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Saturday, October 15, 2011

Thoughtless Vandals Damage Blue Heron Hives

We are so sad to report that the Blue Heron hives have been vandalized by someone who apparently sought to steal honey.  Julia's hive was the only hive in the apiary that actually had honey.  The vandals removed her honey super and took three frames of honey away with them.  They then left all of the hives at Blue Heron opened up to the elements.

I'm sure bees died.

These hives are not in a good location.  They are not doing well and we feel violated as the hives have been, not to mention really discouraged.

Tomorrow I am moving what is left of my hive into a nuc and bringing it home for the winter.  In the spring I'll either move it back to Blue Heron or start over there with a new hive.

The best part of the Blue Heron project is that I have something special to do with Julia and with Noah.  Also the Blue Heron hives are a great central location for teaching new beekeepers about hive inspections and these hives have been important in that program for the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers.

But.....it's hard to get invested in those hives when we've now had the hives destroyed in two of the four years we've been there - first by flood and now by some thoughtless person.

Although Noah ventured the thought that perhaps someone thought that if the hives are at a public garden, then the honey is for the public to take.  I thought that was incredibly generous of him.

I personally have mean and ugly thoughts about the vandal.

Julia took these pictures when she went to survey the damage:

12 comments:

  1. Thanks - it's so sad - the bees are doing a public service there on so many levels - they pollinate a public garden, they help people get less scared of them, they are educational for new beekeepers - that one selfish, thoughtless person could do this kind of damage is beyond comprehension.

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  2. Would a game camera be possible there?

    How sad. I have had to delete three ugly thoughts I don't want to send to the universe so I will just say I am so sorry. I am glad they were checked on when they were.

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  3. I am so sorry to hear this. I think it would hurt less if it were a bear or other critter trying to eat - rather than a human - whom we would hope would know better. Good luck with the redistribution into the nuc.

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  4. This is heartbreaking after all the care you, Julia, and Noah have put into those hives. Such despicable behavior is hard to take. I like Julia's cable lock solution and hope it keeps the hives safe.

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  5. Linda,

    This is so sad, people in this world can be so cruel! Hope you sort things out and the nuk does ok. I have a friend outside of Chapel Hill, NC that a bear destroyed his hive this spring, it was a mess.

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  6. I could take a bear better than a human. It's so hurtful that someone could care so little about the bees they are disturbing/destroying. Reminds me that we had a marauder at Blue Heron at the beginning of the year http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2011/01/mysterious-marauder-at-blue-heron.html but they didn't try to destroy the bees.

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  7. Sorry to hear about this.

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  8. I am so very sorry for you and Noah, and the bees...
    Perhaps it is time for higher security, or at least a night vision camera to monitor the activity.
    The Primos TRUTH Cam 60
    -is one that I have had recommended to me by locals to try and capture the wildlife in our area. If it is a bear, then you will know.

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  9. I understand why you feel violated. It makes me mad too.

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  10. Linda,
    You called the vandals "thoughtless" but I'd bet they put a lot of thought into stealing from you. A thoughtless vandal might knock over a hive or other wise damage it but to steal a supper of honey takes thought and planning. Call it what it is: theft and vandalism.

    --Mike
    schomestead.com

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  11. This is really upsetting. I don't know what is wrong with some people. I can only hope that the bees took revenge and stung these thieves. I am so sorry that happened.

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