Bears and the bees no longer sting honey producers

Damages caused by sticky-fingered bears dipping their paws into beehives won't lighten the wallets of beekeepers nearly as much anymore.

The province has now included loss of honey production in its wildlife damage compensation program that is administered through the crop insurance corporation.

Kinistino-based beekeeper Corey Bacon pushed for the change because bears usually "hit" his hives in the spring and fall, when there was no honey in the hives, thus causing him to lose future production that couldn't be insured.

"I've had bear damage where it is over $8,000. All it takes is one big bear in there for a couple of nights," said the fourth-generation beekeeper.

The provincial apiculturist, John Gruszka, said that over the past 30 years bear insurance has evolved and now also focuses on prevention, but covering loss of production has always been a "bone of contention."

"Bears come spring and fall when there is no honey on the hives, so crop insurance never had to pay for honey because honey was never taken," he said.

Bacon said the lumbering bears were usually after the protein-rich "brood," or bee larvae.

"Often the bears will drag the hives right into the bush. It looks like someone drove in there with a truck or something and knocked it all over," he said.

Bacon has about 2,400 colonies and has seen too many of his beehives knocked over and kicked around by a hungry bear.

And while some of his 50 bee yards are fenced, a hungry bear can be brave or smart and get its paws on the hive, according to Bacon.

"If the bears are hungry enough, that little zap (from an electric fence) doesn't deter them," he said.

One bear even seemed to climb a tree to drop in over a fence Bacon put up, he added.

Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud said the move was necessary to better insure beekeepers against honey production losses.

"By compensating honey producers for these losses, we are continuing our commitment to improving the crop insurance program," he said.

The program is expected to cost about $200,000 annually.