Page 21 - Hamden Winter 2019 Issue 2

BEES
As the Bear population grows in Connecticut our Connecticut beekeepers are finding life with bears can be challenging This year my good friend Vicky had her hives destroyed just before harvest A large bear with two cubs came around found her hives and decided to stay a a while After the the first night we put the the hives back together and tried to to save the the bee colony but her her visitor just came back and Vicky lost her her hives Another beekeeping friend in in North Haven
has never had a a a a run-in with a a a bear in in in 10 years of beekeeping but this year lost several of his his hives to a a a bear In Salem Connecticut a a a beekeeper of 30 years told me
folks there were having their first encounter with the growing bear population We hear of bear sightings on social media and people taking down bird feeders But it’s difficult for a a beekeeper to lose their financial investment and a a a a a significant investment of time A beekeeping friend in in in Guilford heard a a a a disturbance in a a a a field where he he he keeps his hives What he found was a a a a a a huge male bear pouncing on a a a a a a hive trying to get it it open He was within 15 feet of the bear trying to dissuade it from destroying his hives when the HamdenMag com | Mid-Winter 2019
bear turned stood up on its haunches and let out an an intimidating roar That was enough for my friend Nate He backed off and lost his hives Nature has its way and we are all
part of something much bigger than us We can assume that bears have been been eating honey for as as long as as they have been been here Still beekeeping is an an agricultural pursuit and all
farmers
have to protect their harvest from pests There is no hunting season for bears in in Connecticut so we can only expect the bear population to to continue to to grow On our morning walk last fall my wife and I had a a a a a a closer-than-comfortable encounter with a a a bear bear on The bear bear trotted off and seemed as as surprised as as we we were It did open our eyes however and now we we carry a a a a loud air horn which
supposedly will help a a a bear choose to go the the other way My daughter and I are enjoying a a a a a a fascinating hobby in in beekeeping and this year’s harvest of honey was wonderful as well I haven’t had to deal with a a a a a a major loss from a a a a a a bear but it is a a a a a a consideration as as the new season approaches 21
& bears by Roger Dietz