[Casey Johnson]

I did a hive inspection yesterday and saw decent amount of new comb with larva around the 8-9 day old range. This was in the bottom box (I only have one deep with each hive currently). I was always taught to remove bur comb but I had a hard time doing it since this is a new packaged hive and the comb was full of larva. SO I was thinking, since this is the bottom box and I don't intend to disturb this box too much, especially when I get a second deep. Why couldn't I just leave that bur comb that attaches the bottom of the frames to the bottom screen?
Thoughts on this? Should I have removed the bur comb or should I have left it alone?

 

[Gypsi]

Since it is a new package I think leaving it alone is ok. Before fall you'll be cleaning it up. sorry about the slow reply, I was out chasing koi,

 

[Casey Johnson]

No worries. Thanks for the reply. Dang bear got into my electric fenced bee yard and destroyed one hive. This is good info for the other hives though. Thank you.

 

[Gypsi]

I am glad I don't have to deal with bears. Hope your luck improves.

 

[Rick_Bee]

Casey - A 30 mile electric fence charger and locate the hive away from the fence. You want the bear to encounter the fence well before it gets to the hive. Once the bear can smell the honey, the fence will not slow it down.

 

[Wil]

Casey - A 30 mile electric fence charger and locate the hive away from the fence. You want the bear to encounter the fence well before it gets to the hive. Once the bear can smell the honey, the fence will not slow it down.

A 30 mile electric fence charger didn't even keep racoons out of my garden this past year. My trail cams showed them almost laughing at the wire when they went through.

 

[Rick_Bee]

You need to work on your fence design then maybe.

Fred found that if he included a grounded wire in one of the strands it boosted the effects.

So a charged top and lower wire with a grounded wire between them.

Also mount the fence charger away from the fence so it can't be easily disabled.

 

[Wil]

You need to work on your fence design then maybe.

Fred found that if he included a grounded wire in one of the strands it boosted the effects.

So a charged top and lower wire with a grounded wire between them.

Also mount the fence charger away from the fence so it can't be easily disabled.

That's exactly how my fence system was set up with the wires and ground wire in between with a grounding rod 4 feet into the ground.

 

[Rick_Bee]

The Other concern is fencing too small of an area.
If the bear can get a whiff of the good stuff it may get "fired up" enough to bust through the fence.

Lastly Bears are not dummies, once they learn there are snacks in the boxes they will come back.
Then it becomes a capture and relocate situation.

Try A second fence 20ft out from the first? Hang cow bells on the wire? Lights/sprinkler on motion detectors? Sprinkler will add to the electrocution factor!