Category Archives: Black Bear
Sociable Sounds
In the wild, bears make a plaintive sound when they want to make friendly contact, take food from a bear they know, or nurse. Mothers grunt when they approach their…
What If I Want to Watch a Black Bear I See?
Seeing a wild black bear, especially a mother with cubs, is a rare opportunity. Seeing a bear before it detects you is a chance to learn what bears do. When…
Forest Tent Caterpillars
In outbreak years, caterpillars usually hatch in May, defoliate huge areas, and pupate 5-6 weeks later in June or early July. As the caterpillars grow, they increase their percent fat…
How Do Black Bears Respond to Bright Sunlight?
Black bears with black fur avoid open sun. Black fur absorbs sunlight. Black pigs can absorb 90% more solar energy than white ones (Kelley et al. 1954). This might help…
Maskwa – the Little White Cub
Maskwa, Cree for bear, is the name Manitoba wildlife officials gave to this rare white cub because of her significance to Native Americans. These pictures have circulated on the…
What Do Bears Like to Eat in a Beehive?
Although bears prefer immature bees, they also will eat honey, depending upon the alternatives. Honey is mostly sugar with an average composition of 38.5 percent fructose 31.0 percent glucose 17.1…
Marking Trees and Poles
Black bears of all ages and both sexes rub their scent on marking trees, including wooden sign posts and utility poles, but the majority of this marking is by mature…
The Family Emerges
Bears around Ely typically leave their dens in early to mid April. In years with sparse snow, some bears leave as early as March 24. Mothers with unusually small cubs…
Harmless Bluster
Bear Center researchers see bluster when bears are nervous and crowded but reluctant to leave because of cubs, food, or being cornered. The researchers usually give these bears space, out…
How Do Black Bears Respond to Menstrual Odors?
Despite a widespread misconception that menstrual odors attract black and grizzly bears and precipitate attacks, there is no evidence for this. The misconception began in 1967 when grizzly bears killed…
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