Just curious about the ethics and legalities of abandoned hives. I know of two yards that haven't seen a beekeeper for two years. Hives are falling over, covers have come off. Both yards have around 40 hives, and from 3 boxes to 5 boxes high. A lot of them are dead but some are still strong. I haven't been close enough to see any identification. With binoculars I can't see anything. They are about 100 yards off of the county road.
I think I'd contact the land owner to find out what the story is with the apparently abandoned hives. Perhaps he'd like them gone too.
Just to add to dfizer's comment, be careful about stolen hives. check out all approach angles. :) d2
^^^ i'd start with the land owners and make eery effort to find the beekeeper or his or her family. could be someone died and the family didn't know where all the yards were or didn't care to do anything with the bees. if you can't find the owner ask the state apiarist and or the county extension agent. i wouldn't take the bees just because the land owner says he or she doesn't know where the beekeeper is. you might end up being an accidental rustler.
I intend to talk to the land owners(2) to see if I can take a look at the yards. Wouldn't think of doing anything without the proper research. Just makes you sick to drive by every day and see more destruction due to neglect.
Not to suggest calling 'the man' but perhaps you should call whatever regulatory agency you have there.
if you have a state bee inspector that would be the best place to start <most of these I have dealt with when you tell them approximately where the hive are located can give you a pretty good idea of exactly who the hive's belong to.
there is at least one bee operation in Montana that evidently has changed generational hands and is currently for sale.... there is a good possibility that the current folks operating that operation (the children) may not even know where all of their father's yard were located.
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Who knows what has happened to the owner.
80 hives is a big heap of money.
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Do you have to brand your hives with a registration number in Montana? If they have a number your state agency could tell you who they belong to.
State apiary inspector-- it's their job "to know". That is what you pay your hive registration fees for. The inspector is the person that "officially" deems a yard abandoned...at least I would think.
I would try to go through the property owner, check the tax records for that parcel of land and see who owns it then see if they know about the hives on the property. Also check the hives for any registration numbers even if it means that you need to take walk over to the hives to scope them out. contacting the state apiary inspector could end up having the hives declared abandoned and then taken by the state. Don't know what the laws are but the hives might end up being destroyed if they are abandoned.
Why not hang a bunch of swarm traps in the area just to see if you catch any free bees while doing the leg work.
I pass these hives that looks abandoned and then they are moved. Just because they don't look pretty says nothing. Better to be safe than sorry and ask first. ;)
Blanc