Ah, what a beautiful sight, you may be thinking — healthy hives, sparkling on the snowy Rocky Mountain Front.
But look more closely.
A little right of center, do you see that hive missing a lid?
And above it, the hive missing its second story?
And to the far left of the picture, said missing second story?
When Keith went out to check this yard last week, it was clear to him that something was very wrong with this picture. That something wrong? A grizzly bear, on a last ditch effort to fatten up for winter, which is clearly en route.
We have about 50 bee yards — each holding about 32 hives — throughout the greater Glacier County area. A lot of those yards are fenced to keep out grizzly bears, which are native to the prairies and seem to be making a comeback, trekking far from the shining mountains in their modern travels. Defenders of Wildlife helps us pay for these expensive electric fences, in an effort to keep grizzly bears from becoming a problem for farmers and beekeepers, preserving the bears and our bees, too. It’s a good partnership.
But our fences don’t work too well when a foot of dense snow falls on them, tangling their wires and knocking out the ground that keeps the electrical current flowing steadily enough to set an adult grizzly bear down on its rear end upon contact.
This picture is of a yard where the fence worked – see the griz tracks leading up to the fence? But the bees were just fine!
The Griz that got into the yard in question last week damaged 10 of the 32 hives, completely destroying three-and-a-half of them. A half, you ask? Yes, Griz ate half of one hive, but when Keith arrived, he found the other half of the hive balled up in a shivering cluster, so he put their frames back into one of the hive bodies, added a lid, and wished them well. Somehow, a week later, they’re doing just fine. Bees are amazing.
Bears get into bee yards – it’s part of beekeeping in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. But we sure hate it when bears get into bee yards filled with hives that Glacier County Honey Co. doesn’t actually own. Remember Jackie? Those are her hives, and we feel pretty rotten that ole Griz decided to pick on her girls and not ours.
On the other hand, Jackie’s got some pretty amazing claw marks in her frames now:
Wow:
Beekeepers do like their stories.
But this was one we could have done without telling.
Bee sweet, Griz.
2012. Glacier County Honey Co. All Rights Reserved.
October 9, 2012 at 9:19 am
And all we have to worry about are rowdy young bulls and frolicky donkeys. The bear’s claw marks are something else!
October 9, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of those claws, that’s for sure!
October 9, 2012 at 12:26 pm
Oh My! Another abviously satisfied customer…. 😀
October 9, 2012 at 4:39 pm
Ha ha, great comment!
October 10, 2012 at 8:30 am
I thought woodpeckers were bad….
October 11, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Count your blessings!
October 12, 2012 at 8:21 am
I am, starting right now!
October 12, 2012 at 9:28 am
🙂
October 10, 2012 at 7:52 pm
Very interesting post. Glad to hear about the cooperative effort and surprised there is power available for the fences. I am sure grizz is still thinking how good that honey was and will be dreaming of more all winter long.
October 10, 2012 at 8:39 pm
Okay so I went back to an old post via the link and see now the fences are solar powered. Seems the bears like your friends hives.
October 11, 2012 at 3:50 pm
Unfortunately, I think you are right! May have to tinker with our plans next year.
October 12, 2012 at 4:06 am
This blog is amazing!
October 12, 2012 at 9:27 am
Our favorite comment ever! Thanks.