Beekeepers stung by hive rustlers

Beekeepers hit by pestilence and poor weather are being warned to protect their hives from rustlers as thefts rise because of a national shortage of bees.

The sharp decline in Britain's honeybee population following the arrival of varroa mites and two consecutive harsh winters has led to premium prices for top-quality bees and a black market trade in stolen hives.

Thefts of hives have been reported all over England. In the latest incident, more than a million bees were taken from a strawberry farm near Telford, Shropshire.

Experts believe the bees may have been stolen to order, destined for beekeepers whose own hives have failed. Prices for second-hand hives have soared from £30 ($76) to more than £200 ($505). The culprits may be beekeepers themselves, as, according to Tim Lovett, president of the British Beekeepers Association, "to steal bees, you have to know what you are doing."

Commercial bee farmer and theft victim Marieanne Lindsey said: "The beekeeping world used to be like a Harry Potter underworld of beekeepers who all knew one another. To steal someone's honeybees is like stealing their dog."

- OBSERVER