Bees on their hive.
Drawing.
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Harald Matern - PixaBay
In a few days, 157 beehives were stolen in Occitania, mainly in Haute-Garonne.
Beekeepers suspect specialists while the scarcity of bees is causing the price of colonies to skyrocket.
Denis Sapène, one of the victims, saw fifty of his hives fly away and estimates the damage at 10,000 euros.
“In forty years of work, I have never seen that!
Only the plinths remained.
»Denis Sapène, professional beekeeper north-west of Toulouse, almost had to pinch himself: his hives, fifty in all installed in two different meadows of Thil and Grès, flew in the space of a weekend, “Between Friday evening and last Sunday”.
The extent of the theft is such that it cannot be a case of theft of opportunity.
“You have to come with a truck at night so as not to lose foragers, and load the crates,” lists the victim.
In short, you must have prepared your shot.
And master beekeeping techniques, or even be downright specialized in raiding apiaries.
Especially since Denis Sapène was not the only target.
“In the space of a few days, five thefts of beehives were committed in Haute-Garonne, and another in Gard […] In total the thief (s) stole 157 beehives ready to produce honey for four beekeepers, ”warns Olivier Fernandez, president of the Syndicate of beekeepers in Occitania.
A price of swarms that climbs and entices
The specialists are not very surprised: “In recent years, the degradation of the bee's environment has resulted in mortality rates exceeding 35% in France.
As a result, the price of the swarms, before they produce, increases, ”explains the union.
"At 200 euros per hive, do the count, I lost 10,000 euros", calculates the beekeeper of the Save valley.
Obviously, since he had never seen this before, he didn't think his hives were insured against theft.
“I'm going to have to work extra hard to rebuild the herd,” he says.
I am approaching retirement but I dare not imagine the disaster if it happens to a young person who has just settled down ”.
A web page to identify thefts
The phenomenon is all the more annoying as the beekeepers' union suspects the thieves of belonging to their community.
"It is now most often dishonest beekeepers who steal to replenish their winter losses or for resale," he said in a statement.
Our bees file
Stung, the professional organization decided to be "intractable".
She calls on beekeepers to be extra vigilant and to report stolen hives on her website.
It has also enlisted the services of a lawyer to support victims in their efforts and will eventually become a civil party in the cases.
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