| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| ksia |
Bee rustlingWho'da thought it:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8077303.stm |
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| Sally |
 
Devastating! |
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| Jamanda |
Didn't Ginkotree say the reason she'd got geese was because of hives being stolen in the area? | ||
| Lorrainelovesplants |
We have a friend in Looe (South East Cornwall) who knows of an incident where bees were illegally taken by a head chappy of a well known bee group. Big legal battle ensued but insufficient proof - case dropped. believe he was from Devon.
I have branded all the wooden bits in my hives. It is inevitable that this will keep happening - have you priced hives and their parts? Good business for thieves. |
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| Jamanda |
Ooooo! Come on - more details please! 
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| Lorrainelovesplants |
Dont know any more than that. Will try to prise more info out of her. I think the guy who told her this was the bee instructor at Duchy Colege Stoke Climsland. | ||
| Nick |
Time to fit a barcode scanner at the entrance to count them all out and back in again? | ||
| Northern_Lad |
At least they're all barcoded up already. |
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| Jamanda |
What does he instruct them to do? |
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| Ginkotree |
Its such a shame that this is happening , it really shows what my mentor has been saying that there are two types of people who keep bees, those that care about the bees and those that are in it just for the honey.
I think branding the hive is a good idea. |
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| Lorrainelovesplants |
instructor at Duchy College does a beekeeping course. | ||
| Mrs Baggins |
Shocking. I am moving my geese in with my bees and branding my nice new hives sounds like an excellent idea...
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| Lorrainelovesplants |
Branding is better than painting (which they can just paint over). And pinning a name and address of owner slip on the inside of te lid also discourages the 'Oh, I thought the hive was abandoned' one, which has been tried down here on those of us who farm hives out to the rape fields or heather areas on the moors. | ||
| Mrs Baggins |
Lorraine - Can't they just paint over branding too? I have no marks at all on my nice new Nationals and you can see them from the lane past the top fieald as you drive by.
The geese were supposed to go up there today - always a good deterrent (esp 3 ganders...) but I was so tired I have postponed it til tomorrow. Wait and see - mine'll get nicked tonight!
(I won't be laughing if they do!) |
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| goosey |
I'll keep my fingers crossed no-one sees them tonight!
Remember when ppl disguised their compost bins as WBCs? Perhaps we can disguise our hives as compost bins. Or in Richard's and my case, put some potted geraniums on top as per plant troughs. We've got to be ahead of these nasty thieves. 
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| dpack |
get rufty tufty bees ? | ||
| goosey |
Good idea dpack .. and beekeeping used to be such a nice peaceful thing (sigh) | ||
| Lorrainelovesplants |
I brand inside the box, s inside the lid, brood box and supers. No-one paints inside, only outside, so if recovered bee hives are examined it would immediately raise suspicion. Also, when branding, press the iron into thewood to leave indents.
On the outside of my brood box its marked really well, possibly with a router or something, I use a dremel and then burn it in. Not bothered about frames - too much hassle. Also keep a photoraphic record. |
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| goosey |
What do you use as branding irons? Do ironmongers sell alphabets, so we can put on our initials? Or do you just heat a poker and do it freehand? Thanks
As I am making my hives, I might put in something secret, to identify them later. |
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| Mrs Baggins |
Hmph! Got those already! I pity the fool who tries to nick my girls.
Some great ideas there Lorraine - thx! I wish I had had this conversation before I put my rufty tufty bees in there... 
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| Lorrainelovesplants |
Sorry, its the retired police officer in me 
For garden sheds also paste newspaper on the nside of the window (lets some light in, but keeps nosy folk out. Also remove screws on hinges and replace with bolts. Cant be bothered? then drill out the screw heads.... OH got some thick copper pipe bashed the ends flat, drilled through and bolted these onto the inside of the windows in our large shed with all the equipment/tractors in it. His biggest seller just now is decorative security grilles for windows and doors...........crime has come to Cornwall. |
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| Mrs Baggins |
Sadly crime is everywhere Lorraine. I think your bars for the shed windows is a great idea. Big thumbs up!
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| Lorrainelovesplants |
Seriously - opportunist crime is a big thing lately - even in our tiny village. And lambs have gone missing too........
OH has found 2 working security cameras at the local auction (cost a fiver) and is wiring these up for installation. Awful, but necessary to try any deterrant. |
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| Mrs Baggins |
Some ppl would steal anything if it wasn't nailed down. They don't care how hard you worked for whatever they see fit to nick or care about the impact it might have on your livelihood. It makes me sick.
Okay. Off my soap box now.
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| beean |
It's appalling.
I comfort myself with the idea that (a) bee-hives are much less likely to get nicked than cars/oil tanks/etc, and (b) my knackered old Smith's aren't worth anything to anyone else. |
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| goosey |
Be careful of 'visitors' you might have too.
Last year this place was up for sale, and ppl came viewing. 2 weeks later, noticed the chain saw was missing. One of them must've come back later. But how to prove it? Could have been passing thief, but the saw was not very obvious at the time. Everything is chained up now. A nuisance, but better than losing it.  If anyone steals my hive....... 
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| Ginkotree |
It is a difficult subject, wanting to share ,hosting the bee meetings so have to publisize that we welcome folk but wanting to be secure at the same time...vunerable in a way but have dogs, geese and a fair amount of trusted people about most of the time. |