thing but the principals office is whole different subject!! .. Neither one of us want that !! Enjoy you evening...
Sincerely, Phillip

[iddee]

 

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Bees on sub pollen:fanatics!!!  I cannot figure out why my bees were going nuts over sub. pollen that I community feed.  I am talking today, Octobrr 29, temp is 70F here in Arkansas.  The bees were like,,,, desperate, anxious for the pollen.  The pollen feeder was very crowded.

I am confused because my understanding is pollen is basically protein used for growing bees, that is to feed larvae.  Maybe there is more larva, than when I last inspected, a week ago.  That is my guess, you have a good idea, please text as this is how I learn.

Tomorrow I will inspect, weather is nice: then Wednesday, Oct 31, the temps take a nose dive and possible I will not inspect another hive until Feb.
Blessings

[iddee]

Bees will store large amounts of pollen in the fall. Be careful that they don't fill two frames close together with the queen in between in the spring. I have seen queens confined to 2 or 3 frames, with solid pollen frames next to them in the spring. She will not cross a solid pollen frame and lay in the next one, thus breaking up her brood nest.

[Acebird]

I am confused because my understanding is pollen is basically protein used for growing bees, that is to feed larvae.  Maybe there is more larva, than when I last inspected, a week ago.

The majority of bees in a hive do two things, they forage and they hoard.  If there is no nectar they hoard pollen until that is no longer available.  For the most part honey lasts forever while pollen degrades from the day they bring it into the hive.  So in the spring they will bring in fresh pollen and take out the old.

[Hops Brewster]

Use a fence!

  Ninety percent of all hunters wound animals and never find the carcass.  Some even wound people or kill them.

There is a vast difference between being unable to locate a wounded game animal and intentionally injuring an animal with inadequate firepower.  The overwhelming majority of hunters go to great lengths to find what they shoot.  You can't use this as an excuse to justify maiming an animal as a plan.

The list continues;
Legality- It is illegal in every jurisdiction that I have hunted to wound an animal without making an effort to locate it.  It is also illegal to intentionally wound or maim an animal. 

You may be able to get a permit from your game department to kill a bear that is destroying your livestock.   Or,
If you want to use a firearm to scare off a bear, why don't you use a beanbag load instead of causing injury?

[2Sox]

I am confused because my understanding is pollen is basically protein used for growing bees, that is to feed larvae.  Maybe there is more larva, than when I last inspected, a week ago.

The majority of bees in a hive do two things, they forage and they hoard.  If there is no nectar they hoard pollen until that is no longer available.  For the most part honey lasts forever while pollen degrades from the day they bring it into the hive.  So in the spring they will bring in fresh pollen and take out the old.

This is very interesting! I had always believed that if pollen sacs were on the bees, they were also bringing in nectar; that one always went with the other.  Regarding the shelf life of pollen; this explains why the old-time health food stores always kept fresh bee pollen refrigerated.  I haven't noticed what they do now.  Probably cryovac.

A question: I've always fed back frames of pollen - from dead outs - to splits, swarms, or to packages with no problem. (I always freeze frames or pollen or honey from dead-outs for at least 48 hours. I wrap and seal the entire medium in contractor bags for months - usually the winter - before use) Ate it right up.  How does this apply to the information you offer here?  Am I missing something?

[2Sox]

Mr Sox, thanks for your post.  I probably will not put up an electric fence due to neighborhood dogs that occasionally visit.  Also a close neighbor has young kids that have no idea what an electric fence is.  Last, I have been shocked myself so many times by an electric fence that they make me uncomfortable.  If the bear persists, I can always call in fish and game to safely trap the bear or I could use motion detector alarm.

Rest assured the bear will NOT be harmed, but to me, an electric fence is not an option.  Denver, my neighbors pet lab retriever is my Buddy, the friendliest pup who inspects my hives on a weekly basis.  Denver does not pester the bees, but he is very courious.

Strapping my hives saved my bees, the bear never tasted honey and never came back.  Looks like I will lose 2 hives, the combine I mentioned is being robbed so I will let nature decide.

Thank you Mr. Ben F.
Blessings[/i]

This does explain a lot. I understand a little more about your decision.  I completely understand your feeling about Denver.  I'm a dog lover myself. (I once had a hot hive that chased my big Rottweiler, Lucas, clear across the field to the house!  I felt terrible for him.  I'll just say, dogs are smart. Once they encounter the fence, there won't be a second encounter.

If you continue to just strap your hives, I'd just suggest you use two straps on each hive - back to front and side to side.  Extra insurance. When I transport hives, that's what I do.  I've taken some sharp turns and the two strap method has prevented catastrophes when the hives turned over in my van.

 Mann Lake sells galvanized metal banding straps that would stop grizzlies!

https://www.mannlakeltd.com/galvanized-banding-strap

[Ben Framed]

Use a fence!

  Ninety percent of all hunters wound animals and never find the carcass.  Some even wound people or kill them.

There is a vast difference between being unable to locate a wounded game animal and intentionally injuring an animal with inadequate firepower.  The overwhelming majority of hunters go to great lengths to find what they shoot.  You can't use this as an excuse to justify maiming an animal as a plan.

The list continues;
Legality- It is illegal in every jurisdiction that I have hunted to wound an animal without making an effort to locate it.  It is also illegal to intentionally wound or maim an animal. 

You may be able to get a permit from your game department to kill a bear that is destroying your livestock.   Or,
If you want to use a firearm to scare off a bear, why don't you use a beanbag load instead of causing injury?

Hops, I know a fellow who had a house dog, a pet, not a raised to be hunting dog, who would track wounded deer! This fellow found this talent by accident after shooting a deer (for food) and the animal ran into a huge thick area which would, under normal circumstances, make the mortally wounded animal  almost impossible to find. How the talent of this dog was discovered. After the shot, the fellow waited the extra time and proceed to look for the deer. Tracking blood, he soon realized he would never find the deer by himself. He went back to his home which was not a far distance away and ask the aid of his kids. The kids wanted to bring their dachshund (winnie dog)  along and to pacify  them he agreed. To his amazement, the dog, when was at the known place of the animal at the time of the shot, let out a bark and off he went! And straight to the deer he went. The fame of this dog grew and several hunters through the years ask for the aid of this dog. From what I was told the famous Dotson never failed to find an a wounded or dead lost deer!

[Acebird]

Legality- It is illegal in every jurisdiction that I have hunted to wound an animal without making an effort to locate it.

In a lot of cases it is not illegal to protect your property or livestock.  It is illegal to shoot a deer after dusk.  So please explain the common practice of doing so.  You can't track deer in the dark.

[Hops Brewster]

Ace, where, when did I mention shooting deer after dark?
I know it is generally legal to protect livestock.  I am saying that intentionally wounding a bear with an inadequate caliber firearm is not on my list of acceptable methods.


Ben, I wish we could use dogs to track wounded game in my part of the country, but it's illegal in most states out here.  One method we use is to sit down and wait 15 minutes for the magpies to find the wounded game for us.  Works like a charm!

[BeeMaster2]

Brian,
Yes you can if you can locate where you hit it and follow the blood trail. A gas lantern lights up a blood trail real nice.
I once followed a Bluetick dog from 5:30 to 10:00 trying to find a 6 point.
Jim

[Ben Framed]

I am really confused Ace, some folks don't like the idea of hunting. Reading your post , it seems that you might be one of theses folks? If you don't like to hunt, for any Or whatever reason that is your privlege. Some folks do enjoy the hunting experiance. That is their privlege also.  There are many things that go on that I may not approve of or there again approve of.  One thing is for sure our For-Fathers hunted. Hunters, through their taxes for one thing support the protection of animals, such as game laws, game limits, fish and game programs that enhance the repopulation of animals and birds that was one almost completely lost due to los of habitat. Not only with taxes it with donations to groups which donate LARGE sums of money in order to see habitat preserved and restored. Such as ducks unlimited and others. Through these programs taxes of hunters and fishermen , in my short lifetime, Deer, turkey, geese ducks and other wildlife that simply didn't exist in my area are or very common. The Hinter has contributed much to bring back and contribute to the love of wildlife. Not the cougar, the wolf, the buzzards, and on and on it goes are all making comebacks. Weather we or not we agree or disagree, the hunter has done an outstanding, and doing an outstanding job and is responsible for doing the biggest part to save our wildlife and insure there is plenty of it for the future. Shooting a bear with a 22 may not seem like a big deal to a non hunter that may not understand the magnitude of the sever injury, pain, and suffering that the animal WILL endure, weather the animal survives or not. But it is a big deal to the animal lover the hunter. If you need to protect your property with fire power, I for one certinally understand, but Please use a firearm that will humanly dispose of the animal. And if that choice is made, please use the meat for food so the bear will not have died in vain. Please put up the electric fence.  No harm meant Ace not taking sides against you...

Sincerely,
Phillip Hall

PS. I am working and did not have time to proof read please excuse any jumbled up words or misspelling. Done on my phone . 

[Acebird]

Phill, I have nothing against hunting or hunters.  But I am a realist.  Many hunted animals are wounded whether intentional or not.  Most in my neck of the woods will not be found before they are eaten by another wild animal.
If you go back to my original post #59 the use of a 22 was worded as a question nothing to do with hunting and everything to do with protection of livestock.

I am saying that intentionally wounding a bear with an inadequate caliber firearm is not on my list of acceptable methods.

Hops, to my knowledge trapping is still legal and a leg trap will inflict a heck of a lot of pain usually for a long period of time.  And then when the animal is found it is finished off and only the fur is kept.

Van, back on topic.  Strapping however it is done is better than nothing but no match for bears in our woods.  Good luck.  I hope it works for you.