>>>>I know, I mentioned that a basic fence acts as a deterrent; if they want to come in, they're coming in. <<<<

I know this is not what a commercial beekeeper might do, but I keep a half dozen colonies of bees at my summer home in the North Woods of Wisconsin.  The bears destroyed them completely two summers in a row.  I built a bee house.  I can now keep up to 8 colonies of bees inside a 12 by 12 house made of rough sawn one by lumber.  The bears continue to have an interest, but placing nail mats in front of the landing boards discourages them.  When they begin chewing on a new spot, I run drywall screws pointing out in that spot.  It does look like something out of the middle ages, but for a number of years, my bees have been safe.   Forage is great.  Good for isolated mating. And I can vacation with the bees.

Larry Krengel

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