# Bear Damage to Greenhouses



## tocarmar (Sep 26, 2007)

Back wall of 1






Exit #2






Some inside damage


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## biothanasis (Sep 26, 2007)

OMFG!!!! It destroyed almost everything... I hope nothing of value or great interest... I hope everything is restored!!!! Good luck!!!


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## NYEric (Sep 26, 2007)

A bear came thru the walls [real wooden ones] to get at some honey when we had a house in Margaretville. I don't think that one would keep a curious racoon out. I hope you didn't lose too much.


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## Candace (Sep 26, 2007)

Wow and Ouch! Hope you can get everything back to shipshape with minimal plant damage.


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## tocarmar (Sep 26, 2007)

I lost around $5,000.00 worth of plants & the 2 Greenhouse covers 
@ 80.00e + s/h to replace.


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## NYEric (Sep 26, 2007)

Argh. Either the bears are very hungry or something inside attracted them, or even curiosity. Sorry to hear about the loss.


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## Heather (Sep 26, 2007)

Oh my goodness! I hadn't even seen this yet! So sorry about the damage!


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## tocarmar (Sep 26, 2007)

Thanks All!!!
Hopefully a Business loss at tax time. Homeowners doesn't cover damage done by animals!!!

It was a mother & 1 or 2 cubs.


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## Candace (Sep 26, 2007)

You've got a business/resellers license? How do you grow orchids in those g.h's during New York's winters?


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## Marco (Sep 26, 2007)

bummer man....well now comes the fun of restocking oke:


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## goldenrose (Sep 26, 2007)

So sorry, I know what you're going thru!  It will be interesting to see what happens on the insurance end. I had something go out on my furnace this past Feb., it just happened to be the coldest weekend of the season. Lost everything - I didn't bother to contact the insurance company figuring homeowners wouldn't cover. Thru encouragement of others - what did I have to lose? I had about $4,000 in plants. Starting with my agent, he thought they would cover some portion after the deductible was met. An adjuster came out & there were a couple of parts that indicated a claim but there were more parts of the policy that said no coverage. If I want my GH covered it's an additional seperate rider in addition to the homeowners. If I were claiming it as a business, it would be covered but the premiums are astronomical for a hobby grower. Keep us posted & good luck!


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## Hien (Sep 26, 2007)

tocarmar said:


> I lost around $5,000.00 worth of plants & the 2 Greenhouse covers
> @ 80.00e + s/h to replace.



If the bear did not eat the plants?( did he?)
Then all you have to do is repot them.
From now on you should have two tags in each pot if you still prefer the hard type. Otherwise one flexible one is good enough.
Use those plastic electric wire bundle ties, punch a hole in the soft tags and tie the tags to the orchids (this way you don't have to guess which tag belong to which plant.

They look like this:
http://www.actfs.com/CatalogProducts.asp?nProductsID=53


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## goldenrose (Sep 26, 2007)

Hein - after possibly 3 bears have trampled the plants, what kinda shape are they going to be in?


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## SlipperFan (Sep 26, 2007)

That is a lot of damage! How can you prevent that from happening in the future?


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## Heather (Sep 26, 2007)

Geesh, I though having a cat was bad! 
Bears!! I can't get over it - and also how calm you seem!


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## Ron-NY (Sep 27, 2007)

tocarmar said:


> I lost around $5,000.00 worth of plants & the 2 Greenhouse covers
> @ 80.00e + s/h to replace.


 YIKES!!! sorry to hear that.


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## Ron-NY (Sep 27, 2007)

NYEric said:


> A bear came thru the walls [real wooden ones] to get at some honey when we had a house in Margaretville. I don't think that one would keep a curious racoon out. I hope you didn't lose too much.


 Eric that is a far drive to sweeten your tea oke:


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## NYEric (Sep 27, 2007)

We actually kept beehives, my dad the urban farmhand, yeesh!


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## tocarmar (Sep 28, 2007)

Dot, 
I'm getting my hunting license this year. (LOL)

Heather,
I live in the country,up until last year, no neighbors for 1/2 mile in any direction. They were actually here 1st. I've lived in the same area all my life & never had problems with bears like this. In 30 years I have seen 3, 1 cub & 2 large adults & all 3 where in the last 5 years. Alot of my neighbors say the bear population has grown alot in the last few years.

Ron,
Thanks


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## Gilda (Sep 28, 2007)

I thought chipmunks were hard on orchids !!! I hope the bear doesn't come back !


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## SlipperFan (Sep 28, 2007)

tocarmar said:


> Dot,
> I'm getting my hunting license this year. (LOL)


You are joking, but that certainly would be tempting!


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## tocarmar (Oct 1, 2007)

Dot,
Yes, I was joking! You're right about it beign tempting though.

Tom


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## Barbara (Oct 1, 2007)

You have the right attitude, they were here first...but...

There has been more notice of bears in the media over the last few years and it makes a person wonder about their food sources and natural habitat.


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## tocarmar (Oct 1, 2007)

Barbara,
It is the right attitude, but.
I am thinking about getting my H.L. for deer, taste is much better. I don't think I would be able to shoot a bear even if given a chance to. It isn't as much as us getting into there habitat as they are getting back into their own. Their population has seen a considerable increase in numbers in the last say 10 years & are fighting for food & thus expanding their range to more people populated area's looking for food sources. With more abundance of food brings on a larger population growth & so on.

Tom


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## Hien (Oct 1, 2007)

tocarmar said:


> Barbara,
> It is the right attitude, but.
> I am thinking about getting my H.L. for deer, taste is much better. I don't think I would be able to shoot a bear even if given a chance to. It isn't as much as us getting into there habitat as they are getting back into their own. Their population has seen a considerable increase in numbers in the last say 10 years & are fighting for food & thus expanding their range to more people populated area's looking for food sources. With more abundance of food brings on a larger population growth & so on.
> 
> Tom



The other day, I overheard two bears in the back yard complaining about how us ,the bipods, increase in numbers steadily year after year to no end. while expanding our range into their turf


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## Corbin (Oct 3, 2007)

How about an electric fence or is their fur to heavy? But if you put it at nose level or maybe suspend a grid. Just a thought.


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## NYEric (Oct 3, 2007)

We used them around our beehives!


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## Corbin (Oct 3, 2007)

there you go


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## Greenpaph (Oct 3, 2007)

OMG! I have bears all around; but never have they tried this. Actually this week is bear hunting season in NH!
36 odd wow!


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## Barbara (Oct 3, 2007)

tocarmar said:


> Barbara,
> It is the right attitude, but.
> I am thinking about getting my H.L. for deer, taste is much better. I don't think I would be able to shoot a bear even if given a chance to. It isn't as much as us getting into there habitat as they are getting back into their own. Their population has seen a considerable increase in numbers in the last say 10 years & are fighting for food & thus expanding their range to more people populated area's looking for food sources. With more abundance of food brings on a larger population growth & so on.
> 
> Tom





Very true. We have more sightings of the once nearly extinct cougar in our region. My dog and I believe that we were followed by one through a 'wild' area where I found cougar foot prints. A couple weeks ago, it appears that a woman's horse was attacked by one. The world is getting to be an interesting place.


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## tocarmar (Oct 6, 2007)

Barbara,
There has also been sightings of cougars here also. A guy I work with said he had 1 in his drivway & he lives about 1/2 hr away from me.

Peter,
I have them all around here to, but it was a mother with 1 maybe 2 cubs & 1 of the cubs got inside my Greenhouse & couldn,t get out without moms help. She was looking for food, They destroyed my sat, dish for the beehive, & my humming bird feeder. I am hoping it was only a 1 time thing. As the homeowners didn't pay for the damage.( around $5,000.00 in losses).


Tom


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## rdlsreno (Oct 7, 2007)

Thats a bummer!!!!

Ramon


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## Corbin (Oct 8, 2007)

"It isn't as much as us getting into there habitat as they are getting back into their own." 

This is exactly right. We pushed them out of their natural habitat and in time gone by we just killed them it they did not leave. Now that killing them is out of favor the population is growing. Many animals are actually more prevalent now then they were even before we arrived on the scene. Add to that their ability to adapt to the urban environment and you come up with an increase in their population. There are more whitetail dear in Texas than ever. They come right out on to ball fields to eat, they wander in the parks, they come up into peoples yards but you can not kill them within the city limits. I love it but many people don't and its one thing if is a deer, a coon or a rabbit. Its another thing if its a bear or a mountain lion.


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## biothanasis (Oct 8, 2007)

I agree with Corbin! Bee hive keepers have many problems with bears here in Greece, too!! I believe that it is best to pay a little more so as to have your "property" protected rather than waiting for the subsidy (I hope it is the correct word) every time something like this happens and we all know that sometimes goverment does not give you one (at least paperwork here in Greece is a little strange)!!! It would be like paying for a perfect lock and door for your house!!!!It's an investment, don't you think? Good luck anyway...!!!! 

Best regards, Thanasis...


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## TheLorax (Oct 9, 2007)

Were any of the plants the bears trashed able to be salvaged?


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## tocarmar (Oct 12, 2007)

Yes, I think I will save a few of them. Some of the paphs that I had on the top shelf I am trying to save. They moved 2 whole shelfs around & knocked all the trays off. They trashed a few of my phals, oncidiums & paphs that were on the bottom shelves & some that I think where on the top shelf. All together, I haven't counted yet, I''ll say about 100 pots that were in the 2 greenhouses I only brought in about 35 plants(some without pots) 

Tom


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## TheLorax (Oct 12, 2007)

I wonder what the heck piqued their curiosity to go in that greenhouse? Unless they are really young, they tend to steer clear of man made structures. Really dumb question to ask of you but by any chance were you having lunch out there and did you leave a part of a sandwich out there that they sniffed? Anyone leave any empty bags of chips out there? 

Glad some of the plants were salvageable. If this was me, I would have been in tears.


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## tocarmar (Oct 14, 2007)

Good ?, but no I don't eat in the greenhouse (or smoke). The only things I could come up with was they might have smelled honey from a bees nest, the flowers on my onc. 'Sharry Baby' (now in the house) or a few phals that were in BLOOM that they destroyed, or just the cubs curiosity. 

I am glad that some were salvagable also, as I have a few large complex paphs ( Drulas) that I might not be able to replace. There is only 1 person that I know of that sells them (on ebay, Shermantp).

Tom


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## TheLorax (Oct 14, 2007)

I eat in my greenhouse but then we're not in bear country or I'd have to stop doing that. Up north we've had them tear into our garbage cans to get at anything they decide smells interesting and they definitely rip apart the composter to get at vegetable, fruit, and berry scraps. Bears really can become destructive. 

Where was the bees nest?


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## tocarmar (Oct 14, 2007)

Yes, they are becoming more of a problem, esp. this time of year. They are getting ready for their yearly sleep!! The bees nest that I found was in the metal frame of the Greenhouse. I had sprayed some bees the weekend before the attack. but not the nest, I didn't know it was there until after the attack.

Tom


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## TheLorax (Oct 14, 2007)

Situations like this suck because you want so badly to get to the root of what attracted them to the greenhouse and that may never be possible particularly if it was nothing more that a bunch of curious cubs that ambled in with momma behind them. Really really sorry you got hit so hard. If I have any plants that you lost to the bears, I can probably divide them sooner or later to help get you back to where you were maybe a little bit faster. What happened to you is really the pits. 

Dumb question but in consideration of bears being in your area now and obviously not at all shy about making their presence known, any chance you would be able to go with a more permanent greenhouse structure? Something that they couldn't swipe and split with a paw to walk right in?


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## tocarmar (Oct 15, 2007)

Thats not a dumb ?. Eventually I will build a permanent structure. I just wanted the others for use in the summer ( to get plants out of the house!!) for the natural growing effect. I had them the summer before & nothing bothered them, not even the other rodents raccoon, oppossum etc.

Thanks for the offer of the divisions!!!! That made my day!! I will keep you in mind. As I am always looking for Paphs for breeding. Troy Meyers sent me an e-mail last week that another 1 of my crosses germinated. 

Tom


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## TheLorax (Oct 15, 2007)

Tee he, now all you have to do is keep track of what I have and let me know when and how to divide. Many of my plants are babies but many are not. I have a list of plants I've purchased over in collections.


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## tocarmar (Oct 15, 2007)

I looked at you're list & want 1 of each Paph. & Phrag. LOL 
Just kidding, O.K. O.K. not kidding. Nice list!!! I have a list in collections also, but I need to update as soon as I figure out all the ones I lost, & the ones I haven't added to it. I recently did a few purchases that i also have to add. (Thanks Heather for the Mexi.!!) Maybe we can work on a trade???

Tom


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## TheLorax (Oct 15, 2007)

I don't make it a practice to trade but I will share


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## Hien (Oct 15, 2007)

tocarmar said:


> I looked at you're list & want 1 of each Paph. & Phrag. LOL
> Just kidding, O.K. O.K. not kidding. Nice list!!! I have a list in collections also, but I need to update as soon as I figure out all the ones I lost, & the ones I haven't added to it. I recently did a few purchases that i also have to add. (Thanks Heather for the Mexi.!!) Maybe we can work on a trade???
> 
> Tom



Did the bears really kill everything?
What is your percentage of salvageable?
I have the feeling that unless they eat all the leaves, you can just put the plants back into the pots (wouldn't it be like the plants get a repotting)


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## tocarmar (Oct 16, 2007)

Hien,
The bears didn't kill everything, alot of the plants weren't even disturbed. I was able to salvage about 1/2 of the plants that were damaged,Yes it is like repotting them. Most of the ones on the bottom shelves were either crushed from the falling trays on the top shelves or trampled on by the bears or both. They completely moved 1 shelf about 2 feet from were it was. I don't think they like the tast of them.

Tom


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## Hien (Oct 17, 2007)

tocarmar said:


> Hien,
> The bears didn't kill everything, alot of the plants weren't even disturbed. I was able to salvage about 1/2 of the plants that were damaged,Yes it is like repotting them. Most of the ones on the bottom shelves were either crushed from the falling trays on the top shelves or trampled on by the bears or both. They completely moved 1 shelf about 2 feet from were it was. I don't think they like the tast of them.
> 
> Tom



Don't throw out even the one that got crushed totally & no roots remained or no leaves remained.
Sometimes, 
-as long as they have a lot of roots, they can regrow the leaves.
-And vice versa, as long as they have some leaves , they can regrow the roots.


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