Bee rustlers add to misery of struggling hive owners (UK)

The Beeb ^ | 5/26/13

[llevrok]

Bees have been battling bad weather, loss of habitat and possible pesticide effects but now keepers are facing a new threat - bee-rustling.

Cardiff beekeeper Elaine Spence found one her hives stripped of its honey bee colony in March.

She said she knows of 10 other hives being stolen in the past year by people who need expert knowledge to do it.

BBC Wales' Eye on Wales programme has found a number of hive theft cases although no officials figures are kept.

(snip)

She tells the the current affairs programme of her devastation to discover the theft of one of her colonies.

She said: "I looked at my hive and there was no roof on it. I was lost for words.

Honeybee Honeybees are vital for pollinating crops - a job that would be very costly without them "I lifted what remained of the hive to have a look and it was just empty inside.

"All bee-keepers strive to ensure that their bees last through the winter: you care for them, they're a bit like part of your family, really.

"And to come and find that they have just been taken from you - it was really distressing." (snip)

[llevrok]

Masters of the understatement

"The bees that were taken were a fairly angry lot”

[married21]

Catch the bee-knappers—set up a sting.

[Black Agnes]

New world crops are probably OK without honeybees. Anything that came from Europe or Asia originally might have a problem.

[T-Bird45]

Almost certainly Sherlock Holmes, an avid bee-keeper, is on the case.

[Hardraade]

Let me just ask you a question: how many arab beekeepers in the area??

Here, arabs seem to be moving into and taking over bee products.

[llevrok]

Here, arabs seem to be moving into and taking over bee products.

Makes sense. They mastered the art of flea keeping, now on to bees. Or that's the buzz I hear anyway.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Euglassia Watsonia wouldn't have let this happen.

[martin_fierro]

Bee Banditos

Beetoes?

[combat_boots]

“Al Qaeda - Trade in Honey Is Said to Provide Money and Cover for bin Laden”

by Judith Miller & Jeff Gerth
11 October 2001

http://www.beekeeping.com/articles/us/honey_laden.htm

The honey trade is big in the Arab world

[Charles Martel]

Here, arabs seem to be moving into and taking over bee products.

Well, beekeeping hasn't changed much over the centuries. It's a perfect fit for that crowd.

[dsrtsage]

Wow, their Lassos must be tiny

[bgill]

Bee rustlers!

[Scrambler Bob]

“It’s a perfect fit for that crowd.”

Except it’s one queen and lots of lazy drones.

Lazy drones is right. One honored queen is not.

Where’s the 72 virgin larvae?

[Daffynition]

How do you sneak away with the *goods*?

[Daffynition]

Singular form of rustler.

[supremedoctrine]

I know this is a serious issue for some people, but I’m sorry, “Bee Rustlers add to misery of struggling hive owners”
is the funniest title for an FR thread I have ever read.

[mikrofon]

Ich bin ein Beekeeper

[supremedoctrine]

Yeah, perfect fit. They hate dogs but love bees.
Something about the “menacing swarm” appeals to them.
It’s sort of an analogy for the penetration of Islam into
the West.

[Bratch]

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

From Slim Harpo;
“Well I’m a king bee, buzzing around your hive
Well I’m a king bee, buzzing around your hive
Well I can make honey baby, let me come inside

I’m young and able to buzz all night long
I’m young and able to buzz all night long
Well when you hear me buzzin’ baby, some stinging is going on

(well... buzz a while... sting it then...)

Well I’m a king bee, want you to be my queen
Well I’m a king bee, want you to be my queen
Together we can make honey, the world ever never seen

Well I’m a king bee, can buzz all night long
Well I’m a king bee, can buzz all night long
Well I can buzz better baby, when your man is gone “

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AichHYm-KgU