Refuse van beekeeping incident in Poole

[Ivor Kemp]

Was just talking to a refuse collector friend of mine in Poole, Dorset.

Apparently, this morning, bin collectors rolled a bin to their van, put it on their normal lifter on the back but when the lid opened as usual, after it was tipped upside down, about 20,000 angry bees flew out and into the street.

The bin men ran for their lives and have flatly refused (ha ha) to touch the lorry for the rest of the day.

We were hoping the bees would swarm again but it looks like the queen is now somewhere embedded in the rubbish in the back.

Not sure where they go from here.

 

[itma]

Presumably they go to the tip, with the windows rolled up ...


Personally, I think Mike A must be to blame. He's the one that includes a wheelie bin in almost every swarm collection photo ...

 

[Ivor Kemp]

I think that's right itma and with a driver who's paid a considerable lot more than the normal one!

Apparently it has to go to a special dump site well away from humans - more council tax money down the toilet then!!

 

[Sean.]

That would not happen in Cheshire, you get the bin men checking your rubish. To make sure you have put it into the right container, (waste food, compost, plastics + cans, paper + glass, and normal rubbish).

 

[enrico]

That's worth trapping 100 bees just under the lid to wait for them to check the rubbish....teehee

 

[Luminos]

Presumably they go to the tip, with the windows rolled up ...


Personally, I think Mike A must be to blame. He's the one that includes a wheelie bin in almost every swarm collection photo ...

 

[drstitson]

crazy - IMHO just need to wait til swarm settles back around HM, drive to tip with a beek (NB the rubbish bit is nowhere near the cab and not connected - unlike car or van) and carefully tip out away from workers - swarm should settle again and can be picked up.

 

[Ivor Kemp]

crazy - IMHO just need to wait til swarm settles back around HM, drive to tip with a beek (NB the rubbish bit is nowhere near the cab and not connected - unlike car or van) and carefully tip out away from workers - swarm should settle again and can be picked up.

Can you really imagine a Council thinking this through like you have and having the perceived time to instigate it.

 

[madasafish]

They should have done a Risk Assessment on this issue years ago.

 

[Swarm]

It's one of the reasons they stated that lids should be closed and the rubbish inside not holding them proud. When we originally had our wheelies we were told they would not be collected unless the lid was down tight.

 

[KitzTaz]

That's worth trapping 100 bees just under the lid to wait for them to check the rubbish....teehee