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Maryland Lawmakers Vote To Allow Beekeepers To Shoot Black Bears That Threaten Hives

Bears have a taste for honey but are really after the bee "brood": eggs, larvae, and pupae — a source of protein and fat. Bee experts note that after a bear attack, a colony is unlikely to survive.
Honeybees are seen inside a colony at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Md., in 2007. Maryland lawmakers approved a bill this week permitting beekeepers to shoot black bears that threaten their hives.

It's a cliché that happens to be true: Bears love honey. And in Maryland, lawmakers have passed a bill making it legal to shoot a black bear if it threatens a beekeeper's hive.

In February, state Del. Mike McKay testified before the Environment and Transportation Committee on behalf of the bill. He wore a vest festooned with the image of Winnie the Pooh.

Del. Herb McMillan noted McKay's attire didn't seem to square with his arguments. "I know you came.

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