topic Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises in Community Spirit

Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

icyfroth — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:47:18 GMT

A Queensland beekeeper's club has become the latest to be stung by hive hustlers keen to capitalise on increasing honey prices.

Not even the threat of 240,000 bees put off the sticky-handed bandits who reportedly stole 12 hives containing more than 480kg of honey.

That's probably because the rewards are sweet, with the haul potentially netting almost $2000 as wholesale honey prices reach $4 a kilogram, the highest in years, due to harsh weather conditions wreaking havoc on production.

The alleged theft has devastated the Ipswich & West Moreton Beekeepers' Association which uses its honey for charitable pursuits, although president Benita Ironside says the crime isn't uncommon.

"The honey's worth the money," she said.

Ms Ironside said the hives, stolen from a private property near Ipswich, west of Brisbane, last week each contained between 40kg and 60kg of honey and some 20,000 to 30,000 bees.

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council executive director Trevor Weatherhead speculated part-time beekeepers with a ute were likely behind the crime.

Mr Weatherhead said the threat of hive theft was a concern for Australian beekeepers already stung by less than ideal production conditions.

Hot weather combined with drought and bushfires were likely to halve Australia's annual honey production to 14,000 tonnes this year, he said.

"You get these grubs who do this sort of thing," he said, adding many beekeepers were insured against theft.

"You definitely worry, you don't want to lose your income."

One Queensland beekeeper lost a lot more than his income over honey.

In 2007, Sunshine Coast man Tony Knight was fatally shot as he slept by fellow beekeeper Donald Robert Alcock, who wanted to steal his honey.

Alcock is serving a life sentence for the murder.

Sticky-handed bandits, haw haw. Reporters love nothing more than a pun, do they?

But really, I didn't realise that honey was such a valuable commodity. It takes me nearly a year to go through the smallest jar of honey I can buy. And that's only to make honey-glazed carrots!

Wouldn't you hate getting your bees pinched!

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

somecoinstohelpcharities — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 12:48:28 GMT

I hope the cops carry out a sting. Those crooks need to be stung!

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

freakiness — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 13:12:00 GMT

Who'd a thunk bee keeping could be so underworld?

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

lloydslights — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 23:03:26 GMT

I spoke with a beekeeper a couple of months ago when I saw his ute loaded with bees wax. Apparently it was worth more than the honey!

Something to do with the makeup industry?

DEB

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

icyfroth — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 23:37:06 GMT

Got this bee in my bonnet about honey now:

Boneco the donkey creates a buzz in his customised beekeeper suit

IN A look that’s certainly creating a lot of buzz a Brazilian donkey has been fitted out in his own beekeeping suit to help collect honey.

Manuel Juraci, 59, designed the head-to-toe suit for Boneco, his trusted donkey, Mail Online reported.

According to Mr Juraci the suit has helped contribute to the pair being able to harvest nine litres of honey every day, which he says far outstrips the daily production of most beekeepers in the region.

“The donkey is the only one in the entire Brazil that does this job,” Mr Juraci told Brazilian television station, G1 Ceara.

The Mail reported that Mr Juraci has been approached by the Association of Honey Producers to ask if he can make more of the suits for their animals. He is said to be considering the offer.

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

freakiness — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 23:46:01 GMT

I wouldn't like to run into them in a dark alley

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

icyfroth — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 23:51:27 GMT

wouldn't suit me either, freaks, lol

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

annies_fancy_dress — Thu, 01 May 2014 04:06:23 GMT

Shoot!!!

It's not drug wars it's HONEY wars!

Sheesh, what is the world coming to??

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

jimmy*part4 — Thu, 01 May 2014 04:24:21 GMT

As a class Bee felony getting only a year will be a sweet deal.

The police said they'll comb the neighbourhood, but figured they'd slip through the net.

They're hoping the catch them in a sting operation.

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

icyfroth — Thu, 01 May 2014 04:39:06 GMT

they cast a donkey vote as to would bee the arresting officer

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

jimmy*part4 — Thu, 01 May 2014 04:50:38 GMT

they cast a donkey vote as to would bee the arresting officer.

But then decided they'd all swarm the neighborhood and Be keeping an eye out.

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

electric*mayhem*band — Thu, 01 May 2014 04:59:14 GMT

@*jimmy1717* wrote:

But then decided they'd all swarm the neighborhood and Be keeping an eye out.

Aw buzz off, Jimmy.

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

jimmy*part4 — Thu, 01 May 2014 05:15:03 GMT

@electric*mayhem*band wrote:
@*jimmy1717* wrote:

But then decided they'd all swarm the neighborhood and Be keeping an eye out.

Aw buzz off, Jimmy.

Sorry, I didn't mean to Drone on!

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

patchoo78 — Thu, 01 May 2014 12:41:10 GMT

Good luck to them... Beekeeping isn't as simple as just buying a hive and some bees and sticking it in your backyard...

There are a lot of diseases that can infect hives and kill bees really quickly; there is also the problem of "robbing" Robbing is a situation in which a beehive is attacked by invaders from other hives.

It also helps to have a honey spinner to extract the honey from the comb.. Oh and you actually have to feed them, they don't live off pollen

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

soul_art — Thu, 01 May 2014 23:44:29 GMT

We have bee keepers bring their hives here when the macadamias are flowering, buzzz buzzz, they can be quite loud lol.

I sometimes swap plants for honey...yummmmm. but I do have to remember to have the car windows shut when I'm driving up my road !

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

icyfroth — Fri, 02 May 2014 00:46:24 GMT

@patchoo78 wrote:
Good luck to them... Beekeeping isn't as simple as just buying a hive and some bees and sticking it in your backyard...
There are a lot of diseases that can infect hives and kill bees really quickly; there is also the problem of "robbing" Robbing is a situation in which a beehive is attacked by invaders from other hives.

It also helps to have a honey spinner to extract the honey from the comb.. Oh and you actually have to feed them, they don't live off pollen

What do they live off then?

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

cherry*135 — Fri, 02 May 2014 07:04:58 GMT

Pollen for protein and nutrients
Nectar for energy and carbohydrates

Man-made - sugar syrup, protein cakes

Professional apiarists move their hives to where there is natural food source. Weather conditions have an effect on whether the season is good or not.

Backyard bee-keepers would probably have to feed them.

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

cherry*135 — Fri, 02 May 2014 07:07:21 GMT

Move their hives around that should read.

Re: Bee Hives Stolen As Price Of Honey Rises

icyfroth — Fri, 02 May 2014 10:26:11 GMT

Well there ya go.

Never thought about the production of honey in such depth.