Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: gaucho10 on January 10, 2009, 05:32:05 pm
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I have read somewhere that you can differentiate whether a bear or a coyote damaged your hive by checking what frames were destroyed. Bears usually go for the brood nest and not so much for the honey. Is there any truth to this? Several months ago I had one of my hives damaged but only the medium frames with honey were touched. Someone told me yesterday that coyotes don't go for bees because they are afraid to get stung. I was also told that bears will eat either honey or brood.
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I've never heard of coyotes damaging a hive but I'm willing to listen.
As for damage that I've seen, I could see claw marks, paw prints, stuff smashed, and just plenty of signs to say that it was bear and nothing else. I even had a frame with a clear paw print in it somewhere...
In town: (2008/Cambria County)
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z219/dug_6238/Bees%202008/100_2035.jpg)
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z219/dug_6238/Bees%202008/100_2032.jpg)
I believe that this one clinches it though: (2007/Somerset County)
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z219/dug_6238/Busted.jpg)
Male caught in PA Game Commission trap.
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Coyoyes go right near my hives alot and they dont seem to mess with them at all.
your friend,
john
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Coyotes use the game trail about 15ft from our four hives almost daily. No problems so far.
Did see a raccoon give'em the once over late one afternoon. Sniffed a little then went on down the trail.
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I've had bee troubles with skunks, opposums and horses, but the only problems I've had with coyotes have to do with chickens...
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We've got electric fence around our hives in Maine and have been visited by bears a few times but no damage. I worry more about skunks and raccoons to tell you the truth. They try their hardest to dig under the wires. Electric fence set up has already paid for itself.
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Judging by your replies I will have to assume that what I hear the other day must be true. Coyotes don't go for a beehive so I guess it was a bear. Nevertheless, does anybody know what a bears preference is as far as brood or honey for food?
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Ditto to what everyone else says about coyotes. Have them around here and never have had a problem with them.
And yes on the bears preferring brood over honey. My experience has always been they eat out the brood from the frames and leave the honey (of course some honey frames get damaged in the process). I have seen it where it looks like they eat the brood out of the frame and leave the honey, like eating watermelon out of the rind.
rob...
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Of course bears eat out the brood. Tastes just like another bear treat....chestnuts. Really tasty! Try some.
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As Bjorn says brood is the main target for a bear, not that they won't eat some honey. Horses can also devastate a hive and will eat frames and all but are more interested in the honey.
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Of course bears eat out the brood. Tastes just like another bear treat....chestnuts. Really tasty! Try some.
Now I'll just HAVE to try some chestnuts to see if they really DO taste like bee brood. :)
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Ok BjornBee,
So now perhaps I should start a new thread but just how good/bad is it eating larvae. I have never tried it. My daughter and nephew have eaten ants, worms, beetles and I got grossed out. I guess if I had to eat for survival then I would do it. Are you serious? Did yo try it? How was your first time?
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It's not bad at all. I tryed some that was put out from chill brood.
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I ate some too!its best tho if they dont wiggle...Theyre sweet too...not as sweet as honey, but now that i think of it.....The do resemble the taste of chestnuts!
your friend,
john
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So now perhaps I should start a new thread but just how good/bad is it eating larvae.
Yes, do try them. I was trapping drone brood last season so I had to make sure they did not have varroa on them. They were not slimy or anything. I heard they taste like egg white and decided that was a fairly good description. They are a delicacy in many countries. Also tried them as bluegill bait but they don't stay on the hook very well. Not enough "meat" to them. :lol:
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I will see?????????????