Abandoned? Beehives - how to find owner.

[Gilberdyke John]

There's a group of about 15 beehives amongst a line of trees adjacent to the Sewage treatment plant between Goole and Airmyn. I noticed them only a few months ago when the autumn leaf fall exposed them to view from the road. No one in the local associations seems to know anything about ownership but this morning it has been reported that several have been blown over in the gales. After a bit of chatter among local beekeepers one has gone to investigate and reported back that there are no live bees in any of the hives, they are a mass of waxmoth webs and no identification.
Does anyone recognise the location and wouldn't it be a simple idea to mark some kind of contact details on out apiary equipment? Even a phone number written with a marker pen would be adequate.

 

[Antipodes]

"...and wouldn't it be a simple idea to mark some kind of contact details on out apiary equipment? Even a phone number written with a marker pen would be adequate."
Yes. It's the law down here in Tas that at least one hive in the apiary, (and if more than ten, one in ten), has a name and address on it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If they are all derelict would it be in order to remove them? Maybe ask the local SBI to make it official?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

if they were all empty I would have left them as they were and see if someone came to right them

 

[Michael Palmer]

I think Danis has got it right. Have the SBI declare them abandoned and make it official.

 

[Boston Bees]

Is it worth doing a Land Registry search to establish who owns the land? Costs buttons but might allow you to just drive to the owner's house and ask them what they want to happen. Without that you are in danger of being accused of theft if you remove them. Let an SBI take them away if he/she wants to take that risk perhaps.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Is it worth doing a Land Registry search to establish who owns the land? Costs buttons but might allow you to just drive to the owner's house and ask them what they want to happen. Without that you are in danger of being accused of theft if you remove them. Let an SBI take them away if he/she wants to take that risk perhaps.

Things have moved on. The beekeeper who checked them has traced the land owner. Apparently the hives were trespassers. The land owner has given approval for removal and I understand they will be relocated to temporary storage for safe keeping. I'm not a lawyer but there doesn't seem to be an intent to permanently deprive the owner of possession at least in the short term. Maybe someone can advise further?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

if they weren't meant to be there, I suppose it could be seen as clearing up some flytipping

 

[Murox]

Things have moved on. The beekeeper who checked them has traced the land owner. Apparently the hives were trespassers. The land owner has given approval for removal and I understand they will be relocated to temporary storage for safe keeping. I'm not a lawyer but there doesn't seem to be an intent to permanently deprive the owner of possession at least in the short term. Maybe someone can advise further?

If you know who the hive owner is you should contact them first before you dispose of 'abandoned goods' . I might inform the local police of the actions taken as a precaution; does the old rule of 3 months apply?

 

[Boston Bees]

Things have moved on. The beekeeper who checked them has traced the land owner. Apparently the hives were trespassers. The land owner has given approval for removal and I understand they will be relocated to temporary storage for safe keeping. I'm not a lawyer but there doesn't seem to be an intent to permanently deprive the owner of possession at least in the short term. Maybe someone can advise further?

Absolutely. If the landowner has given permission you are on pretty safe ground, especially if the beekeeper was trespassing! I doubt you'll see him/her again.

 

[The Poot]

It all seems a bit odd to me.
15 hives on land without consent?
The landowner either was unaware or didn’t care?
All 15 are empty? The beekeeper not looking after them either?
Perhaps the landowner did know and had “dealt with them”.

Nice outlook onto the sewage works though - the bees wouldn’t have had far to go for water

 

[Gilberdyke John]

If you know who the hive owner is you should contact them first before you dispose of 'abandoned goods' . I might inform the local police of the actions taken as a precaution; does the old rule of 3 months apply?

As I understand it the landowner does NOT know who the trespassers are so no one can contact them. It's out of my hands anyway. I had a faint hope someone here might just know something about the hives but evidently not.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

The landowner is probably not in the habit of touring all the nooks and crannies of his acres of farmland. I don't know the guy but it's likely he will not personally cultivate the crops and a farm worker probably wouldn't be interested in some wooden boxes tucked away amongst some trees at the edge of a cornfield. The hives were reported to be pretty solid with waxmoth webs so I'd think it's hard to date how long the boxes have lain there. If the leaves weren't off the hedges and trees and the storm hadn't blown them over I doubt anyone would have bothered with them for years to come. A couple of younger beekeepers are currently planning to collect the hives next weekend so unless someone has any knowledge of these particular hives I'll leave it to others for now.

 

[Erichalfbee]

At least some of the boxes might be salvageable. You never know

 

[robinharman]

Things have moved on. The beekeeper who checked them has traced the land owner. Apparently the hives were trespassers. The land owner has given approval for removal and I understand they will be relocated to temporary storage for safe keeping. I'm not a lawyer but there doesn't seem to be an intent to permanently deprive the owner of possession at least in the short term. Maybe someone can advise further?

Farmer is doing the right thing - store in case the owner attends.
They are not his to treat as his own and give away - the beekeeper could return and want recompensing.
In the circumstances perhaps keep for six month, email local association (done) and BFA requesting that they try and locate any possible owner.
Finally pin a notice on the nearest fence or tree asking owner to collect from said farmer.
That way he/she would not fall foul of 'Theft by finding'.

 

[Wingy]

My advice would be report to local police as found property, obtain a log number & property reference number. Offer to keep the property safe in case an owner can be found (all police forces welcome this as property storage is a major cost issue) 3 months with no claim they are yours to do with as you please

 

[Hachi]

I'd just "lift them". This usually means the owner will come running once they're gone. A bit like the joke about the attractive lady and the husband with a missing wife