Neighbours bonfire

[Pete Nicholson]

Two weeks ago my neighbours had a bonfire that started at noon and lasted four hours and totally enveloped my last colony that previously when I inspected , were thriving and warm through the crown board (clear poly carbonate so I can see them without disturbance.)
checked afterwards and obviously distressed!
checked yesterday and very few bees and not feeding on the spring sugar feed and crown board cold.
totally p****d off as lost a colony overwinter so now bee less and considering packing it up.
Do I have any rights to recompense ?
How to go about it if I do.?
Is It worth the hassle with such ignorants?
I do have the BBKA insurance but would they cover this?
very depressed!

 

[Boston Bees]

No, you can't sue your neighbours for having a bonfire.

Assuming they are dead/weak, I have to suspect there was more to it than the bonfire though. Some smoke, even for 4 hours, wouldn't cause a healthy colony of bees to just give up and die. We wouldn't use it in our smokers if it killed bees. Plenty of colonies of bees die in March sadly, without bonfire assistance.

When you say "spring sugar feed", do you mean syrup? If so, even in Devon it's a bit too cold for that - fondant better perhaps?

Are you 100% sure what you are seeing is even your bees, and not robbers visiting a dead colony?

Sorry for your loss though, it's a right pain.

 

[user 20297]

very depressed!
☹☹☹

Pete, don't give up. I had those same feelings the other day when my bees were disturbed by activities outside of my control. I'm still worried about the colony, but fortunately, I have another and the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. It's a miserable thing that's happened to you, but not everyone sees what the bees mean to us or understands how their actions might affect them. You've got to keep beekeeping.

 

[Pete Nicholson]

Boston bees - ok understand we use smoke but this huge bonfire was within 10 metres of my hive and the wind was driving the smoke directly into the hive. Imagine being in that situation - enclosed and subject to that pollution for that time!
I wouldn’t last through it☹
Inspected a week beforehand and all was good.
I put the feed on after the bonfire to try to ensure they had something to go for to stimulate them after the shock.
maybe half a dozen came up to feed as seemed totally uninterested!

 

[Pete Nicholson]

Beebe- need to think about this but thank you for your positive response.

 

[Apiarisnt]

Two weeks ago my neighbours had a bonfire that started at noon and lasted four hours and totally enveloped my last colony that previously when I inspected , were thriving and warm through the crown board (clear poly carbonate so I can see them without disturbance.)
checked afterwards and obviously distressed!
checked yesterday and very few bees and not feeding on the spring sugar feed and crown board cold.
totally p****d off as lost a colony overwinter so now bee less and considering packing it up.
Do I have any rights to recompense ?
How to go about it if I do.?
Is It worth the hassle with such ignorants?
I do have the BBKA insurance but would they cover this?
very depressed!
☹☹☹

Unlikely you would be able to get compensation, but if you want to ensure no repeat performance then you would need to contact your local council's environmental health department as your neighbour might be committing a statutory nuisance. Nuisance smoke: how councils deal with complaints Your local council will probably suggest that you talk to your neighbour before they become involved.

 

[Pete Nicholson]

Unlikely you would be able to get compensation, but if you want to ensure no repeat performance then you would need to contact your local council's environmental health department as your neighbour might be committing a statutory nuisance. Nuisance smoke: how councils deal with complaints Your local council will probably suggest that you talk to your neighbour before they become involved.

Unlikely you would be able to get compensation, but if you want to ensure no repeat performance then you would need to contact your local council's environmental health department as your neighbour might be committing a statutory nuisance. Nuisance smoke: how councils deal with complaints Your local council will probably suggest that you talk to your neighbour before they become involved.

Sent a letter to them but got no response!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

this huge bonfire was within 10 metres of my hive and the wind was driving the smoke directly into the hive

Had that frequently with a near neighbour, whole apiary enveloped in fould smoke for hours and never affected the bees.

Inspected a week beforehand and all was good.

I'd have been more concerned with them being opened up and inspected that early in the year

 

[Pete Nicholson]

Had that frequently with a near neighbour, whole apiary enveloped in fould smoke for hours and never affected the bees.

I'd have been more concerned with them being opened up and inspected that early in the year

Hi Jenkins - did not open up, as I said I have a poly crownboard so can see down through the whole colony.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi Jenkins - did not open up,

So you didn't inspect then

 

[Amari]

Sent a letter to them but got no response!

Letters/emails can harden attitudes; best to talk, preferably armed with a jar of your honey. Not worth falling out with neighbours.

 

[Pete Nicholson]

So you didn't inspect then

A bit pedantic Jenkins - what are you saying? Does the use of a torch through the colony in the hive without opening up and looking for queen/ brood/ workers not constitute an inspection? I would never contemplate opening up this early in the season - but I think we are maybe going off topic.
p.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

what are you saying? Does the use of a torch through the colony in the hive without opening up and looking for queen/ brood/ workers not constitute an inspection?

No

 

[Pete Nicholson]

No

We have our own opinions

 

[Pete Nicholson]

Letters/emails can harden attitudes; best to talk, preferably armed with a jar of your honey. Not worth falling out with neighbours.

Fully understand your approach Amari but have had problems in the past with lack of response to Polite requests

 

[pargyle]

Two weeks ago my neighbours had a bonfire that started at noon and lasted four hours and totally enveloped my last colony that previously when I inspected , were thriving and warm through the crown board (clear poly carbonate so I can see them without disturbance.)
checked afterwards and obviously distressed!
checked yesterday and very few bees and not feeding on the spring sugar feed and crown board cold.
totally p****d off as lost a colony overwinter so now bee less and considering packing it up.
Do I have any rights to recompense ?
How to go about it if I do.?
Is It worth the hassle with such ignorants?
I do have the BBKA insurance but would they cover this?
very depressed!
☹☹☹

I have a neighbour who burns his work rubbish (mainly cardboard and paper (but its actually polythene wrapping materials he is burning) every other week and it stinks .. he has his bonfire just the other side of the fence to where my bees are ... it can't be more than ten feet away. It bothers 'er indoors more than it seems to bother my bees ...

Are you sure that there is not another problem ... ?

I live with the bonfires . they are good neighbours in other respects.

PS: just seen JBM's post .... I do wonder if you are barking up the wrong tree ?

 

[Pete Nicholson]

I have a neighbour who burns his work rubbish (mainly cardboard and paper (but its actually polythene wrapping materials he is burning) every other week and it stinks .. he has his bonfire just the other side of the fence to where my bees are ... it can't be more than ten feet away. It bothers 'er indoors more than it seems to bother my bees ...

Are you sure that there is not another problem ... ?

I live with the bonfires . they are good neighbours in other respects.

PS: just seen JBM's post .... I do wonder if you are barking up the wrong tree ?

Hi Pargyle and thanks for your comments. All I can say is that the colony seemed fine before (hefted ok and good central nucleus with lots of bees overwinter and lovely warm temperature on crown board throughout prior to this.
post bonfire (which was extremely large and wet wood burning hence lots of dense smoke for a very prolonged period) and directly upwind of the hive, I looked next day and bees dispersed across brood chamber and appeared agitated.
put on feeder of 1:1 sugar to see if that would get them to form up again but no interest and as I said, yesterday had a look through the clear crown board and very few bees (maybe hundreds) and not feeding and scattered over the frames - no huddle, and cold crown board so I can only assume they are on the decline after this traumatic event.
P.

 

[benjamind]

Any photos of the frames?

 

[Pete Nicholson]

Any photos of the frames?

No but may take some - what are you looking for as would only take pics through the crown board as would not open up as previously stated.
regards
Pete.

 

[pargyle]

Hi Pargyle and thanks for your comments. All I can say is that the colony seemed fine before (hefted ok and good central nucleus with lots of bees overwinter and lovely warm temperature on crown board throughout prior to this.
post bonfire (which was extremely large and wet wood burning hence lots of dense smoke for a very prolonged period) and directly upwind of the hive, I looked next day and bees dispersed across brood chamber and appeared agitated.
put on feeder of 1:1 sugar to see if that would get them to form up again but no interest and as I said, yesterday had a look through the clear crown board and very few bees (maybe hundreds) and not feeding and scattered over the frames - no huddle, and cold crown board so I can only assume they are on the decline after this traumatic event.
P.

You may be surprised ... have you checked them after dark ? I've just been down to look at mine as they were very busy today... checked one of the crownboards on one colony that seemed a little less busy than the others and the heat from crownboard was incredible ... all is not lost until you know they are dead. It's going to be a reasonably warm weekend ... if you are really really worried crack the crownboard and lift a frame out of the centre. It's not what I woud do but there comes a point where it will eat your brain if you don't know. It won't do you any good if you find they are diminished but your head might be in a better place....