Colony of 30,000 bees is lost after fallen tree crushes hive

A BEEKEEPER lost 30,000 bees after 80mph winds blew over a huge tree which crushed a hive.

Simon Greenwood, from Norwich, said that the insects did not stand a chance, because they were hibernating and so could not fly to safety.

The beekeeper lost hundreds of pounds-worth of honey too, just months after he had another 60,000 bees stolen from one of his hives.

Speaking about the latest incident, he said: “The tree must have been the best part of 100ft tall and the roots were about 8ft from the hive.

“It’s another blow after a difficult few months. The theft last year hit me hard and I did think is it all worth it, but decided to carry on.”

It was one of a spate of thefts across the country in recent years, blamed on demand for the best queens among rival beekeepers. Hundreds of thousands of bees have been taken from apiaries across England and Wales since 2011, including 135 entire hives.

Martin Smith, public affairs manager at the British Beekeepers’ Association, said it is a “sad fact” that most hive thefts are “probably undertaken by beekeepers or at least those with a rudimentary knowledge of the craft”.

He added that the rise in popularity of the hobby, and the fact that many people do not go on formal beekeeping courses, has “increased awareness of the opportunity for theft and generated a source of customers and will have undoubtedly increased the numbers of thefts”.

“Beekeeping in general and the price of a colony of bees in particular have risen in cost in recent years. A colony of bees that a few years ago might have sold for £25, can now sell for above £200.”