Beekeeping chit chat

Mad Benny

The beekeeper should be insured. If you ask for their insurance details they will take your concerns seriously.

Please don't use petrol. The problem can be easily solved by moving the bees to a more suitable location.

greysides

Mad Benny wrote: »

The beekeeper should be insured. If you ask for their insurance details they will take your concerns seriously.

Please don't use petrol. The problem can be easily solved by moving the bees to a more suitable location.

That would be killing the bees for the actions of their miscreant owner. Hardly fair! There has to be other courses of action.

If there's any other beekeepers/beekeepers group locally, they may be able to help. Otherwise, bees are livestock and the Dept of Ag. may be able to help. Or Teagasc, as I understand they have some involvement in Beekeeping.

Spacecowboy30

Thanks for the replies. I probably won't go the petrol route! I will see if I can find any information relating to the Dept of Agriculture. They may be able to help. We need to do something as it can't continue like this. Communicating with the beekeeper doesn't help in this situation.

yosemitesam1

greysides wrote: »

If there's any other beekeepers/beekeepers group locally, they may be able to help. Otherwise, bees are livestock and the Dept of Ag. may be able to help. Or Teagasc, as I understand they have some involvement in Beekeeping.

There is nothing that any of those can do. They have zero authority in this regard.

Danzy

I think asking the bee keeper and the land owner for insurance details will send a clear message.

He sounds like an awful pric8 and a bad handler of bees.

<Mod snip>

Certainly making a complaint to the Guards about it, just to send a message, maybe a solicitor letter. It shows that your looking at resolving this. It's not a criminal offence, probably, but who would want a Guard calling to the door.

It would be tough on the bees but..

If they are taking 2 or 3 days to settle down after inspection, that's a volatile and angry apiary, whether by handling or breeding.

I've a dozen hives out back in my home apiary and would requeen any hive like those quickly.

Mod: Until someone convinces me otherwise, those bees are someone's property. Suggesting killing them is akin to shooting cattle that stray. Sounds like the owner needs a come-upance but it would be best to have a legal basis, and certainly if it's suggested here, it better have a legal basis.

greysides

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

There is nothing that any of those can do. They have zero authority in this regard.

You're most likely correct but if the people working in those institutions are "bee people" they may have useful contacts.

ezra_

Spacecowboy30 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I probably won't go the petrol route! I will see if I can find any information relating to the Dept of Agriculture. They may be able to help. We need to do something as it can't continue like this. Communicating with the beekeeper doesn't help in this situation.

The local beekeeper association will probably know who he is, either directly or indirectly.

Passing a message that a solicitor's letter is to be expected, along with recovery of damages may get his attention. Should he ignore it, then this route may be an option.

Generally, the case law with animals is that if they cause damage, the owner is responsible. There is a niche body of case law with regards to bees, but it follows the general rule. So long as you aren't going at the hives, you have the right to enjoy your garden in peace. Something to consider - you'd need a good solicitor though and one who was familiar with animal related tort.

The department probably won't do anything but a complaint (include the location of the field and the number of hives) is free to make and starts to create a chain of evidence.

Don't go near the bees - two wrongs don't make a right, they just help solicitors upgrade their German cars.

greysides

One thought about the Dept: They would be responsible for looking out for bee diseases (Variola mite/ Asian hornets) and, at the risk of showing my ignorance, if the right person were contacted, maybe a hive inspection could be an excuse for waking this up....


(It can happen like that with cattle.)

Spacecowboy30

No, we have no intention of going near the hives to cause damage or otherwise. I would rather go the reporting route and see if that can set something in motion to change things. Our lives are miserable because of this situation as we are constantly (during the active bee season) trying to make judgements on whether or not it is safe to go outside.

It is very unfair on the children as they have had to make a lot of adjustments at short notice if it isn't possible to play in the garden.

I appreciate all of the advice.

yosemitesam1

greysides wrote: »

One thought about the Dept: They would be responsible for looking out for bee diseases (Variola mite/ Asian hornets) and, at the risk of showing my ignorance, if the right person were contacted, maybe a hive inspection could be an excuse for waking this up....


(It can happen like that with cattle.)

It's very much the wild west out there with bees. Pretty much the only thing they would look into is antibiotics in honey otherwise they dont want to know

Thud

Tell him you need his Insurance details to cover the veterinary bills.
If he is a FIBKA member he should have insurance through them. I don’t know anyone who has had to claim through that but either his premium will go up or FIBKA will tell him to cop on and move them.
If he’s not insured threaten legal action (for expenses and stress)if he doesn’t move them.

Dept of agriculture is all voluntary unless you report a disease in hive or in his honey

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9e1ff-beekeeping-honey/

Opened up a queenless hive today to kill of the Queen cells and found this.
Killed them off a they were hybrids.
Would have been a whopper of a queen if she was right.
Hives belong to someone else but on my land.

Danzy

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Opened up a queenless hive today to kill of the Queen cells and found this.
Killed them off a they were hybrids.
Would have been a whopper of a queen if she was right.
Hives belong to someone else but on my land.

Wow

yosemitesam1

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Opened up a queenless hive today to kill of the Queen cells and found this.
Killed them off a they were hybrids.
Would have been a whopper of a queen if she was right.
Hives belong to someone else but on my land.

Those arent viable, don't know why hives make them

DonkeyDick1992

hi I am just wondering if anyone would have any idea on how to remove a hive in our attic? the queen has left the hive and swarmed a few days ago. we had a local bee keeper out to look and he has told us the heat over last week had melted the honey and all the combs dropped, as a result the honey is running down the walls, he recommends to kill all the bees and then remove is there any way to entice the bees to leave before we remove the combs, I read on google that cinnamon may be good to try get them to leave before we try clean up the mess

Mellifera

Is there still a honey flow in your area? Reckon it's close to complete here in the south.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120866892#Comment_120866892

Too wet for the bees to be flying.

Thud

you're both replying to a post from 2021

peterofthebr

It's 2024, maybe some are still following this thread.

I'm only thinking aloud but could I put a bee apiary in an area thats unused, it's soft ground and rushes are doing well there. …it's on about 1/2 acre away from cattle(middle of farm) .. lots of black torn trees around hedges , and a bog nearby (6acres) grown over not used since 1950s lots of wild flowers growing. As I don't see many bees on the farm for some reason I was just thinking could it bee a additional source of income on the farm? What's the rough costs for setting one up and production costs(extraction for sale in line with food standards).I'd assume I'd be selling it in jars at local farmers market. Etc..

Thanks

dditional farm income)?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122832911#Comment_122832911

Maybe contact your local bee keeping club to see if anyone wants to put hives out on the land( for free).

It's time and money and you may loose every hive you have . I ordered land , we caught a swarm and it all started from there for me. I've probably lost 4 hives this year. Fresh start next spring with more expense to get bees

Austinbrick

Has anyone put hives around gorse bushes and would this change the type of honey made by the bees. Just wondering as Gorse bush flowers smell of coconut,strangely enough. ( Amazing what you can find out on a walk through the fields. I actually saw one flowering this week but without the scent.)

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122850788#Comment_122850788

If you're on Facebook you might have better luck on Irish beekeeping

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122850788#Comment_122850788

When gorse goes out of bloom, kissing will go out of fashion.

An old saying, cause gorse will always have a few flowers somewhere.

You'll never get honey from it, its not a flow crop or timed right, great for pollen tho.

Near to something for a beehive is under 2 miles.

rje66

Hi, just a quick response. With regards to 'your' income, zero, unless you become a proper beekeeper.

Getting a beekeeper to keep bees on your land, it all depends on , very easy access, 24-7 access, aspect, local forage. But do chat to a local beekeeper, it's a small pool of people, so if it doesn't suit them it might suit a friend. Lots of BKs looking for out apiary s. Where are you based ?.

PM me if you want more info. Regards

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122850955#Comment_122850955

Problem with offering land as an out apiary is that if you show any interest you get handed your first swarm. After that it's a case of empty pockets and your own apiary .

Was out with mine yesterday to give them more fondant 😁

bonart

It’s a great way to keep the tradition going! From what I've seen, the numbers seem to be doing well this year, though it always depends on location and weather.