If it seems like black bears are suddenly everywhere in the Hudson Valley, you can blame it on something called hyperphagia. Hyperphagia literally means excessive eating, and for black bears it's an important part of preparing for their winter dens. Photo by Tony Garcia on Unsplash a brown bear walking across a street next to carsWhy Hudson Valley Bears May Start Showing Up Near HomesThe Hudson Valley has plenty of natural bear food, including berries, nuts, insects and other vegetation. Despite the name, hyperphagia doesn't make black bears "crazy" or automatically aggressive. So if a black bear suddenly starts wandering through your yard or checking out the neighborhood garbage cans, it probably hasn't lost its mind.