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Poaching swarms by traping/ beek respectiful

16K views 35 replies 20 participants last post by  Phoebee 
#1 ·
Is there a moral code about setting bait hives near another beeks yard but has landowner permission (diffrent landowner) beek a real donkey. Is all fair got away,yours when u catch it.or is ojust messed up. Im ganna run 3 traplines through town but i dont really want anybody to think im singling there swarms out. But the two i disfavor shaft new bee havers all year there the kind that messes up buy local tell me what u think
 
#3 ·
I will gladly give your the address of all of Charlie B's and BayHighlandsBees apiary sites. There is definitely nothing immoral about setting a big trapline around these two guys sites.
 
#4 ·
My opinion...

Beekeeping INCLUDES SWARM MANAGEMENT. If you have permission to trap BEES on a particular piece of land and it's situated near an apiary, as long as you stay on the land you have permission for, what's the problem? The beekeeper tending the apiary should do his/her best to maintain their hives and makes splits if they want more stock. After all, trapping a swarm isn't like you're going into their hives, pulling frames and making splits. If anything, you're doing a public service by providing potential habitat that a swarm sees as favorable and saving that poor person down the road time and money from having to hire someone to do a removal or cutout.
 
#5 ·
You can't poach something that doesn't belong to anyone. As long as you aren't on someone's property w/out their permission you aren't taking anything which really belongs to someone else. Which doesn't mean the beekeeper where the swarm came from will see it that way.

I saw a swarm trap across the road from the entrance to one of my yards. My first thought was "You sob." Then I thought, "Good for you. Good luck. Someone aught to get the bees I lose should any of my hives swarm."

If someone objects they should set up their own traps.
 
#10 ·
Good point. I've always thought there should be no big deal in placing swarm traps near another guy's yard. They're not actually a 'trap', and they don't cause bees to swarm, so what's the harm? If the bees aren't swarming, then a trap is not going to make a difference. And as you say, better in the hands of a beekeeper, than on the property of someone with an allergy - or a tendency to scream for new legislation banning beekeeping.


Adam
 
#7 ·
I wouldn't put a wall of swarm traps on another beeks property line, but if catch one of there swarms it is fair game. Otherwise Odfrank would be bee-less.

I think that you are better off putting swarm traps in good places for bees to scout versus near another apiary. If the beek is on top of his hives they may not have many swarms, but if you have your bait hives in good locations for bees you may get feral swarms or swarms from hives that you didn't know existed.
 
#13 ·
Possesion establishes ownership. Once your bees leave your possesion you no longer own them, so if they go into someone elses trap they belong to the person whose trap they enter.

Who owns the swarm that hangs 40 feet off the ground from the branch of a tree? Those bees belong to the Universe, imo.
 
#15 ·
I understand what you write.

As an Apiary Inspector, whenever we found an Apiary to be abandoned by its registered beekeeper the point of view of thge Dept. was that the bees and equipment then belonged to the landowner. Who else would one see as thge owner of something on someones property?

As a beekeeper, my point of view, if a swarm takes up residence in the wall of someone's house, is that those bees are theirs. It may be assumed that they came from my hives and, as a good neighbor, I would help get them out of their wall. But, I am not legally responsible for those bees.

Bees being wild untamed animals will go wherever they will. It is my responsibility to minimize their swarming so as to not lose production and also to not have negative impact on my neighbors, whatever that might be.

"they would come a knock'in..."? Hopefully not like my Son did in Iraq. ;)
 
#16 ·
Great points here, and I agree, swarms are fair game for everyone. Heck I would be happy if someone trapped a swarm from my hives, better it goes to someone who will use them rather than going into someone's wall only to be killed by the owner or a pest control company.
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the info guys im ganna put them at places ive caught swsrms previous years ive been meaning to do this long time but never had time. This year im ganna put out over 30 some people that hust let theres.swarm let me putem in there yards and some people found out how many swams me and my mentor/buddy collected and they wanna shoot me.lol
 
#22 ·
BG,

I've had several swarm, I think two or three that I'm aware of. I worked hard this spring to keep the brood nest open depriving Olly of any possible victory. Let me know when you go to Olly's, I'll meet you there. I want to make a video of our visit and post it on Beesource.
 
#23 ·
I know the original post was about trapping swarms, but I just wanted to say that Maine's law states that it is unlawful to enter onto a persons land to remove swarms without the permission of the land owner. I take that to mean that you could go into someones bee yard to catch swarms with permission . I actually pulled into one of my yards this spring to find someone in the process of catching a swarm. I was ripped. But I ended up letting him have it ,I just told him don't come back .
 
#26 ·
bees1st, What is your thought on a landowner catching swarms from rented hives pollenating his blueberries? My first thought when I heard about it was it didn't seem quite right, but when the commercial hives left they left several swarms in the bushes right in front of the hives. At that point I thought the land owner was in the right and at least some of those swarms were saved.
 
#31 · (Edited)
Coopermaple, Sometimes these bigger operations pick up their hives when there is flight. Those bees left behind may not be swarms ! Down East alot of pollination is done by bees which are sent up,and spread by the blueberry company. The beekeeper may or may not come to Maine at all. Some days it's not unusal to see 50 swarms while driving around.Some bees in the mid coast are spread be the beekeeper and when their down the head home only to return when the bloom is finished.They have no intention of catching swarms.
 
#32 ·
Sorry guys, but you need to rethink this. It isn't my intention to offend you, but most of your arguments are what cattle rustlers and cattle theft people used on their neighbors back in the day. Well if it's really your cow, how did it get out of the corral? I don't see your brand on this cow, so it's mine now. People do that with cows, dogs, chickens and it IS theft.

There's no reason it should be any different because its bees when every other kind of animal it would be considered theft.

There's also the thought that people ARE fragile creatures. If you take away a man's horse or cow, he can really suffer from it. Even if we have technology around, we can still suffer.
 
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