Several of you have inquired about bear damage.
 Here is the summary of an article printed in the Finnish Beekeepers'
 magazine "Mehil{inen" 3-1995 reprinted here and on BeeNet with the
 permission of original author P. Peltotalo and translator P. Ellison.
 
 If you have any questions for Mr. Peltotalo please mark your messages
 Att. P. Peltotalo (BEE-L is gated to BeeNet as read only). His replies
 I will copy from BeeNet to you.
 
 I hope this information will be of some help,
 
 Regards,
 
 Durk Ellison
 OH2ZAS
 BeeNet: 240:2358/100
 email: [log in to unmask]
 
 
[ bee diseases & cures [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[B-Int[
Msg  :   55     [1-55]
From : Pekka Peltotalo                     8-May-95  22:49:43  240:2358/12
To   : ALL
Subj : BEARS
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[BEEHEALTH.BIN[
.MSGID: 240:2358/12 db9d4bde
.REPLY: 240:2358/100 4c20836a
.PID: PPoint 1.88
 
             SUMMARY OF THE 1994 BEAR DAMAGE AND ELECTRIC FENCES
 
   Electric fences have been aquired between 1993-1994 with government funds
 to be given out by the local wildlife departments. Some professional
 beekeepers had bought electric fences at their own expense, before the
 government sponsored fences were offered.
 
   Information about the efficiency of the electric fences had been
 collected with an inquiry made in the fall of 1994. Those who answered the
 inquiry, had about 60 fences protecting approximately 400 hives. There is
 more detailed information about the agricultural district of H{me in the next
 paragraph.
 
 ______________________________________
 The agricultural district of H{me 1994
 ______________________________________
 
   Six beekeepers in the district of southern H{me applied for compensation
 for damages inflicted on their bee farms by a bears. Compensations were
 paid for over 30 000 mk.
 Bear damage has been limited for now to the eastern side of highway number
 three and the Helsinki-Tampere railway.
 
 The beekeepers who answered the inquiry had:
 ___________________________________________
 
 Electric fences in use                    21 fences
 Hives protected                          125 hives
 Damaged hives before/without protection   15 hives
 Damaged hives with protection              3 hives
 No damage after protection *)              7 beekeepers
 Total electric fences used in S. H{me      9 beekeepers
 
    *) Paw prints and other bear signs sighted but no damage was inflicted.
 
   Usually the damage has stopped after the use of electric fences. In one
 case the power on the fence had gotten low so that the bear could do its
 dirty deeds. In another case the bear managed to get under the cables
 through a ditch twice.
 
 _________________
 Other experiences
 _________________
 
   In a few cases electric lights and repellent scents had been used and the
 hives have been saved from damage (previously there had been bear damage
 to the area). With these devices, however, the bee farm will not be safe
 for a long period of time or if all the other farms have electric fences.
 As the bear, within a relatively short period of time, becomes accustomed
 to the lights and scents.
 
 
 Total bear damage to bee farms in Finland 1994 (MMM)
 ____________________________________________________
 
 Agricultural       Compensation    Hives     Paid
 district         Applied for by              compensations (mk)
 
 H{me                           6       15    33 670
 Kainuu                         1        1     2 000
 Central-Finland                2        6    17 600
 Kymi                          13       36    77 418
 Oulu                           1        2     3 200
 Northern-Karjala              18       41    73 893
 Uusimaa                        3        8     9 922
 
 Whole country                 44      109   217 703
 
 Source:
 MMM. Fish- and wildlife department, statistics 1994.
 
 See also:
 PELTOTALO, P. 1995. Yhteenveto vuoden 1994 karhuvahingoista ja
   s{hk|paimensuojauksista. Mehil{inen 12: 46.
 
 KARONIEMI, P. 1995. Tavoitteena karhuvahinkojen v{hent{minen.
   Mehil{inen 12: 47 - 49.
 
.!. BEEKEEPERS DO IT with their HONEY on BeeNet