I received a call informing me that a couple of hives on the Lee/Epping border were attacked by a bear.  We have always known there was one or two lurking around but for the last 12 or so years, we had no issues at this spot.  I went immediately to check on the hives expecting the worse but to my surprise, the hives were still intact and the bees were relatively calm.  
   After I properly surveyed the location, making sure the wasn't any bear lurking about, I checked on the hives and found that one honey super had gone into the woods but was only partially consumed.  The bees had time to mount a defense and inflict some sting damage on the bruin, likely driving it away.  The hives were still strapped together which likely also hindered the attack, allowing the bees to focus on the attack and causing some confusion for the bear.  Likely, the bear was not experienced or hungry enough to wreck the hives outright.  Black bears can take a significant amount of damage and inflict even more with their immense strength.   Boxes can be shattered and brood scooped and devoured by a hungry bear in relatively short time.  This bear got to some honey but hardly any of the rich protein that can be found in the bee brood boxes which would be like a nice steak dinner for a bear.   This protein is critical to the bear as it prepares for the upcoming winter and it was likely it was disappointed with the small snack. 

Once I completed the initial clean up, I carefully re-stacked the boxes and sealed up the hives.  I added more straps to each hive and secured them thinking that it would help but not fully stop  a return engagement from a now more experienced bear.  I didn't have temporary fencing or electrical power supply to place an electric fence around the apiary.  Instead I have decided to move the hives closer to the coast where they would be more protected.

The video below shows the hives upon my arrival to the apiary after the attack.

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The Portsmouth Herald's Olivia Falcigno took some great photos on a recent visit to one of our bee yards and the SeaBee Honey House in Rye, NH. 
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www.seacoastonline.com/picture-gallery/news/2021/06/21/seabee-honeys-apiaries-rye/7746744002/




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