Success StoryBeekeepers Learn Techniques for Protecting Colonies from Bears
Beekeepers Learn Techniques for Protecting Colonies from Bears
Author: Brian Jeffiers
Planning Unit: Johnson County CES
Major Program: Beekeeping
Plan of Work: Nutrition and Food Systems
Outcome: Initial Outcome
With black bears continuing to surge into eastern counties of Kentucky, more and more beekeepers are experiencing damage to their hives from foraging bears. In order to equip producers to protect their colonies, the Johnson County Extension Service offered an educational session on bear behavior. Taught by beekeeper Jayson Plaxico, a retired wildlife biologist with KDFWR, the session addressed exclusion techniques, sanitation steps, and cultural actions that discourage bears from staying in the area. Jayson also addressed bear behavior and highlighted research into bear movement patterns so that producers understood why bears were suddenly such a threat in the immediate area. A total of 13 beekeepers attended, with all reporting that they gained a greater understanding of how to fortify their hives against physical damage by bears.
Stories by Brian Jeffiers
Gardening Series Gets Families Started Properly
With so many challenges in the food system since the pandemic, more and more families seek to grow t... Read More
New & Small-Scale Farmers Learn Startup Skills
More and more individuals and families are choosing to venture into agriculture for self-sufficiency... Read More
Stories by Johnson County CES
Gardening Series Gets Families Started Properly
With so many challenges in the food system since the pandemic, more and more families seek to grow t... Read More
Inspiring Grandchildren to be Grand Cooks
Getting children involved with cooking supports their development in many ways. But changes in cultu... Read More
© 2024 University of Kentucky, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment