Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Black Bears Strike But Are Repelled By Electric Fences In Ontario Beeyards

Some black bears did launch an attack on of our remote beeyards last week! 

This is what bear damage looks like, and it could have been a lot worse. The total loss was only four frames of brood. And that's because this beeyard, like all of our locations in southern Ontario, is protected by a heavy duty solar fencer.

bear damage in beeyard

Its unlikely the hive blew over in the wind - in the time that has passed since we last visited this location there hasnt been any extreme weather. But if it was upset by bears, then how did they manage to get over the fence? 

I have come to believe that a momma bear somehow managed to leap the perimeter - once. She then got the biggest electric shock of her life, and ran way back into the woods to recuperate.

The fence is only two strands of wire but they are electrified to 12 volts by a solar panel charged capacitor mechanism.  Its snaps when its at full strength. The animal must have felt the shock at least once, for it did no real damage except to knock over one beehive,

I reckon as soon as the bear got shocked on the fence it ran away bawling back into the woods. In my crime scene reconstruction I have a second perpetrator, and perhaps even a third involved in this ‘break and enter’ heist and murder of bees. 

These accomplices had the presence of mind to stay at the site and capitalize on what the first bear had achieved before they too were shocked and gave up trying to get more grub. They successfully pulled four wax frames of brood, which is what beekeepers call the queen bee’s eggs, out of the spilled container. They did manage to get four whole frames under the electrically charged wires before they too must have been shocked, and ran away back into the woods. I say that because no bear would leave that good food unless seriously deterred by electricity. When we checked the fence we found the it was giving a very high charge of 12.2 volts!

bear ate frive frames of brood - bear damage in Ontario Canada

The bears eat everything except the wood. They love the brood frames more than the honey frames and these are very nutritious and tasty especially when covered with honeybees! You can see some of the wooded splinters beside the box. They left a train of these wood frame splinters for twenty feet back into the woods. There was one collection of six or more splinters stacked near a big tree trunk which is where at least one of the animals enjoyed a tasty meal in private away from the fence and his friends.

Views: 514

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by Roadrunner on May 17, 2012 at 1:21am

Great stories and blog, I enjoy learning about bees and your challenges.

Thanks,

RR

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Saskatchewan farm show ready to highlight new innovations

Western Canada’s largest outdoor farm show returns this month to showcase new and exciting technology for the agriculture sector. Ag in Motion show director Rob O’Connor said there will be more to explore, drive and discover. “There’s a reason Ag in Motion is known as the place to find out what’s new in agriculture every year,” O’Connor said. “Advancements in production and AgTech are always featured and celebrated here.” Among the key attractions this year are the Ride & Drives that give farmers the opportunity to get behind the wheel and test the latest equipment in real field conditions, offering a hands-on comparison of models and features. A variety of sprayers, tractors and material handling equipment, such as skid steers, compact loaders and will be available to try out. The 2025 Innovations Program highlights emerging products and solutions developed to solve real on-farm challenges, which are available for visitors to view on-site. New this year is the debut of the one-da

Hail, excessive moisture, insects caused the most crop damage in Saskatchewan

Thunderstorms swept across parts of the province, bringing moisture along with some hail and that means some producers will be assessing crop damage over the next week to determine the impact on yields. According to the latest Saskatchewan Agriculture crop report, the most rainfall recorded was 115 millimetres (mm) in the Archerwill area, followed closely by the Beatty area with 85 mm. There was also notable rainfall in the Kinistino and Middle Lake areas with 75 mm and 65 mm, respectively. Despite heavy rainfall in some locations, overall provincial topsoil moisture conditions declined from the previous week’s report. Kim Stonehouse, a crops extension specialist, said other than hail, there were several other factors that contributed to crop damage. “There was also grasshopper and flea beetle activity that has persisted and is causing some minor damage in some dry areas,” Stonehouse said. “In West Central, East Central and Northeast regions producers are reporting minor damage fro

Tax credit expands meat processing facility

The province’s inviting and tax-friendly business environment, and abundant agricultural resources, make it one of North America’s best places to do business. In addition, the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit helps attract investment that will further diversify Alberta’s agriculture industry. Beretta Farms is the most recent company to qualify for the tax credit by expanding its existing facility with the potential to significantly increase production capacity. It invested more than $10.9 million in the project that is expected to increase the plant’s processing capacity from 29,583 to 44,688 head of cattle per year. Eleven new employees were hired after the expansion and the company plans to hire ten more. Through the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit, Alberta’s government has issued Beretta Farms a tax credit of $1,228,735. “The Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit is building on Alberta’s existing competitive advantages for agri-food companies and the primary producers t

Massey Ferguson introduces the MF 8S Xtra featuring comfort and efficiency upgrades

Massey Ferguson, a worldwide brand of AGCO (NYSE:AGCO), is proud to announce the introduction of its new MF 8S Xtra series, building on the success of the multi award-winning MF 8S models and featuring new styling, increased efficiency and even better operator comfort.

Four-Time Olympic Gold Medalist, Hall of Fame Inductee, and Philanthropist Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser to speak at Grape Growers 40th Annual Celebrity Luncheon

The Grape Growers of Ontario’s Celebrity Luncheon marks the opening of the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival by showcasing Canadian personalities and celebrating the annual grape harvest. This year, in partnership with Meridian

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service