Why Bears and Bees Don’t Mix

In the beekeeping operation, one of the biggest enemies of honey bees out here is the bear. It is a notorious predatory animal on honey bees. The brood of honey bees and honey stored in the beehive is at risk if a bear reaches a beehive. Stings from honey bees do not penetrate most areas of the bear’s surface. The lucky stings to the face and nose area of the bear are often endured in exchange for the food the bear knows it will get from the beehive.
As winter approaches, bears must build up nutrient reserves in their bodies. They do this in preparation for hibernating. A honey bee larva has high protein content. Bears eat the larvae if they reach it. It is their main target. If the bear can reach stored honey in the beehive, it considers it a bonus. Sadly, Bears seem to be able to remember beehive locations. Once a bear has been to your apiary out here, your best option starts with moving the apiary to a new location. After hibernation, bears are also known to want to restore lost bulk and target beehives. Autumn and spring are therefore the worst bear seasons out here for beekeepers.
We take many approaches to deal with bears. Some work to secure the beehive against bear attacks and even human intruders. Electric fences rank high up there in the list of solutions we use. Luckily, we have not had any beekeeper build a moat around their apiary, but I am sure many have considered it at one time. Beginner beekeepers may wonder when the best time to install your anti-bear measures is. As soon as you have a colony of honey bees in the beehive, you can suffer a bear attack. They have learned to follow bees for short distances and detect honey bee activity around the beehive entrance. Smells from the beehive also lure the bears to the beehive.