Apiary vandalism / animal rights

[Dodge]

Having watched a video posted by a member where one of their sites appears to have been vandalised. I noticed a comment that had been left below the clip which was a subject i haver never thought about or heard of.

Has anyone actually heard of animal rights activists targeting apiarys?

I know a few have had problems on Facebook Market place which are a separate subject.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Has anyone actually heard of animal rights activists targeting apiarys?

yes, only last week up in North Wales a friend/neighbour of Gareth Jones, the campaigning hill farmer, Zina - one day someone just ripped down all the fences around her apiary, she received loads of really threatening messages, the next night all her hives were totally trashed by animal rights zealots, all after she posted a video of her plucking one of her geese that had got overly aggressive

 

[JamezF]

the next night all her hives were totally trashed by animal rights zealots

That's a genuinely incomprehensible response.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That's a genuinely incomprehensible response.

James

when have they ever practiced logical thinking?

 

[warsaw_hive]

all after she posted a video of her plucking one of her geese that had got overly aggressive

So the beehives were just a convenient target, rather than a reason for the vandalism.

Back to the opening post, if this video was on YouTube then I'd be very cautious about jumping to conclusions; not everything on there is always as it seems. "Creators" get addicted to the attention, click bait headlines followed by faux drama.

Was this apiary in the middle of nowhere? Then any damage is more likely to be from a fallen tree or an animal. Annoying, but doesn't get the same amount of clicks and comments as supposed vandalism.

Did the hives have bees in them, or was this some sort of storage yard? If they didn't have bees then why, was the equipment already in a poor condition? Is the person going to repair them or just chuck them on a bonfire? That will tell you a lot. Have they even done the damage themselves?

 

[Dodge]

So the beehives were just a convenient target, rather than a reason for the vandalism.

Back to the opening post, if this video was on YouTube then I'd be very cautious about jumping to conclusions; not everything on there is always as it seems. "Creators" get addicted to the attention, click bait headlines followed by faux drama.

Was this apiary in the middle of nowhere? Then any damage is more likely to be from a fallen tree or an animal. Annoying, but doesn't get the same amount of clicks and comments as supposed vandalism.

Did the hives have bees in them, or was this some sort of storage yard? If they didn't have bees then why, was the equipment already in a poor condition? Is the person going to repair them or just chuck them on a bonfire? That will tell you a lot. Have they even done the damage themselves?

I would link and name the beekeeper but as they are a member and have not posted anything themselves other than the video else where I have been deliberately vague.

 

[ericbeaumont]

not everything ... is always as it seems

Slightly more info. in-between the adverts on NorthWalesLive. Must admit that I cannot see a single bee in the photos, but maybe they show the aftermath.

 

[Nannysbees]

Looked pretty genuine to me, even the concrete hive was smashed to bits as well as some expensive kit. Didn't even enter my mind that this video wasn't genuine!!!!

 

[Dodge]

Looked pretty genuine to me, even the concrete hive was smashed to bits as well as some expensive kit. Didn't even enter my mind that this video wasn't genuine!!!!

I can't see any reason for him to do it deliberately. He has a business and reputation.

I will leave it at that.

 

[Paulypaul]

I would link and name the beekeeper but as they are a member and have not posted anything themselves other than the video else where I have been deliberately vague.

Why would the keeper not want their name associated with the video they published on YouTube? He is one of the highest profile keepers in the UK.

I know the video you are referring to.
He says he wasn't sure if it was "a tree", weather or vandalism.
The layers of lamination in the broken long hive rooves have come apart as if they were in water for a long time.
I can't figure out what's going on.
It's a weird video, and recently his videos have become a bit too clickbaity for my taste.

I hope there's an innocent explanation.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Slightly more info. in-between the adverts on NorthWalesLive. Must admit that I cannot see a single bee in the photos, but maybe they show the aftermath.

I know the lady, I can assure you it was genuine, she's lost the bleddy lot.

 

[MillMeadow]

Why would the keeper not want their name associated with the video they published on YouTube? He is one of the highest profile keepers in the UK.

I know the video you are referring to.
He says he wasn't sure if it was "a tree", weather or vandalism.
The layers of lamination in the broken long hive rooves have come apart as if they were in water for a long time.
I can't figure out what's going on.
It's a weird video.

I can't imagine anything other than a sledgehammer or a vehichle with a front loader doing that to the concrete hive.

I know freeze thaw cycles can crack concrete but that looks more like impacts to me.

A large falling tree is possible, but given the lack of a tree or signs of one having been processed for fire wood, I would suspect vandalism.

Given the thoroughness it must have taken time. Without a beesuit, they would have taken a battering.

Only speculation, I'm not CSI or anything. Heartbraking regardless, but the suspicion of malicious intent would really wear on me.

 

[philat98]

Why would the keeper not want their name associated with the video they published on YouTube? He is one of the highest profile keepers in the UK.

I know the video you are referring to.
He says he wasn't sure if it was "a tree", weather or vandalism.
The layers of lamination in the broken long hive rooves have come apart as if they were in water for a long time.
I can't figure out what's going on.
It's a weird video, and recently his videos have become a bit too clickbaity for my taste.

I hope there's an innocent explanation.

That stuff that he says is broken looks like a lot of old junk.

 

[Dodge]

Why would the keeper not want their name associated with the video they published on YouTube? He is one of the highest profile keepers in the UK.

I know the video you are referring to.
He says he wasn't sure if it was "a tree", weather or vandalism.
The layers of lamination in the broken long hive rooves have come apart as if they were in water for a long time.
I can't figure out what's going on.
It's a weird video, and recently his videos have become a bit too clickbaity for my taste.

I hope there's an innocent explanation.

Because the person contributes on this forum and if they wish to discuss it then it's up to them to start a thread which they have not.

My thread was opened as per the title discussing a comment someone had raised regarding animal rights activism on the video.

 

[thorn]

I know the lady, I can assure you it was genuine, she's lost the bleddy lot.

We seem to be at cross purposes. You're referring to Zina's problems and others to someone else. But two Welsh apiaries subject to this sort of vandalism suggests a degree of co-ordination.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

we are talking about two different apiaries/occurences here, I can only talk of Zina's issues

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Why would the keeper not want their name associated with the video they published on YouTube? He is one of the highest profile keepers in the UK.

I know the video you are referring to.
He says he wasn't sure if it was "a tree", weather or vandalism.
The layers of lamination in the broken long hive rooves have come apart as if they were in water for a long time.
I can't figure out what's going on.
It's a weird video, and recently his videos have become a bit too clickbaity for my taste.

I hope there's an innocent explanation.

Most reports of trees falling in apiaries more often show how the hives had a close escape. The thorough level of destruction suggests vandalism.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Most reports of trees falling in apiaries more often show how the hives had a close escape. The thorough level of destruction suggests vandalism.

or a bouncy tree

 

[ericbeaumont]

two Welsh apiaries subject to this sort of vandalism suggests a degree of co-ordination.

Or media copy-cats.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Or media copy-cats.

zina has had a long history of harrassment from the vogons, tofu munchers and animal rights activists.