Abandoned Bee Hives

[MikeT]

I have been asked by a farmer to remove some abandoned bee hives from his land. I have not seen the state of the hives but I understand one has been knocked over, probably by deer. They are, I am told, full colonies which have not been looked at for some time (maybe 2 years). I realise there may be a problem with disease and of course with varrowa. I will not if I decide to remove the hives, bring them back to my home. I will find a new site for them.

Can I do this now or should I wait until the spring and what other precautions should I consider if I decide to have the colonies after an inspection.

Mike




My question is when should I do this operation

 

[Apple]

Before you lift so much as a hive tool I would ask the farmer for details of the "original" owner.

From previous threads a nasty little can of worms, methinks.

You could always right the toppled hive, and then wait till spring, before going in with a fully charged oxallic acid vaporiser!!!

Best of luck


James

 

[MuswellMetro]

Weight is the problem this time of year

i have just weighed 8 hives and was surprised how the long season had affected them, i was expecting them to be light (active bees etc) but all my 14x12 (box, stand but no roof) weighed in over 110bs How are you going to carry it across a muddy field

oxalic sublimation now and january

 

[MikeT]

I believe the hives are very heavy BB + 2 supers. From my own hives I know the weight is high, I cannot lift the one with BB and super, I can lift the one with a single BB but feels 70- 80lb and the swarm is about 55lbs. So I think it will be best left until the spring when some of the stores have been used

 

[itma]

I believe the hives are very heavy BB + 2 supers. …

Check out the ownership before you move them.

HOWEVER, as a "good samaritan" you could check them out, restoring the one knocked over (ASAP), and taking out any QXs (put them above the coverboard).
At that opportunity to assess what's what, you should discover what the stores situation is. They might be fine, or the colonies might be so weak that they've not got much at all.

Dispose of the gloves you used! Treat the bees like a biohazard until you are certain that you know better.
And make (and make sure you document) all possible enquiries to discover what might have become of the owner.

 

[user 6228]

Check out the ownership before you move them.

HOWEVER, as a "good samaritan" you could check them out, restoring the one knocked over (ASAP), and taking out any QXs (put them above the coverboard).
At that opportunity to assess what's what, you should discover what the stores situation is. They might be fine, or the colonies might be so weak that they've not got much at all.

Dispose of the gloves you used! Treat the bees like a biohazard until you are certain that you know better.
And make (and make sure you document) all possible enquiries to discover what might have become of the owner.

If the overturned box is real mess then just put a tarpaulin over it. That will make a real difference thermally yet not have the risks of disturbing them.

 

[Pete D]

where abouts are you roughly ?

 

[Pete D]

Hi Mike,
not sure where you are in Norfolk but the county has the dubious honour of topping both the EFB and AFB tables this year with more cases than twice any other county. 50+ cases of each, with dozens and dozens of colonies destroyed and hives burnt. New beekeepers who purchased Nucs were caught out along with experienced and commercial beekeepers.
Don't know if you are a member of any of the associations within Norfolk but a quick look on their websites will give you the bee inspectors contact details. Try www.wnklba.co.uk Beebase has all the locations where brood disease was found. The inspectorate expect to find more in the spring.
Personally I would not be bringing any hives home until well into the spring after they have had a thorough inspection and I would tell the bee inspector where they are. The symptoms often die down a bit during the cold months and a quick look might miss them, come spring if the bees survive a good look through should pick them up if present.
If you do touch them make sure you clean and wash everything after doing so.
Good luck.

 

[MikeT]

Private message sent
Mike

 

[user 6228]

If the overturned box is real mess then just put a tarpaulin over it. That will make a real difference thermally yet not have the risks of disturbing them.

note make sure there is no way water can pool in the tarp.
extra winter snugness is a second tarp spaced off the first with bits of polystryrene packaging or wood.

 

[MikeT]

After the excellent advice received my plan of action is.

Visit site and if possible remove QEs and upright any dislodges hives.

Wait until spring before any major inspections and have the hives inspected.

If free of disease move to a new site away from my own bees.

Treat for varrowa possible with Oxalic acid this winter if possible.

All equipment and protective equipment, Keep in sealed bag in different building to the equipment and PPE used on my own bees and to only use this on the abandoned hives.

 

[BeeJayBee]

After the excellent advice received my plan of action is.

Contact RBI and ask if they can check whether these colonies are registered or not?

 

[madasafish]

After the excellent advice received my plan of action is.

Visit site and if possible remove QEs and upright any dislodges hives.

Wait until spring before any major inspections and have the hives inspected.

If free of disease move to a new site away from my own bees.

Treat for varrowa possible with Oxalic acid this winter if possible.

All equipment and protective equipment, Keep in sealed bag in different building to the equipment and PPE used on my own bees and to only use this on the abandoned hives.

I would not touch Anything without a signed and witnessed affidavit from the farmer/landowner saying he has tried and failed to contact the hive owners and legally absolving you from any legal liability. (Which in reality he cannot do: theft is a criminal matter)


Because you are effectively stealing someone else's property.. Ignorance of the owner is no excuse.. nor is his/her negligence in looking after them.

 

[johnandyrob]

I think you should try and make contact with the original owner. Just because the farmer has asked you to remove the hives does not legally give you ownership. The equipment and there for the bees hived in them does not stop being the property of the original owner just because he hasn't inspected his hives or made contact with the farmer for a while. A member of my local association was asked to do the same by a garden centre he spent time and money and just as he had the bees housed in new clean equipment and on fresh wax the original owner turned up. Luckily it was sorted out amicably and to the benefit to both party's but could have become messy to say the least.

 

[Moggett]

You have to show you took reasonable steps to discover who is the owner to prevent any chance of being prosecuted.

In addition it is advisable to contact the local police so they can record the 'find' (get a property report number and keep any receipt they give you).

Rest assured they will not want them in their property system so you will still have them, and this will be an additional safeguard to prevent problems in the future.

 

[MikeT]

I am fully aware of the legal implications of removing the hives and bees. I have asked the farmer for the contact details of the person who put them on his land (over 2 yrs ago). I will however not do anything except a visual inspection and maybe right the damaged hive, if I can do it without too much interference with the bees.

I will not move anything from the site until the spring and I will not be spending any money until I have received full legal ownership.

I was only asking for the procedures required to handle the bees without causing problems with my own.

Thanks for the advise.

 

[itma]

I would not touch Anything without a signed and witnessed affidavit from the farmer/landowner saying he has tried and failed to contact the hive owners and legally absolving you from any legal liability. (Which in reality he cannot do: theft is a criminal matter)


Because you are effectively stealing someone else's property.. Ignorance of the owner is no excuse.. nor is his/her negligence in looking after them.

Yes, as suggested above, document the situation. A written note from the landowner asking you to help with the upended hive asap, explaining that he has failed to contact the owner, despite trying for the last (however many) months.
A phone photograph or two of the situation wouldn't do any harm.

It plainly is not "theft" to straighten out the hives.
You aren't removing or even claiming anything. You have been asked by the landowner, in the absence of the owner, to help.
That isn't any sort of criminal offence.

Having done whatever possible to help the bees survive the winter, you can then try to trace the missing owner.
Leave him a message (along with the QX) under each hive roof (photos of them still there after a couple of months would do no harm).
Document ALL your efforts, so that you can demonstrate that you are acting in good faith.
Only after you have drawn a blank in your search for the missing owner should you allow yourself to BEGIN to consider how you would deal with the bees in the longer term.

 

[REDWOOD]

I would right the hive, a said thing to do for the bees and the owner, If I seen a hive knocked over I would right it as a common courtesy.

 

[MikeT]

Thanks for the advice and helpful comments from you all.

I do not condone neglect of any animal and I include bees in that statement. People who cannot manage or neglect their colonies should do the correct thing and give up beekeeping.

Mike

 

[REDWOOD]

+1