Author Topic: Bee thieves  (Read 2749 times)

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Offline neillsayers

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Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a
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Offline Wandering Man

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Re: Bee thieves
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2019, 06:10:11 pm »
Thanks for posting this, Neill.

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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Bee thieves
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2019, 08:40:48 pm »
This article breaks my heart.  Beekeepers stealing from beekeepers.   :no:
The young man started with 1500 colonies, some died which left him with 830.  160 were stolen.  GPS tracking devices cost $130 each.  A beekeeper wouldn't have to have a GPS device in every hive.  Scattered through out the truck might be enough to work.  Protection in the almond groves would be a different story.  Perhaps beekeepers supply colonies for the almond bloom should take less money and ask for security.

Offline neillsayers

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Re: Bee thieves
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2019, 11:30:48 pm »
In general, I tend to think of theives as looking for an easy buck. I understand that there is serious money here, but this sounds like hard work. If these theives worked that hard at an honest endeavor, they would be successful and not have to look over their shoulders. Sooner or later karma comes a-calling!  :)
Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a

Offline tecumseh

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Re: Bee thieves
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2019, 06:33:55 am »
and there was a time when you could hardy give a hive away... now you are better to keep them behind a locked gate.

Of course even way back when equipment was stolen but it was almost always a beekeeper's employee...

Seem to be the new age idea that bees are domesticated...  fuzzy thinking????

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Bee thieves
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2019, 10:35:49 am »
The article suggested that the thieves might have been beekeepers that suffered big losses themselves.  Desperate to meet their contractual obligations, they resorted to stealing from fellow beekeepers.   There has to be a cost effective answer.