Beehives Stolen In Germany: Lower Saxony Beekeepers Feel Stung

Two recent beehive thefts in Germany are leaving beekeepers feeling stung.

German authorities are having a honey of a time trying to find out who is stealing beehives.

In recent weeks, at least two entire hives were stolen, complete with thousands of bees, resulting in a severe buzzkill for beekeepers in the Lower Saxony region, according to the German website TheLocal.de.

The burglarized beehives weighed 66 pounds and housed between 10,000 and 15,000 bees, but what bugs the apiarists even more is that each hive is worth hundreds of dollars.

Police in Hidesham -- near where the thefts took place -- believe that the hive thefts were done by experienced beekeepers because. “Amateurs would not know how to deal with a beehive," a statement said.

No word on if a sting operation is planned, but hive thefts seem to breaking out around the world.

Last month, thieves swarmed a Houston restaurant and flew off with a 500-pound colony containing 5,000 bees that was worth an estimated $1,000, according to Mother Nature Network.

Jennifer Scott of the Harris County Beekeepers Association said bees are in short supply and, as a result, beekepers are taking drastic steps to protect their investment.

"Beekeepers are very careful now where they keep their bees, because bees are stolen." Scott told KHOU-TV, adding that many beekeepers are now branding their hives and other equipment to protect themselves from what the industry now calls "bee-rustlers."

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Comments

[jonny dipstick]

10:35 AM on 04/12/2012

Hilarious title. Second, what a weird thing to steal. I mean taking some honey is one thing, but the whole hive?

[lick my feet]

10:21 AM on 04/12/2012

neonicatinoid pesticides cause colony collapse disorder.

yet another example of why republicans dont get that capitalism MUST be regulated. whats so hard to understand about GOOD government vs NO government?

[Tim The Enchanter]

10:31 AM on 04/12/2012

Good government by definition is small, efficient government.

[frank day]

06:06 PM on 04/15/2012

You don't get to make up reality.

Sorry chump.

[Dan Zikursh]

04:22 PM on 04/12/2012

1. I don't even know how to cover a post like that! But I’ll try, lol Neonicatinoid pesticides are the largest contributor to CCD. I agree, But its not the only thing. The vary shallow gene pool of the commercial honey bee industry; Migratory hives, bad beekeeping practices .... lots of things contribute to the problem... I am a Beekeeper…. Neonicatinoid pesticides started being used in the 80's why did this start then? It started in the 70’s got much worse in 06… 100 years ago we had disappearing disease. I think it’s a larger problem, or a natural cycle or both. But you can’t just point the finger at a few studies and say this is it. Its not that simple and its not so clear. The studies are done well but not air tight.

[HazelPethigFan]

11:49 PM on 04/11/2012

The police need to do a sting operation on this one.

[jrgordon47]

09:26 PM on 04/11/2012

I love you video and have always liked the idea of bee's and their vital roll in our existance. I'm somewhat allergic to them but have learned not to panic or torment them. Is this a good field to get involved in since I'm retireing and want something to get into.

[Targetdog]

01:28 PM on 04/11/2012

Why not "lojack" the hives?

[loopsparky]

01:12 PM on 04/11/2012

This story certainly has generated a lot of buzz.

[HazelPethigFan]

11:47 PM on 04/11/2012

please try to bee serious.

[mainecoonkat4]

11:04 AM on 04/11/2012

The amateur-ish writing of the "news" here on this high-school like site is getting more than irritating.

[ArChiMi]

04:05 PM on 04/11/2012

I agree. It is pathetic.

[Blankety mk Blank]

09:29 AM on 04/11/2012

their all in a sticky situation :)

[JEButler]

09:02 AM on 04/11/2012

As a beekeeper I found it pretty amusing that someone would "rustle" hives. Especially when I would help anyone get started in keeping bees or help a fellow beekeeper rebuild their hives. Bees often "split" in June and there will be plenty to share. Actually all you need is a comb with eggs and a bunch of bees and, ...... poof, they will build a hive and a queen.
Also, we all have identifiers for our hives. First off, we all use "our own colors" to paint our hives and I "brand" mine and write my name inside of each chamber. Maybe now I'll start chaining them up to a tree too and I thought my biggest problem was bears ;-).

[jrgordon47]

09:28 PM on 04/11/2012

Tell me more...Obiwan.....

[rikster]

08:58 AM on 04/11/2012

Monsanto=loss of bees and other needed insects.

[HazelPethigFan]

11:52 PM on 04/11/2012

so..you think this is a conspiracy by Monsanto? lol!

really....You need a hobby.

[fesambay]

09:46 PM on 04/10/2012

Bees and the loss of them is no matter to take easily. The world needs every bee it has and then some. The wild hive that usualy does my fruit trees have not been seen this year. Looks like I am now going to become another beekeeper. will not even try for honey to much work. Just let them do what they do and hope they make a lot of queens or learn how to make them make queens.

[JEButler]

08:54 AM on 04/11/2012

Great hobby and never say never. You will take the honey, we all will ;-). Try this site for starters and welcome to the "Hive" "http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm"

[Claudia L]

09:41 PM on 04/10/2012

My son keeps bees in Hilo. His bees were getting sick and dying. He had the comb tested and it came back infected with pesticides. The bees are dying from pesticides and no one will own up cause that means they will have to do something about it and no one wants to sue Monsanto.

[jrgordon47]

09:58 PM on 04/11/2012

Screw Monsanto....they're probably the ones killing the bee's....did you know that if a Monsanto grower plants a field next to a non-Monstersanto and the Monster's corn grows in the non-field the non-grower has to pay Monster for his entire yeld.

No kidding, do a little search, they got the Ag dept, USDA and congrAss (republicking-teabaggers) have made the Monster invincible....That's why they are fighting so hard to prevent true labeling of what we get to eat.....

Fight them on the local level...tell you supermarkets that you won't buy their crap.....

And go for a ride and meet a local farmer, heardsman and buy local.

[JEButler]

08:02 AM on 04/12/2012

Now that is interesting. Corn has never been able to propagate on its own and it would be a huge break through if they found a way to do that with corn. Any farmer capable of accomplishing that would be rich. Yeah, you can throw a hundred ears of corn in a field and you would be extremely luck to get just one stalk from all those kernels.
Now tell the folks that the corn Monsanto plants is patented (DNA is mapped) and the only way another farmer can get the same corn is directly from Monsanto or to steal it , dry it, then strip it off the cob and plant it. Now lets rip those DVD's too.

[Claudia L]

09:50 AM on 04/12/2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGImxChnj44

THIS IS HORRIFYING!

[jrgordon47]

10:06 PM on 04/11/2012

Followup to my comment...did you know that food production and distribution is now under the Defartment of Homeland Un-Security.........................No Bull, Mr Shite...that's Galice

[Claudia L]

11:06 PM on 04/11/2012

What a terrible development. I don't think I can tolerate that -Tolerance becomes a Crime when Applied to Evil.

Thanks for the info F&F

Bou! We're going down fast.

[Claudia L]

09:51 AM on 04/12/2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGImxChnj44

Is this what you mean? I looked it up on your advise.

[cpminline]

06:32 PM on 04/10/2012

I would like to say something about the price of the bees stated---WRONG-- bees are priceless. I wish the decline of bees would attract more attention. I know it seems minor but wouldn't it be a bit8h if humanity starved due to the loss of bees?

[cqdeed]

08:11 PM on 04/10/2012

Those crops requiring pollination by bees will be the first to go. I suspect many crops will make major declines before proper attention is brought on the subject by anyone but beekeepers.

[mipenniesworth]

07:26 AM on 04/11/2012

i agree cqdeed, i have read where the bee population is down so low it already is a danger to food crops. people don't realize that no or few bees is a great part of our food source. they pollinate everything that grow.

[tompolhaus]

06:15 PM on 04/10/2012

The bees need to form a protection group and gang stang the next would be thief.

[Rob LoRusso]

01:28 AM on 04/11/2012

"Gang Stang"?? LOL- now that was funny!. 10 points.

[alexchip192]

05:59 PM on 04/10/2012

Prime suspect - Winny the Poo

[Wayne4750]

07:12 PM on 04/10/2012

Cute, but a big misconception about bears is the fact that when they tear into a hive they are more interested in the bee larva than the honey.

[forksmt]

12:09 PM on 04/11/2012

Take the joke for what it is.