Theft in Staffordshire

[planbee]

Hello,

I'm the chap that was helicoptered to Hosp from a field near Stone, Staffs, in 2009, I haven't been on here since 9th Sept 2009.

I was told before I left the Hosp, "Get rid of them, and don't even go to visit them!"

Well, I ignored that advice today, because a very nice lady from Stoke on Trent wants to start Beeking, and although I sold all the stuff that wasn't "On the field", via Ebay, I promised her everything that was in the spinney - 3 BS hives, [a mix of old and new boxes], 3 supers, and a nuc, plus bees, if there were any still there.

They have been lifted! - they cannot be seen from the roadway, which is private, but there are shooters who pass by.

I've spoken to the people who live 150 yards across the field, and they didn't even know the hives were there!

The farmer doesn't know when they went because she's too ill to go down to the fields now, and her son hasn't seen anyone.

They've been lifted over a fence, an electric fence, carried 70 yards across a field, then over and two locked gates - must be beeks, I'd have thought.

Ah well!

Tell the Police tomorrow.

 

[VEG]

When did you last visit the hives?

 

[Moggett]

Hello,

I'm the chap that was helicoptered to Hosp from a field near Stone, Staffs, in 2009, I haven't been on here since 9th Sept 2009.

I was told before I left the Hosp, "Get rid of them, and don't even go to visit them!"

Well, I ignored that advice today, because a very nice lady from Stoke on Trent wants to start Beeking, and although I sold all the stuff that wasn't "On the field", via Ebay, I promised her everything that was in the spinney - 3 BS hives, [a mix of old and new boxes], 3 supers, and a nuc, plus bees, if there were any still there.

They have been lifted! - they cannot be seen from the roadway, which is private, but there are shooters who pass by.

I've spoken to the people who live 150 yards across the field, and they didn't even know the hives were there!

The farmer doesn't know when they went because she's too ill to go down to the fields now, and her son hasn't seen anyone.

They've been lifted over a fence, an electric fence, carried 70 yards across a field, then over and two locked gates - must be beeks, I'd have thought.

Ah well!

Tell the Police tomorrow.

Not necessarily. Sub stations get the copper cable nicked by non electricians despite the danger that normal citizens see.

 

[planbee]

The last time I visited was when I got stung behind the ear in 2009!

I know it's a long time ago, but I was advised not to go there again.

Anaphalactic shock is most unpleasant - your lungs fill with fluid, and you drown yourself.

They do some rather nasty things to you when they get you to Hosp - tubes into just about every orifice, and when they think that they are running out of orifii, they get big needles, and create more!

My memory has been quite badly affected, and I'm told that it's because I was dead for "quite a time", in the field - a lady whose farmhouse almost overlooks the field, told me that the Medi-Vac was waiting, with blades turning, for over an hour before they carried me across the field, and into it.

Two Paramedic vehicles, one ambulance, one helicopter, three police car crews looking for me, [I, and the hives, were out of sight of the road], plus several people from the nearby Fire & Rescue Headquarters - I'm a very lucky man, according to my doctor.

 

[theboynelson]

I'm a very lucky man, according to my doctor.

Yes, I would agree that you are. Some hives going missing is small fry in comparison to what you went through.

I'd like to wish you good luck in the future.

 

[VEG]

no offence but did you really expect them to be there after all that time?
Maybe someone thought they had been abandoned, have you asked the local bee inspector it might be worth a try?

 

[planbee]

Craig,

Yes, I did expect them to be there; they had been there for ten years before my accident, and they were there one year afterwards.

During that time, I never saw any other person there, and they were not stolen, or interefered with.

Why would anybody think that they had been abandoned, hives spend most of their time unattended, and the absence of beeks, isn't a sign that things are abandoned.

Occasionally, you catch a glimpse of a beehive when travelling about, but if there isn't anyone in attendance, you don't think "abandoned"

To reach mine, you have to turn off an "A" road, travel along a private road for about 300 yds, park, then climb over two locked steel gates.

Then walk another 100yds, and there is a rise in the ground between the gates and the hives, so nothing can be seen from the parking place, [that's why my rescuers couldn't see me], plus the field is usually full of cows - then tackle a multi "stringed" electric fence, and a wooden fence.

The farmer knew what had happened to me, and that although I had not visited, [not to go close up, that is], she knew that I was, eventually, going to dispose of them.

Somebody, from this forum I believe, did go and visit, soon after the accident, with a view to purchase, but decided not to go ahead with it.

 

[Beauhawk]

- I'm a very lucky man, according to my doctor.

I am glad you have recovered and welcome back. Sorry to hear about the theft - some nasties around...

I assume you have given up with the bees - what do you do now? Do you have a Plan C?

 

[planbee]

Yes, I have a new hobby - I took on an allotment in October 2011.

Quite overgrown, and last year, just about now, the rains came, of course, and it rained for what seemed, forever!

Anyway, somebody put a tractor and plough through it for me, and then it was rotovated.

At the moment, it's about two thirds under cultivation, [no bee attracting plants!], and the rest should be planted up soon - it's been late this year, of course, so I presume the bee's have also been late.

Most stuff is given away, I'm a widower, and my daughters live miles away, and I eat out most days - no washing up!

And in the Winters, I've been building a small model railway in "OO" gauge.

I did consider, and still am, producing hive stuff - perhaps some nucs to start with?

 

[theboynelson]

Most stuff is given away, I'm a widower, and my daughters live miles away, and I eat out most days - no washing up!

Allotments aren't just about food, I knew someone who turned one into a tobacco plantation, he would smoke 20 a day & never had to buy them. Admittedly he did say that the tobacco was "unique & distinctive". Any other smokers would only try it the once!

 

[pargyle]

Allotments aren't just about food, I knew someone who turned one into a tobacco plantation, he would smoke 20 a day & never had to buy them. Admittedly he did say that the tobacco was "unique & distinctive". Any other smokers would only try it the once!

Hmmm ... it didn't have leaves a bit like a Maple tree with jagged edges did it ? Very distinctive aroma and unique properties when smoked ???

 

[planbee]

The police came banging on a front about two doors along, one Sunday afternoon last year, and removed 65 "Morrisons" flower buckets, each containing a LARGE plant of that type!

Apparently, the occupant, who very much keeps himself to himself, [now we know why!], had taken them out in the Sunshine, on the first, really sunny, days of the year.

I am told that UV causes the leaves to reflect back out at a wavelength different to any other plants - and with an appropriate filter on the camera lens - that's how they got him!

 

[jxl98c]

I wonder if bees can make honey from those plants...

 

[pargyle]

I wonder if bees can make honey from those plants...

Nahh .... they'd be as high as a kite - never get back to the hive, stay out partying !

 

[jxl98c]

Nahh .... they'd be as high as a kite - never get back to the hive, stay out partying !

That's true - and I don't think my feeder will fit a kebab.

 

[theboynelson]

Hmmm ... it didn't have leaves a bit like a Maple tree with jagged edges did it ? Very distinctive aroma and unique properties when smoked ???

Nope, it wasn't that at all, it was just plain old poisonous tobacco........I think

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wonder if bees can make honey from those plants...

Doesn't rerally matter anyway - they'd only get the munchies and polish the lot off