First experience of hive theft issues!

[Camey]

Hi everyone, it's been a while since my last Post, but been enjoying reading all the interesting topics.

I had an unusual and concerning issue today.

I have had bees for 3 1/2 years, had 6 hives in my garden but moved 5 hives 12 miles away to an out Apiary.

This was I thought a great location, edge of a field , with a train line at one side, river at other and a rough single farm road to get access to that the required a 5 minute walk along a single dirt path to the field. Basically felt like a secure site.

I had 5 physical hives at the site but only the first 2 had bees , the other 3 were planned to be kept there empty ready for increase next year.

Today I went over to sublimate the 2 hives and noticed that my Thornes National hive had been moved from its location and placed onto the single track path about 100 feet from the site! Also the x2 wasp bottles had been thrown across the field?

I decided to take the empty hive back home for security, So it appears someone had noticed this hive was empty, moved it 100 feet to the path, then left it there! maybe all to heavy to carry for 10 minutes, or had a plan to come back later for it?
So I still have x2 cheaper brood boxes empty and x2 with full colonies at the site for the time being.

Interested to hear any feedback?

 

[Erichalfbee]

If they were mine I'd move the lot...pronto

 

[blackcloud]

Coming back later with transport.
There's often a follow up.

 

[maddydog]

Ad on FB ATM - £550 for a double brood, super plus bees and 2022 buckfast queen. At that sort of price no wonder hives are becoming a target.

 

[BeeAdmin]

That is concerning. Do you have cameras in that area? You could use a game camera to see what all is going on. Just a thought.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That is concerning. Do you have cameras in that area? You could use a game camera to see what all is going on. Just a thought.

Trouble is that the police just aren’t interested. All we can do is be mindful of security and keep our hives safe as best we can.

 

[SWEET]

And keep fruity bees.

 

[Wingy]

And keep fruity bees.

I only keep my cheap hives with home made felt covered roofs at locations similar to what the OP describes - these also contain the worst and nastiest bees I own. Also I may have accidentally left a few bits of wood with 3” nails sticking up as they were covered with leaves last time I left the site so forgot to remove them , think they are where anyone approaching the hive would be likely to stand,

 

[SWEET]

I've a wood where the open breeding horrors end-up, even the cows stay 100m away from that lot.

 

[ericbeaumont]

train line at one side, river at other

One way or another, they were seen.

Knew a beefarmer who parked 33 nucs in a hidden rural field. Trouble was, they were visible from the M11 a mile or so away, and one night the lot went.

 

[Wilco]

One way or another, they were seen.

Knew a beefarmer who parked 33 nucs in a hidden rural field. Trouble was, they were visible from the M11 a mile or so away, and one night the lot went.

A friend had similar with road visible hives, managed to find and retrieve them, put them back in same place and you can guess the rest.

 

[Erichalfbee]

There have been a few posts here over the years warning folk that beehives are visible from one motorway or an other

 

[Ian123]

Hives in sight of roads and particularly busy ones are a big no!!… I am aware of two locations near me with hives visible that have had thefts, one had been there for many years. Just don’t do it!!!!!!

 

[BeeAdmin]

Trouble is that the police just aren’t interested. All we can do is be mindful of security and keep our hives safe as best we can.

That's a bit concerning too, isn't it?

 

[blackcloud]

No not really.
In 1950s Ambridge a beehive theft would be the talk of the village for a good ten episodes but in real life the rozzers are stretched beyond breaking point and being sued for even blinking in an overzealous manner.
as said above take reasonable precautions and learn to live with the eventuality.
Ive had countless break ins-its like bee stings now just move on and dont invest too much on equipment in future
That said Id be in paradise if I caught the scumbags............

 

[Murox]

Call me old fashioned but I do like the idea of indentured servitude for the culprits, especially in this monetised age as the indenture can be bought and sold to the highest bidder. Failing that the modern version of the stocks and pillory might suit; name and publicly shame perhaps without the violence though I would be tempted to keep it simple.

 

[blackcloud]

Id keep it simple for sure.
Slow too.

 

[Camey]

WELL!- what can I say, I have had a few days to investigate the attempted " theft" at my out Apiary. Today I eventually managed to speak to the landowner to see if he had noticed anything untoward. Turns out, he had changed mobile etc and we were not able to contact each other till I spoke with him today at his house. The "potential theft" query has been solved .
There was a massive flood in the field three weeks ago, resulting in the empty hive floating away , luckily the landowner noticed and rescued the floating hive and placed it on the path for safe keeping. I'm pretty sure that this is the first time a beekeeper has been thanfull the field flooded rather than the hives being stolen as the answer to the hive being moved. This is the first time in known memory that this field has flooded and approx about 15 feet or more above the normal river level! I have placed remaining hives up on blocks so water will need to be around 3 feet to touch bottom of hives, will monitor and if a repeat then move hopefully a 1 in 100 year event. Attached pics 1- where my hive was found 2. the hives in background showing how far I thought someone had moved my hive. 3- a pic I got today of field when flooded!

 

[user 20297]

WELL!- what can I say, I have had a few days to investigate the attempted " theft" at my out Apiary. Today I eventually managed to speak to the landowner to see if he had noticed anything untoward. Turns out, he had changed mobile etc and we were not able to contact each other till I spoke with him today at his house. The "potential theft" query has been solved .
There was a massive flood in the field three weeks ago, resulting in the empty hive floating away , luckily the landowner noticed and rescued the floating hive and placed it on the path for safe keeping. I'm pretty sure that this is the first time a beekeeper has been thanfull the field flooded rather than the hives being stolen as the answer to the hive being moved. This is the first time in known memory that this field has flooded and approx about 15 feet or more above the normal river level! I have placed remaining hives up on blocks so water will need to be around 3 feet to touch bottom of hives, will monitor and if a repeat then move hopefully a 1 in 100 year event. Attached pics 1- where my hive was found 2. the hives in background showing how far I thought someone had moved my hive. 3- a pic I got today of field when flooded!

I like a happy ending.

 

[blackcloud]

Was it occupied?