found a sad hive next door!!!!

[bee ginnner]

i have just found a hive sat by the hedge next door looking very sad,there was two and they have been there 5 or 6 years the one died out 2 winters ago and the other has held on alone since but my immediate feeling was that there was very little activity.
i asked about it and was told that the beek responsable lived a very long way away but did come and look/feed them but i cant imagine it could be often enough (ie every 9 days at least) the whole area is overgrown, but when i got up close i was shocked to see so many really old corpses littering the ground in front of the hive.
looking at it all i feel very uneasy for my colonies and would like to try to check it out properly for the sake of the resident bee,s and also to prevent any probs myself, i feel the owner would like something done and has he expressed a slight interest in learning a little more so i mentioned a couple of local beek ass,s but i would like any advice that people may think relevant thanks stuart.

 

[oliver90owner]

If/when it fails, we know who's bees will be robbing it out, don't we!

My advice is don't wait that long; get something done soonest.

RAB

 

[bee ginnner]

If/when it fails, we know who's bees will be robbing it out, don't we

RAB

yes thats what bothers me, i dont like the idea much i,m worried what,s in there,i suppose if nobody is taking the honey off then you have more choice of what to use.

 

[beeatshellards]

The sooner you deal with this the better. There could be disease problems , if you arent willing to deal with it then a call to the bee inspector will sort it for you

 

[bee ginnner]

The sooner you deal with this the better. There could be disease problems , if you arent willing to deal with it then a call to the bee inspector will sort it for you

good idea i hadn,t thought of that.

 

[phillisb]

if it was me and i thought my bees were at risk,i would have a quick look while nobody is around.i wouldn't care about it being right or wrong theres too much invested in my own bees.

 

[oliver90owner]

if it was me and i thought my bees were at risk,i would have a quick look while nobody is around

I wouldn't want you interfering, and neither might they. Common trespass, property damage, accusation of theft could all arise and deservedly so. Discussion and agreement is far better. If they told you to 'take a hike' on catching you, I would not be surprised.

Your attitude is poor; you would not want your neighbours going through your hives/property while you were away and without your permission. Get real and get honest. There are right and wrong ways of doing things. Yours is wrong.

RAB

 

[bee ginnner]

i was going to ask if i could have a look in the hive to see how it,s doing.
The neighbours are friendly and i would like to keep it that way,although they own the hives they have no real knowledge and i think they would be happy enough. i tried to get the roof off to have a quick peek and see if it looked better inside but it was stuck solid which is one of the reasons i dont think anybody has been in lately.

 

[vince20]

if it was me and i thought my bees were at risk,i would have a quick look while nobody is around

I wouldn't want you interfering, and neither might they. Common trespass, property damage, accusation of theft could all arise and deservedly so. Discussion and agreement is far better. If they told you to 'take a hike' on catching you, I would not be surprised.

Your attitude is poor; you would not want your neighbours going through your hives/property while you were away and without your permission. Get real and get honest. There are right and wrong ways of doing things. Yours is wrong.

RAB

i think you could be more polite he was only asking for advice not a lecture

 

[petersbees]

I would go down the Bee Inspector route. Let him know that they are neglected and possibly diseased.

 

[phillisb]

keep on good terms with your neighbour at all costs,if they allow access then i can't see a problem if you think something is wrong.if the person "looking after" the hive doesn't like it,they may well then move the hive anyway.as for it being illegal, as long as you only look don't remove,damage or deface the hive and your neighbour agrees.is this illegal?

 

[susbees]

i think you could be more polite he was only asking for advice not a lecture

Wrong end of the stick Vince. The poster of this post was suggesting the OP go through the hive without asking. "Quick look when nobody around....". Would you like someone to do that to your bees? I'm sure most would agree that that is not an acceptable course of action.

 

[susbees]

as long as you only look don't remove,damage or deface the hive and your neighbour agrees.is this illegal?

If the hives belong to the neighbour and he lets someone keep their bees there.....then surely they have a telephone number at the very least in case of problems?

 

[Flatters]

My view is don't touch it. Even opening it may be illegal. Leave it to the bee inspector and if they think it is being neglected let them take it away. You may feel you have first shout on it because you reported it, but there are probably ways the bee inspector has to deal with things.

 

[Bad Boy Bee]

Welcome to the forum vince 20 and welcome to the real world - you want advice. don't expect it wrapped up in nice paper and a bow.

 

[Silly Bee]

i think you could be more polite he was only asking for advice not a lecture

I agree with you Vince, if I thought my bees were at risk, I'd deal with it asp.

If it looks neglected, it probably is.

 

[Ed Woods]

Pin a note in a plastic folder either to or inside the hive introducing yourself with a contact number - the neighbouring beek might appreciate some help from another beek who can keep an eye on his or her hive.

 

[oliver90owner]

vince20,

Read my post again. It was directed at the poster who said:

if it was me and i thought my bees were at risk,i would have a quick look while nobody is around.i wouldn't care about it being right or wrong

I underlined the bit that really rankles. Perhaps you too are one who has little or no respect of other people's property and believe that interfering/entering without permission is perfectly acceptable? I would certainly not be polite if I found someone on my property just doing as they please.

 

[kazmcc]

if it was me and i thought my bees were at risk,i would have a quick look while nobody is around

I wouldn't want you interfering, and neither might they. Common trespass, property damage, accusation of theft could all arise and deservedly so. Discussion and agreement is far better. If they told you to 'take a hike' on catching you, I would not be surprised.

Your attitude is poor; you would not want your neighbours going through your hives/property while you were away and without your permission. Get real and get honest. There are right and wrong ways of doing things. Yours is wrong.

RAB

Strongly agree with Rab here. I'm sure pretty much all the regulars are aware of the problems I've had with well meaning, but unwanted or needed people interferring in our hive. I can also understand the urge to take action, especially as it could put your own hives under threat, but that isn't the way to go about it. Bee inspector. Tell him/her of your concerns and impress how urgent it is.

 

[johnandyrob]

The bbka have a pamflet about abandoned hives ( my spell check no longer workes downloaded update of fire fox and lost it )