Bear Problem

[dragonmaster765]

I'm going to become a new beekeeper in the Spring and I already know bears will be a problem. For the eleven years I've lived here, my yard seems to be a bear highway. I don't have enough money to buy an electric fence and (I'm 16) my parents won't let me get a hive unless I can control the bears. Any suggestions? Please?

[kathyp]

an electric fence.

the most expensive part is the charger.  for a smallish bee yard, you can get a good charger like this http://www.horse.com/item/parmak-field-master-2-charger/BXJ04/
and it will do the job.  posts, wire, etc. are not very expensive.

mow lawns, have a bake sale, sell some games 

please keep us informed about how you are doing.  it's great to have younger members.  you are the future of beekeeping!

[AllenF]

Ya, you are going to need a job if you are going to get bees.   

[ProPacific]

I read an article that says bees were used as the defense against elephants invading african farmer's crops.  Beehives were attached ten feet apart to a thin wire that surrounded the perimeter of the land so when an elephant tried to cross in the property, it would shake the hives causing the bees to go into attack mode and have the elephants run for the hills. Probably doesnt help your situation but it was an interesting story. There has to be some natural defense available to scare off the bears. Let me know what you find.

[AllenF]

The only thing I know of that scares off bears is lead.   Lead flying faster than the speed of sound works real well.  Bees are not going to stop a bear like mud ain't going to stop a pig.   

[bee-nuts]

You can check with your state department of natural resources and see if they provide fences for beekeepers free.  My state from what I am told used to provide them to anyone who requested them for bear control in known problem areas.  It is possible that your state might do this.  In my state you have to be a commercial beekeeper or its the discretion of the person who handles the stuff which happens to be the USDA now.  They told me they were not going to provide a fence for one hive here and three there and so on.  They did provide me a fence though and I combined two yards.

As Kathy mention the fence is not all that expensive.  I initially built my first fence like I would build fence for beef cattle with t-posts and five wires which is over kill.  The USDA told me how they wanted the fence build and to my disagreement I followed their directions and now I love how simple, cheap, and easy a BEAR FENCE is to make.

You just need three wires, one close to ground, one about 16 inches up and third about 30 inches.  Bears dont jump fences, they got under them.  The use their nose and tongue to investigate everything so as long as they cant crawl underneath the wire they will smell or lick the wire to check it out and "SNAP" thats the last time they will mess with your fence.  Where I put the fence provided by the usda, the neighbor were worming me about a bear and cubs raiding their bird feeders and garbage cans.  This was about 100 yards from my fence and I have yet to have a problem.  I also had a swarm in a hive outside another fence of mine.  I came to move it and it had been annihilated by a bear.  The bear has yet to get the hives inside of fence.  The fences work, thats for sure.

All you need for one hive is 4 fiberglass posts, 12 insulators, 1 T-post (to hold electric fencer, 1 fencer, 1 small roll of poly wire, 1 ground rod, 1 short piece of copper wire for ground rod.  Probably less than $250.00

And most important thing you need as Allen mentioned is 1 part time job.  Wash some dishes for a while or mop floors, or deliver a news paper, or, oh its fall, rake leaves for the elderly in your neighborhood.  Just go up to their door and explain your situation and that you need some work so you can make money to buy the things you need.  I can guarantee this option would make you the money you need the fastest.  Older folks have a sweet spot for young kids like your self.  They will pay you well.  You just need to be very polite and do the best job you can and watch the twenty's roll into your pocket.