Hive Branding

[sanddancer]

I saw recently someone had had a brand made to burn their name into hive parts - with the increase in thefts (coupled with the fact that my hives are in the middle of town) - anyone know where you can get them made?

Thanks

 

[BKF Admin]

Rockler Woodworking or Brandnew/Everhot in the states,
Both ship to the uk,I dont think any uk company does them?

 

[Stiffy]

Branded my bees, well hives really with a steak brander, why on earth anyone would want to brand a steak is beyond me but apparently our American cousins do!
I purchased the tool off Fleabay. A similar one can be seen here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Branding-iron-w...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item563509ef6e

I lit our BBQ and heated the iron and it did a reasonable job and for less than £25 including shipping from the states, pretty good value but wouldnt want to do too many hives.
Cheers

 

[plumber]

try this link
http://www.brandingirons.com/oscommerce/product_info.php?products_id=53

or this one

http://www.equibrand.co.uk/electricbrands.html

 

[Hivemaker.]

Waste of time branding hives,its the bee's the thieves are after,not the hives,they go on the bonfire.

 

[plumber]

give it time and you wil be able to track each bee via GPS micro chip in each bee. bee able do a spreadsheet flight time to necter collected. as an add bonus no more thefts.
this is the happy rambleings of a happy drinker

 

[hedgerow pete]

if you look at one of my videos instead of branding irons i usedd a very large permanate marker pen does the same job , but easier to use

 

[PaleoPerson]

if you look at one of my videos instead of branding irons i usedd a very large permanate marker pen does the same job , but easier to use

How do you stop the tip from melting when you heat it up?

 

[Tom Bick]

I got mine from a chap in Sheffield http://www.mshaw.co.uk/brands.htm a good product and nice to deal with and once you have it great fun to play with.
Although its more to do with product branding rather than security

 

[Rosti]

A bit of lateral, you want a burning pen nib. I did mine with a large soldering iron, it was slow though and on reflection I think hive maker might be right - bees kept, hives firewood.

 

[Hawklord]

Surely hives are worth more than the bees in them?

 

[Hivemaker.]

No, the value is in bee's,and with bee's you can make more bee's = more money,hives don't breed more hives obviously, well known supplier is selling just five frame nuc's for £200,nick one hive,split into three or four = £600 £800 at those prices.Or of course they could make even more if they get some honey from them before splitting.

 

[Tom Bick]

Thats right Hivemaker with the demand for nucs theft will inevitably rise and branding is only good after the event inconvenient but perhaps we have to make it harder for people to simply lift up a hive and walk off with it.
Things like having the stand buried in the ground and the floor screwed to that so once the hive is lifted stand and floor remain bees exposed big shock.

 

[Finman]

Here one guy stealed brood frames from hives.

 

[sanddancer]

Thanks for the steers - ordered one from Rockler.

Whether it's the bees or the hive anything that makes someone have a second thought about nicking must be a good thing....now just thinking what else I can brand!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Use an indelible pen and write suspected foulbrood on some of your hives.

 

[MrB]

Use an indelible pen and write suspected foulbrood on some of your hives.

HaHaHa love it!