Author Topic: Yogi was here!  (Read 1922 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Yogi was here!
« on: July 29, 2018, 03:43:41 pm »
I guess it was only a matter of time, but I finally got hit by a bear. As far as getting bear bashed though, I was about as lucky as you can get I suppose. After looking at some pictures neighbours took of the bear, it was determined that this was a young bear probably just kicked out of the den and was hungry and curious.





A late frost we had killed off a lot of the natural forage that would normally be available so it turned to gardens and compost bins, and then my hives.
He knocked over 3 production colonies, turned another sideways, completely upended a 4 compartment mating box and flipped 3 nucs over, ones that I had just installed queens in the day before. Guess what? No damage!
The queens in the nucs were safe and sound, still in their cages, and after the mating box was put back (the individual lids that kept the 4 compartments of bees and queens separate were off) I checked a few days later and every queen somehow found their way back into their individual compartments. The only damage was a frame or 2 that had bite marks on them and apparently the bear didn't like mouthfuls of pollen and left.









I immediately went and set electric fence up and no returns. Fencer and battery are in a dummy deep.






"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline apisbees

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 3723
  • Thanked: 331 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Vernon B.C.
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2018, 04:06:59 pm »
You got away lucky. I have seen cows and horses do more damage that the bear did. and still early in the season so the bees have lots of time to recover and was still nice weather so as to not chill all the brood in the hive that happens in the fall.
So how many fencers do you need to buy? If one yard gets hit then all yards are at risk.
Honey Judge, Beekeeping Display Coordinator, Armstrong Fair and Rodeo.

Offline Lburou

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2284
  • Thanked: 315 times
  • Location: DFW area, Texas, USA, growing zone 7a
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2018, 10:30:56 pm »
Sorry to hear that Perry, but it is good to hear from you.  I wonder if that bare hide worked in favor of the bees?  :)
Lee_Burough

Offline Bakersdozen

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 4509
  • Thanked: 482 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Olathe, Kansas
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2018, 07:09:39 pm »
Sorry about your situation with the bear.  You have bears and we have small hive beetles!  Hhmmm.  Which location is better off?  :eusa_think: :photos:

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2018, 08:22:35 pm »
I'll take the bears B12, at least I can prevent them.

The sad hide on that bear might help in getting through to his senses.

Most pics I have seen of bear damage is complete destruction, frames missing etc., this fellow didn't get a taste of anything good enough to warrant a return I figure. I have 2 fencers but only using one at the moment.
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline robo

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 857
  • Thanked: 86 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Beekeep On!
    • Ramblings, Rants, & Ravings
  • Location: Scenic Catskill Mountains
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2018, 12:53:07 pm »
Ya I had a yearling terrorizing my mating yard a couple weeks ago.   Got lucky and only lost a couple mating nucs and none of the full hives were touched.   Came back 6 times in 2 days.   Had to resort to some harsher tactics  >:(

Found another value for marking queens.  One hive was drug about 50 feet away and found the queen on the ground outside.


Worst part was to add insult to injury he crapped right in one of the covers  :o


"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison


Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2018, 03:07:52 pm »
Now what are the odds of a bear leaving a calling card like that! :o
I just about spewed coffee on the keyboard when I saw that one. :D
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Bakersdozen

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 4509
  • Thanked: 482 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Olathe, Kansas
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2018, 05:10:30 pm »
 :laugh:
On TV they call that skat (sp?)
I can see Perry with a mouthful of coffee!  :yah:

Offline Some Day

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 196
  • Thanked: 18 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Iowa
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2018, 07:36:54 pm »
B13, that is scat.

Was the hive cover in the woods?

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #9 on: July 31, 2018, 08:11:06 pm »
B13, that is scat.

Was the hive cover in the woods?

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Bakersdozen

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 4509
  • Thanked: 482 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Olathe, Kansas
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #10 on: July 31, 2018, 08:38:13 pm »

Was the hive cover in the woods?
That took me a minute.   :laugh:

Offline brooksbeefarm

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2566
  • Thanked: 89 times
  • Location: fair grove, mo.
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #11 on: August 01, 2018, 11:59:11 am »
We are getting a bigger population of Bears every year all over Mo. but, most are in the southern part close too Arkansas where they are coming from. The Mo. Conservation protect them and have tracking collars on many of them, the same with Mountain Lions. Their Habitat is getting smaller year by year by people moving in from coatal areas, and Mo. is the 2nd biggest cattle producer in the U S of A. Bears have already invaded swimming pools, backyards, gardens dumpsters, bee yards. ect. We had a Conservation agent come too our Bee Club and talked about bears and said they pose little threat too humans or live stock??? I told him otherwise, that if they belong too the Conservation Dept. then if i see them around my cattle or Bee Hives they had better be with them, because i have a 270 rifle that doesn't want them on my property!!! Several Club members had their Bee Yards completely destroyed by Bears! I'm 80 years old and have worked too hard for what i have to let unwanted animals destroy what i have!!! YES i know!!! I'm just an old hard nose Missourian from way back when??? :yes:

Offline Mikey N.C.

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1393
  • Thanked: 76 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Cameron N.C.
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #12 on: August 01, 2018, 06:17:26 pm »
Was there a Rabbit near by in the woods

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: Yogi was here!
« Reply #13 on: August 01, 2018, 09:42:57 pm »
perry, great pix!  thanks for sharing! sorry this happened, but yogis will be yogis!
yogi the bear (inexperienced at crashing beehives) is young; a yearling or not older than 2 yrs. more damage if older.
like keith said, you were lucky! bears can totally demolish hives and equipment.

i have experienced bear damage.........just totally trashed hives and equipment. hive bodies mashed in pieces and laying everywhere; frames mashed and strewn/carried off a distance and very ticked off honeybees either flying or clinging to leftover pieces of equipment with no home.......

bear fencing went up, no problem since. an occasional bear bump on the fencing and/or bear dump near the fencing, but nothing on a lid like robo showed......... :D
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor