Can I use a Bear Sentry to protect beehives?

by Cynthia Gentles March 23, 2024

For sure. Bears do love beehives for their honey and pupae. A Bear Sentry can protect them from predation and damage, with a few considerations.

Base Camp Bear Sentry electric fence set up around beehives in BC.

A bear would be highly motivated to cross the fence perimeter. While the Bear Sentry energizer is highly capable of delivering the shock required, it’s important that your set up provide the best circumstances for that big shock to happen, whether the bear hits the fence high or low, with its nose or thickly furred body (read about how an electrical connection is made under “Should I pack the volt meter?”).

The best Bear Sentry for the job would be the Base Camp model with possibly one or more expansion packs depending on the size of the apiary and the terrain.

String at least one extra polywire line on the lowest clip (in addition to the minimum 3 we recommend for Bear Sentries).

Ensure that all the lines remain taught. Position the step-in posts closer together than the 5m / 16’ maximum we normally recommend and use more posts with expansion packs if you have to. This will avoid potential sag in the lines. You can also use guy lines on the corner posts for more tension.

You’ll need access to your bees and this means setting up your fence for a door (see “Is there a gate for my Bear Sentry?”).

You’d have to hook up the energizer on the the outside of course, so that you can disconnect the fence before heading in. Just remember not to handle the hardware afterwards with sticky, sweet smelling hands or the bear will deactivate the fence for you.

We recommend using household/mains power with the AC adapter. If you’re off-grid, use 12V car battery power charged by a 100W solar panel.

The bonus back that comes with every Bear Sentry electric bear fence for camping and van life.

Can I use a Bear Sentry to protect beehives?

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