Buzz off: hive thieves cashing in on thriving beekeeping market
Thieves are cashing in on an increasingly lucrative beekeeping market by snatching entire hives, with 135 reported thefts over the past six years.
New figures show that hundreds of thousands of bees have been taken from apiaries across England and Wales since 2011.
Queen bees of certain strains can fetch up to £180, fuelling speculation that the price tag has motivated the surge in thefts.
Martin Smith, public affairs manager at the British Beekeepers’ Association, said: “As beekeeping has grown in popularity in recent years, it has become more visible to the general public.
“In addition, more people have decided to come into the craft as complete novices.”
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photo credit: Rob.Bertholf