Hives stolen, Dagenham area

[Beehive]

Branding the frames with postcodes would only be a bit of an inconvenience to presumably thiefs with a bit of bee knowledge. The valuable commodity are the bees. I was only looking at a known bee suppliers website today and could buy an entire hive for not too much money. If I filled it with stolen bees I could still make a heafty profit. Ideally there has to be a way of marking the hive or parts and a central register held for bee thefts. Ideally the bbka who could then notify all the clubs to be on the lookout, especially new members. It's not fool proof but it's a start.

 

[countryman]

last year you could go on a rival site and get a complete hive with bees for as little as 100 pound or 6 frame nucs for 50 pound and even these strugled to sell fully treated and inspected there were so many available it was driving down the price and the same will happen this year so what are these to**ers doing it for they cant be making much and the threat of being caught, so being named and shamed , they must be backward

 

[psafloyd]

How did you brand your hives, Dusty? Did you make your own brand and if so, how?

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

How did you brand your hives, Dusty? Did you make your own brand and if so, how?

I bought a brand from:

http://www.mshaw.co.uk/brands.htm
(I think).

They made it to my spec of my postcode in 10mm letters, a simple head on a 50cm handle. I use a blow torch to heat it but they do make electric versions.

Looking back it was pricey: £95. I recall a few days after someone posted to say they'd got a brand done for about £40, via, I think, fleabay.

But having got it, I like the effect and enjoy playing! I've done the garden furniture as well - and when the barbecue season comes, I'm ready!

Dusty.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think branding is the way forward -
but you have to catch the beggars first, and then I bet the yooman rights brigade would have a moan
Big T right in the middle of the forehead would do the trick, ah the good old days eh!