Hive bandits.....

[SteveSC]

I thought I'd post this since I just talked to a another beekeeper in another county that had 15 hives stolen last week.  Looks like as the bees disappear due to CCD - mites, etc. the value of the hives increase in value due to supply and demand.  The bandits move in ......

http://www.cnbc.com/id/23508961/for/cnbc

[Cindi]

Steve, I think that stealing ranks among one of the worst of crimes, I have zero tolerance for anyone that steels anything, and I know that these bandits will one day get the cumupence (how is that word spelled anyways, hee, hee).  Thou shall not steal.  Have the best of a great and wonderful day, Cindi

[bassman1977]

Hopefully they got stung.   :evil:

[mgates61]

Smear them with surar water and introduce them to a 'HOT" hive.


Mike

[DennisB]

Even made the national news on NPR this morning.

[Michael Bush]

It's worth buying a branding iron...

[poka-bee]

 double duty if you use it on the bandits too!! :evil:

[bassman1977]

It's worth buying a branding iron...

Those suckers are expensive.  I'm going to have to suck it up once I start putting hives on other people's property.   :-\

[poka-bee]

Couldn't you handy guys find a way to make em?  I am in awe reading about all the stuff you guys build & put together!  No ability for this one no how no way..but things that are alive..well thats another story!

[asprince]

This looks reasonable.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Custom-Beehive-Branding-Iron-Hive-Brand-Beekeeping_W0QQitemZ230227636756QQihZ013QQcategoryZ41369QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Jerrymac]

Bee branding iron

[beekybuzzard]

 :-D  Thats funny right there.

[Brian D. Bray]

My hives are located within shooting distance from my bedroom window and I always keep a loaded gun handy.  At 25 yards I don't even have to reach for the shotgun, just grab the pistol.  The fact that the dog likes to sleep in the flowers under the prune tree next to the hives is also a plus.

[Cindi]

Brian, and I bet you are whomping good shot too, your many years in the vocation you were in, good for you!!!  Wish I knew how to shoot a gun....have a wonderful and beautifully great day, Cindi

[JP]

Thievery unless you are starving to death is unacceptable in my book, its one of the most low down things you could ever do to another human being. It is a violation of all the good things that person worked hard for. These thieving types have no conscience, no morals and no ethics and deserve every ounce of bad karma and penalty they get, if not in this world, the next.

...JP

[annette]

I agree JP.  When I was in India many years ago, the place I was staying kept getting robbed.They were stealing food. Well, these people were starving so I can understand this type of robbing.

But this stealing of hives is total insanity. What next????

Annette

[bassman1977]

This looks reasonable.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Custom-Beehive-Branding-Iron-Hive-Brand-Beekeeping_W0QQitemZ230227636756QQihZ013QQcategoryZ41369QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That doesn't look bad at all and probably good for few hives.  It looks to me like it's the sort of branding iron you typically think of and is heated in hot coals.

The ones I've been seeing, such as this one, are a little pricey.

[KONASDAD]

Seems stealing hives in California has become quite common practice these days. Even bees know stealing is less work then working for a living.

http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Thieves_Go_For_Bees_Californian_Beekeepers_On_Alert_14961.html

http://www.dbtechno.com/science/2008/03/10/beekeepers-on-alert-as-thieves-steal-bee-hives/

http://www.kcbs.com/Bee-Hive-Thefts-in-California/1787869

[CapeCod]

May work,,,I could use wireless contacts on it to with a big 30 watt siren.

[bassman1977]

 :-D

Maybe glow in the dark stickers since the theft would most likely occur at night.