[log in to unmask] (Dave D. Cawley
 
>      The bear came back Thursday night in the pouring rain and
finished off the rest. There were about 15 bees left when I got there
Friday afternoon. There were only two frames that didn't have big
holes in the center, those had *HUGE* paw prints in them. The boxes were
dumped over and the frames were scattered around the boxes. Only one frame
got broken, but it can be repaired.
 
>      These guys had it rough, they were a nuc last spring and they
swarmed in Spetember and made it through the winter and were building up into
a nice colony. Just three weeks short of being a beekeeper for a full year,
now I'm back to being a beekeeping equipment keeper...8-{
 
>     I'm pretty bummed. But as someone at work said, "At least it
was done for a good reason, not some punk neighborhood kids being jerks."
>   I can understand what he's saying, but it doesn't help much...
 
   Dave, I had the jerks smash up and tip over a bee yard, up in your neck of
the woods (near Towanda), and the sheriff mentioned there was a PA program to
pay beekeepers for bear damage.  You might want to check if this is still
active, and if you meet the conditions.
 
   I spoiled my chance for reimbursement by showing him the beer bottles.
 He'd rather have sat in the car at a distance.  It would have been a help,
but my conscience wouldn't keep quiet.
 
[log in to unmask]  PO Box 1215, Hemingway, SC  29554