Black bear visits Glendale neighborhood, tears apart beehives

Neighbors reported spotting a black bear in the Chevy Chase Canyon neighborhood of Glendale recently.

The black bear is described as 3 to 4 feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds, with a fondness for hummingbird sugar water and a taste for honey.

This dietary insight is based on its snacking habits during multiple neighborhood visits over the past year.

The latest sighting is reminiscent of the bear dubbed “Meatball,” who was moved to an animal sanctuary in San Diego County after twice being relocated deep within Angeles National Forest last year following regular forays into Glendale.

“I was kind of surprised another bear is back,” said resident Suzanne Whitman, whose bird feeder was knocked down at about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday at her home on Chevy Chase Drive. The bear, she said, visited her home twice last year.

The bear may also be responsible for destroying Herbert Harder’s small apiary, which contained seven beehives that he had maintained for 30 years in his backyard. Harder hasn’t replaced the hives and isn’t entirely sure he wants to take the risk.

It only took three visits for the bear to decimate Harder’s honey crop and population of bees, he said. But the bear’s fourth visit was the most devastating, tearing apart several hives and sending others rolling down a steep hillside.

According to residents, the bear has visited the Chevy Chase Canyon neighborhood at least seven times over the past 12 months, including a foray into a trash bin for chicken, rice and baklava.

Harder said he wants the bear to be trapped and relocated just like Meatball.

ALSO:

Hiker killed at Eaton Canyon was 17-year-old girl

Pain doctor’s office raided in prescription drug abuse probe

Bauhaus rocker Peter Murphy denies he was drunk when arrested

veronica.rocha at latimes com

Follow Veronica Rocha on Google+ and on Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA.