bee poisoning

[denise washington]

hi all just to let you all know I told you about my bees been killed with some type of weed killer, i have had the results back from the nat bee unit and they have found Permethrin 2.2ug per bee, Cypermethrin 0.3ug per bee,
and Piperonyl butoxide 0.039 ug per bee, they have passed it on to the police so lets hope they can do something about it . will let you all know what happens next if police can do anything about it
thanks denise

 

[westart]

Intresting denise. Mainly permethrin based insecticide. Where are your bees being kept? And how much of the colony has been affected. Surprised with the bee units actions though. I will be even more surprised if the police even know what to do with said information.

Edited to add. I would imagine that the information has also been passed on to WIIS ( Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme). Who will be hot on the tail of the perpetrator.

Cheers Westart.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Denise's bees were poisoned by her neighbour and she saw him do it.
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24593

 

[milkermel]

That sounds like the standard stuff we have over here for dealing with various insect pests in the home - flea control, ficam etc, would sound to me like he knows a pestcontroller who gave him some stuff, or maybe he bought it off ebay - There are some pestcontrollers selling on these chemicals they use even over here - stating that it must be used by a quallified pesties - but if you are going to buy it off ebay why would you then get in a pestie. it would be very very effective, ficam in the powder will kill a wasp nest in 2hrs usually. This is yet another reason that my husband wont kill bee swarms even if they are are somewhere un removable - if new bees go in to rob out the dead colony it just spell disaster and realisticly as a pest controller you cant totally secure the area if its unreachable.

wonder if the police are able to sieze next doors computer and see what thy have ordered on line?

 

[PaulCarroll]

That is a terrible thing to do and Denise if she is certain and has a witness should immediately file a formal complaint with the Police, get a crime number and then see what action is taken. She may also wish to get advice from the RSPCA and Wildlife Groups, who may help her in taking forward this claim. Of course there is the consideration of forward relationships with the neighbour and that is always a consideration in such cases.

People like this make you so mad, if the bees were causing him or her a problem why did they not approach Denise to raise their concerns??

 

[Philip]

Unfortunate situation to say the least.

If there anything like the our local service they will wait a long time to see if you push the matter. If you do have cause to write to press for any action don't forget to stress the monetary loss of the bees and any honey loss.
Had the action not resulted on the direct noticeable loss off the bees there was a possibility that any honey that may have been removed could have been poisoned and resulted in a far worse situation.

It will help them to focus on the fact that there not just a bunch of insects in a box.

Sadly I will bet they just caution him and suggest that perhaps you should find a more appropriate place to keep your bees..... That way such difficulties will no arise again!!!!!

do keep us informed of progress.

 

[thebhoy]

Hopefully now that you have the results you can push for a prosecution and also claim not just for the bees, the crop, loss of personal enjoyment but also the hive as it would be contaminated by the poison.
There is also a knock on that other local beekeepers could be affected...maybe not directly but indirectly with the thought that their honey crop could be contaminated with the same poisons.
Enlist the support from the press, the RSPCA, local beekeeping associations.....get as much help and support as possible.

If all else fails, collect any / all wasp nests you and friends can find locally, put them in a big box, and deliver it next door knowing that they will take it indoors to open it and be confronted by thousands of little presents

 

[pargyle]

Sadly.Denise, I think you are not going to get very far ...having seen how the police treated the theft (witnessed by two people) of lead from a bay window roof in Sheffield .. the thief was tracked by one of the witnesses and a registration number of the vehicle noted.

Result, apathy .... didn't even arrest the thief. I can't see your local plod doing anything but confront your neighbour (if you are lucky !) with the evidence of poisoning and hope that frightens him but unless he confesses you are going to be disappointed I fear.

There is little point in escalating the matter if the police are not interested - all it's going to do is cost you money and without independent witnesses you are going to find it difficult to prove.

The SOB deserves what theboy suggests but it is not wise to even think about any sort of retaliation.

Chalk it up to experience and perhaps set up a CCTV camera (or even a dummy) pointing at the hives in your garden.... might stop him ever doing it again.

 

[denise washington]

hi westart my bees are at top of the gardenas luck ad it it only killed all my flying bees from all three hives just got new queens laying but lost those but now I am almost back to normal now looked last week and all queens are laying so I am pleased about that ,not seen or heard him in garden since this happened will let you know if anything is done about it
denise

 

[denise washington]

hi milkermel a few weeks before this he had pest controller out to see me as he had a swarm in his garden and they were nasty so he said that they were my bees let pest controller have a look at mine but they were all ok not even swarmed but all up his arms he had scratches and told pest controller that they ad stung him pets controller said ti him those are scratches not sting so he must have been looking over fence and there is a load of sharp nails sticking up in fence and that's what he will have got all those scratches from so we will have to see if police will do something now will let you know what happens
thanks denise

 

[Teemore]

You could always take a civil case against the neighbour....

 

[DarynWebb]

You could always take a civil case against the neighbour....

He can just ignore a civil case.

 

[pargyle]

He can just ignore a civil case.

Yep ... almost impossible to win - would cost a fortune and if he's that arrogant and without a lot of money he would probably not pay, even in the unlikely event that it got to court and she won !

 

[sharonh]

Denise, I would be heartbroken if that happened my bees. I hope you get justice, even though it won't get you back your lost bees. Honey bees are on the decline, and its no wonder when there are A..holes out there. I would not let it drop until I got word out & justice of some kind. My thoughts are with you, sad situation. Sharon

 

[thorn]

Yep ... almost impossible to win - would cost a fortune and if he's that arrogant and without a lot of money he would probably not pay, even in the unlikely event that it got to court and she won !

Actually, it's not that hard to win a civil case if it's well presented. Certainly it's easier to win than a criminal case as there's a lower burden of proof, balance of probabilities (51% certainty) rather than beyond reasonable doubt. And it's one for the small claims track, so it won't cost much if you do it yourself, just the court fee, which will depend on the value you put on your claim, a £50 fee if you limit the claim to £500.

Another idea, if the police won't prosecute, you could bring a private prosecution. Get him a criminal record to follow him for the next few years. Problem is that it's that much more difficult to do yourself. Go civil if South Yorkshire's finest won't prosecute.

If you do bring a claim, get the pest controller who saw his scratches to give evidence. It would undermine his credibility and his attempt at mitigation.

Make sure you get evidence of the value of a colony of bees and possibly the cost of replacing your equipment if it's been tainted by poison. If you've not lost a full colony, but it's been severely weakened there are members of your local association, or of this forum, who can give you guidance. The police will need to know it for a prosecution and you'll need it if you bring a civil claim.

 

[denise washington]

bee poison

hi all thanks for your messages but I have to agree with some of you that the police wont do anything about it but got to try as its not only my bees he as killed but he has done some of my fruit trees but I am more bothered about my bees was not nice seeing them dropping out of air and dying, if anything comes of it I will let you all know
thanks denise

 

[BeeJayBee]

Good luck with getting some sort of resolution.

To protect your hives, and it seems also your trees, in the future can you raise the height of fences so this person can no longer get into your garden?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Good luck with getting some sort of resolution.

To protect your hives, and it seems also your trees, in the future can you raise the height of fences so this person can no longer get into your garden?

Pyracantha will provide a most effective barrier

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Pyracantha will provide a most effective barrier............

..... but pyromania would be a step too far!

Dusty

 

[ichbinpaul]

Where are the bees from Hell when you need them! he wouldnt do it twice!!!

I Know it would cause other probs but hey instant justice, and you would have seen and heard its effect.