Here’s an updated photo of the hive and the “bear cage” with a new electric fence and solar fencer. (The bees have been postponed by the supplier until after May 5)
How on earth do we begin to keep the bears out of the hive? Here’s what we have come up with so far. I’ve chosen an area at the edge of our woods for the hive so I need to keep the weeds at bay if I want to access the hive. We’ve laid out an old, heavy tarp that will be covered with plant litter (leaves, bark etc.). On top, we’ve built a 6×6 chain link dog kennel. There is also a panel to wire to the top for protection from above. We don’t have it installed in this picture. There are also t-posts driven into the ground and we will secure the “cage” to them. We’ve also surrounded the cage with cinder blocks for a few reasons. They anchor the tarp, I’ll fill them with soil and plant a few continuous bloomers for quick bee access, we are also wiring the blocks to the bottom of the fencing to deter critters that insist on pulling and bending the lower wires. Next to install is insulators and wire for our solar fencer. I’m excited and apprehensive about whether our work will help with the abundance of bears looking for sweet snacks. As the summer goes on, we’ll see what changes..
A peek inside the Flow hive and the artwork from our Christmas break project.
