18 Nationals Stolen within last few weeks

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stolen hives

hi i have just joined this forum
the 18 hives were mine i would like to talk to hpete if possible
can i ask hedgerow pete not to publish any pictures just yet.
is it possible to have a brief discription of the man?
 
When I got my out apiary the farmer said "I don't want any fences !!, people see a fence and must investigate :( " ,"You can plant a hedge if you like :)", which I promptly did !.
John
 
Hi rugbee
I notice the number of hives you have, do you think these people target mainly "bee farmers" or those apiaries with a large hive count ?

Sorry to hear the news. lets hope they are caught.
 
shall we have a few pointers in the right direction about bee security, rather than the rediculus how about the practical,

Insureance , forget it the only people who would do any form of insurance policy to cover bee hive loosses would be the nfu and at £400 per hive replacement costs the insurance would be about £100 per yer if you could get it.

fencing is a complete waste of time it only serves to slow rather than stop people, so unless you want to build fort knocks far to expensive, a gypsie will drive a stolen caravan through ditches and hedges to escape so barb wire is nothing to them, but saying that a good strong fence around your apiary about five foot high will prevent them passing the hives over the top and will delay them whilst they cut through it but could you realy afford to go every where you hives will be and build compounds for them,

disguises. this can and does work very well i did it for all of my out apiarys and still use it and will always use it, try these as starters and just keep playing they can be great fun to make. my number one is from the gate or other visable points how about a farmers row of black round bales to hide the bees from view, i used to hammer four stake into the ground and staple some black polythene on it from a distance they looked like round bales but where realy wind/view blockers. just move the hives as close to the fence as possible and use army camo nets , or how about a fifty gallon barral with the top and bottom cut out and a few big hole level with the enterance, most hedge have barrel in them and the older and rustier they are the better.

final a last few points , all my stand and bases where made to be as heavy as possible if not impossible to lift and then screw the brood box to the lot the criminal then has to strip the frames and will slow if not prevent thieft,

l;ast one if you are going to paint your name do it inside the boxes not the out side and write i use black maker pens as used by the locals on toilet walls "stolen from *********" that way if they are stolen and passed one whole there is a good chance that the next beek that sees it will call the plod
 
ive got some scrim netting, am going to use in more rural areas.


A1-leaf-screen2.jpg
 
Wood work is easy to brand etc but also easy to remove. Given that it cost about ?10 to get my cat micro chipped that might be a possiblity, but more practicle would be Alpha dots.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Alpha-Dot-mic...14&_trkparms=72:1683|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

You could even mark the queen with these, which in effect is the hive!

or smartwater

http://www.smartwater.com/Personal.aspx


:cheers2:

I would highly recommend the smartwater for household stuff. It is only a deterrant however if you put the stickers on to marked property. It is great for household stuff. For beekeeping it would be great to mark your kit where only you know. As it is only visible under ultraviolet light it will only help after your hives are stolen and if they pop up somewhere and you can then positively say it is yours.
 
The smartwater is a good idea but only if the hives are recovered or if anyone offered one for sale, has an ultra violet light to check it over.
 
View attachment 509even the police dont check every thing for smart water or uv pen marks, so dont expect anyone else to, branding irons work routering your name on the outside works but you are still expecting who ever nicks them to keep them inside your boxes, i would not i would change the boxes. but i saw this lock up and it would be great for the thoses at risk all you need is to cut a few more holes in it !!!!!!
 
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Things like that just draw the scum bags in like a moth to a light or honey bee to honey!

A piky with a hi-ab will have that on the back of his wagon in 30 seconds flat.

Or the yocal kids will be putting fire works in.

You can not win.

Its like locks on yours doors at home, they are just to keep honest people out, scum will just break your window.
 
jimbeekeeper, if i may , i would have your hives to the left on your photo away from the road, to easy for someone to just clip the hedge and scarper with all you hives or if they are down where they are how about a security light so that if any one goes down there it goes off.
 
I pete

I am in the process of moving the hives to the new bit of land I have just got off the farmer, which is basicaly the brown strip to the left of the picture. I will be moving my hives to the very top left.

The main reason for moving them is they will be the furthest away from the neighbours.

Due to the farmer only making his mid up this weekend, I am late for both moving the hives (would have been best to move whilst clustered) and also planting my veg, but that is now rotovatored and spuds and onions planted.

Which just leaves the hives. Now I do not have a location +3 miles to take them to and bring them back, so am I stuck with 3 ft per day???

The distance is approx 150ft so 50 days!!!
 
with regard moving you're hives i would suggest you ask around for a temp site as attempting the three foot at a time move will stress them to destruction.
 
Just seen the video. Nice to meet you! Sorry about the loss.

PS the orange bee suits are they made by BJ sherrif? Cos I can not see them on their site?
 
hi jimbeekeeper
yes my suit is bj sherrif but they r short of material i have this one made to my measurements and costs around two hundred with the vat
 

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