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