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Bears Don't Like Honey

GNC

GNC

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From the most recent Mythconceptions, the question is asked, do bears really like honey at all? Or do they raid bee nests for the larvae and pupae, which is their preferred dish?

It would be just like the thing if Winnie the Pooh had been based on a lie. But don't all mammals like sweet tastes? What about the honey badger, is it actually the larva badger? Which is it?
 
Sorry, posted this in the wrong place, it's supposed to be in Folklore and ULs! In case you were thinking about bears from space...
 
Honey has a very high energy density. Lots of calories in a small space. Good for building up the fat reserves for hibernating... They may not like the taste, but seek it for the high calories.
 
kamalktk said:
Honey has a very high energy density. Lots of calories in a small space. Good for building up the fat reserves for hibernating... They may not like the taste, but seek it for the high calories.
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That would seem to make sense, though maybe they eat the larvae too, for protein? Or maybe in their search for honey they stuff the larvae in their mouths accidentally and to an observer it looks like that's what they're eating?
 
From the public service Q&A site for the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game ...

ASK A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST
Do Bears Really Eat Honey

...

Q: Do bears eat honey?

A: Yes. Bears do love honey and are attracted to beehives. But unlike in Winnie the Pooh, the bears eat more than just honey. They will also consume the bees and larvae inside the beehive, which are a good source of protein. Both brown and black bears will raid beehives.
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SOURCE: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=371
 
I've seen plenty of footage of bears climbing up trees and eating honey from a nest.
Whether they like the taste or not, they do eat honey.
 
Ok, now that's cleared up, do bears actually crap in the woods?
 
Coal said:
Ok, now that's cleared up, do bears actually crap in the woods?
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Adult bears crap wherever they damned well please ... :cool:
 
Mythconceptions has perpetuated some errors. The one we're discussing here states that:

1. Hares are an endangered species, and;

2. They are the only UK game species without a legal close season when they can't be taken.

1. No they aren't. Their numbers have diminished greatly in the last century, principally because of changed agricultural practices, admittedly, but Wikipedia lists them as "Least concern, population decreasing", and the People's Trust for Endangered Species states that their Uk population is 817,500 with no trend seen in the last 10 to 25 years:

https://ptes.org/get-informed/facts-figures/brown-hare/

2. Also wrong. As a keen amateur deerstalker I can tell you that the Reeves' muntjac (Muntiacus reevesii) also has no close season in the UK. This is because it breeds all year round.

https://basc.org.uk/cop/deer-stalking/

maximus otter
 
maximus otter said:
Mythconceptions has perpetuated some errors. The one we're discussing here states that:

1. Hares are an endangered species, and;

2. They are the only UK game species without a legal close season when they can't be taken.

1. No they aren't. Their numbers have diminished greatly in the last century, principally because of changed agricultural practices, admittedly, but Wikipedia lists them as "Least concern, population decreasing", and the People's Trust for Endangered Species states that their Uk population is 817,500 with no trend seen in the last 10 to 25 years:

https://ptes.org/get-informed/facts-figures/brown-hare/

2. Also wrong. As a keen amateur deerstalker I can tell you that the Reeves' muntjac (Muntiacus reevesii) also has no close season in the UK. This is because it breeds all year round.

https://basc.org.uk/cop/deer-stalking/

maximus otter
Click to expand...
Eh? Is this in the right thread?
 
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