I live in the northeastern United States and we have many predators that would love to gain a meal from our bees.
A black bear has the ability to walk right up and ruin an apiary in a single evening.
Raccoons have been less of a problem, but do forage around and “can” decide to open up your hives.
Skunks will leave lots of muddy paw prints on the landing board as they like to come at night, reach their fore paws into the entrance and when the defending honey bees come out, they get eaten by the striped marauders.
I don’t have an electric fence up around my apiary, but have a sound emitting and light flashing motion activated system and here is a video showing how it works to repel lots of apiary pests.
What methods are you using to protect your bee hives? It’s easier to deter them prior to a successful raid, than after they have obtained a meal at your location. Prevention…
Fred, I live in the Blue Ridge foothills of VA, and plan to get those strobe/ultrasonic devices you recommended, as well as some of those Predator Preventor (?) devices you recommended, and put up electric fencing. We’ve got some wandering bear, raccoons, and wood chucks (don’t know if they are a problem). Man who sold me my nucs suggested putting some peanut butter on aluminum hung from the electric wire to attract the bear’s nose and tongue where he’s most sensitive to condition him/her to stay away (I read that once they taste the honey, there is no stopping them without a high speed projectile, and I would rather live and let live (but leave my bees alone!)).
Hi HTB, between the sonic Pest Away and the flashing light Predator Guard units you should be fine if bears have not gotten into your bees yet. What you have heard is correct, IF they have already attacked your apiary and gotten resources there, not even the electric fence will stop them.
An apiary owner down in Edinboro, PA was raided by a black bear, he put up two perimeters of electric fencing and on the advice of another beekeeper, he hung bacon strips on the outer perimeter as “educators” I went back with our State Bee Inspecter and the damage was extensive. The bear went through both electric barriers (he illegally had the fence directly connected to his 120 v a/c household current)… absolutely destroyed the apiary. Intentionally drawing in bears with peanut butter or bacon, in my opinion, can completely backfire, so please be careful.
Woodchucks and Raccoons don’t care about your bees. Bears and Skunks do. I wish you the best.