Found a new out apiary site but bit of advice please

[steve56616]

This site is on the edge of my village and best best site so far. Only one worry is possible vandalism and what measures I can do to prevent it. The site isn't secure like my allotment sites but I don't have to worry about other allotment holders which is always on my mind. So trying to weigh everything up.
There is access if kids decide to go there which they normally don't but can not say never, even though they would be tucked out of immediate sight. What would be the recommendations to securing a hive? I thought of heavy pallets then chains with locks or some other contraption that I can remove but stops someone trying to kick them over or even steal them.
Any advice would be great so I can have a good think

I think hive siting is the hardest part of bee keeping

 

[pargyle]

We've been around the hive security roundabout a few times on here before -try a seatch for hive theft and you will find a few threads with a variety of ideas put forward.

The best advice I can give is a ground anchor let into the ground in hole full of concrete with the biggest chain and padlock you can afford going up and over the hive and ideally through a couple of screw in eyes in the sides of an empty super or eke on the top under the roof -with another eye bolt in the middle of the roof for the chain to pass through.

It won't stop someone who really does want to steal your bees but - it will deter the opportunist and if the chain is tight enough and the hive is also strapped together it should deter anyone trying to kick it over ..

I suspect that the 'won't work brigade' will be along shortly to rain on my parade but that's my best shot.

 

[steve56616]

I did try the search option but never seems to work for me and realise most of these questions will have been asked before.
Thanks for your reply and think something like that would be a good idea. Anyone wanting to kick a few times might get what the deserve and maybe I wouldnt have to worry so much about having fantastically calm bees, a hive gone nasty might not need requeening so quickly!!

 

[alfazer]

Even if kids can't kick the hives over, it doesn't stop them throwing stones at them which will annoy your bees.

 

[user 6228]

a WBC with lifts made out of concrete.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Those wire metal fence sections often seen around building sites

 

[Gilberdyke John]

This site is on the edge of my village and best best site so far. Only one worry is possible vandalism and what measures I can do to prevent it. The site isn't secure like my allotment sites but I don't have to worry about other allotment holders which is always on my mind. So trying to weigh everything up.
There is access if kids decide to go there which they normally don't but can not say never, even though they would be tucked out of immediate sight. What would be the recommendations to securing a hive? I thought of heavy pallets then chains with locks or some other contraption that I can remove but stops someone trying to kick them over or even steal them.
Any advice would be great so I can have a good think

I think hive siting is the hardest part of bee keeping

Somewhere with clear line of sight and a sniper rifle?

 

[pargyle]

I did try the search option but never seems to work for me and realise most of these questions will have been asked before.
Thanks for your reply and think something like that would be a good idea. Anyone wanting to kick a few times might get what the deserve and maybe I wouldnt have to worry so much about having fantastically calm bees, a hive gone nasty might not need requeening so quickly!!

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=33756&highlight=hive+thefts

 

[YorkshireBees]

TBH The best way to avoid vandalism is to keep the hives out of public view.

My hives are all on private farm land, however at least 2 sites are either close to public thoroughfares or visble from them.
I just don't make it obvious when I visit these sites to not advertise the location of the hives / what I am doing there.

 

[steve56616]

Seems that quite a few people have similar issues as we are not all fortunate to have lots of choices for locations. I also wouldn't want my hives in a far corner of a field that i'd have to go hiking to get to them, that just makes it an un-enjoyable chore to me as well as the added time with work and family.
I think I will use this new site with one hive for this season and see how it goes before moving any of my others. Also I may take up some of the other offers from allotments. Not ideal but many now seem to accept bees and having a few always allows movement if one place doesn't work out. Not much more I can do really.

 

[REDWOOD]

I heard of an apiary trashing only last week, they guys cleared the scrub land and put signs up everywhere warning joe public that only attracted joe public and a bunch of hooligans.
my Advice is to keep it low profile as possible, grow shrubbery taller than the naked eye can see and paint your hives a similar colour to the environment