Connecticut's Bears: Where Sightings Are Happening This Summer

We're almost to the Labor Day weekend and the end of the Summer of 2025, but the party is just beginning for the black bear population in Connecticut.

Get our free mobile app

Over the past two weeks my social media feeds have been flush with cellphone footage of black bears sifting through the garbage of friends in West Hartford, Avon, Waterbury, and Torrington. 2025 has been a relatively quiet year for Connecticut on the 'Bad' news of bear activities, but we id have an interesting problem pop up earlier this year.

According to ct.gov's 2025 The State of the Bears Report, black bears were able to successfully enter 67 of our homes in 2024, but so far 2025 has been relatively peaceful. That's surprising because there have been hundreds of sightings throughout the state in recent weeks. Bears have been spotted in 159 of Connecticut's 169 towns and cities since last year, and the estimate for total population is between 1,000-1,200.

Where are Black Bear Most Prevalent in Connecticut?

My wife recently encountered a black bear and it's baby strolling the grounds of the Frederick Gunn School in Washington Depot. Luckily she was in her vehicle, so she had the safety of steel around to quickly snap the photos you see here. You are most likely to encounter a black bear in Hartford, Litchfield, and Northern Fairfield and New Haven Counties. West Hartford is the 2025 black bear sighting champion so far in 2025.

What should you do if you do encounter a black bear in the wild? Leave it alone, don't get close to take a photo, and control your dog.

I Finally Gave In and Ate a Piece of Waterbury Restaurant History

The Grotto Restaurant was a simple Italian food institution on Waterbury's Watertown Avenue for most of my life until it permanently closed 2 years ago in the Summer of 2023. I had a package of frozen ravioli from the Grotto in my freezer for the past two years, it's finally time to say goodbye to the last piece of pasta I've held on to for so long. Join me.

Gallery Credit: Photos by Large Dave

These 5 Connecticut Insects are Deadly - What You Need to Know

Bugs are disgusting. My skin is crawling just writing this. But some of these creepy crawlies aren’t just gross—they’re downright dangerous. Here are five insects in Connecticut that can seriously harm humans or animals.

DISCLAIMER: Apologies to the entomology community—this is a massive oversimplification of the reality of your beloved insects but hang in there and see if you don't enjoy the ride.

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

Three Cities in Connecticut Desperately in Need of Trader Joe's

News broke over social media in the past 48 hours that a Trader Joe's will soon be coming to Hamden. I think the company made a good choice, but there are two other cities around the state that are just as desperate for one of their stores.

Gallery Credit: Google

Categories: Articles