Bees, so many bees!

[Kadjain]

My neighbors raise bees and they just brought them back to their property. Now the bees have found my coops and come thousands strong everyday. They are all over the feeders completely covering them. They have chewed seals on my custom waterers and now I am repairing equipment that I normally would not have to. This morning I thought every bee from their hives must be in my yard. I have an outdoor brooder for young chicks and there were hundreds of bees inside it. I haven't had any chickens get stung yet but I am getting annoyed. They have 400 acres but I doubt there is a distance far enough that the bees could not find my coops.
Has anyone dealt w this problem before and if so what solution did you find if any?

 

[roseyred]

I would take lots of photos of the damage and situation and confront the people with the bees. If they are not willing to cooperate you'll need legal help. That's the same as if someone dog was pooping on your front porch...but maybe worse. Hopefully they compromise with you. Best of luck

 

[Toddrick]

...or spray your coop walls with Bifenthrin. They won't come back because the ones that decide to visit your coop will die.

 

[centrarchid]

...or spray your coop walls with Bifenthrin. They won't come back because the ones that decide to visit your coop will die.

Things can get interesting if some of the poisoned bees get back to hives to poison sisters ans beekeeper knows who did it.

 

[gawildlife]

Sounds like your in what we call a dearth and it must still be warm. The bees use water to cool the hive and foraging on feed means no natural pollens or a sugar within the feed. Definitely document and speak with the neighbor, please try to get off on the right foot. Not saying you are anything but polite but us beeks to often get confronted by irate neighbors (usually from a mile or so away) because they saw A BEE. But we also know exactly what your going through because we have our own neighbor issues with things like pesticides carelessly applied so if you approach in like manner you're more likely to get his/her full cooperation.
Responsible beeks try to avoid situations like this for obvious reasons. He/she should have set up an alternate water source and possibly an open feeder on his own property prior to moving the bees. Maybe he did and the ladies liked your set up better. Who knows, but I do know this the beek needs to make the effort to change his ladies habits.

How many colonies? I assume the guy is commercial or migratory since you say he just brought them back. If we're talking hundreds of colonies then you got real trouble getting them rehabituated elsewhere. A few dozen and not so hard.

Whatever the case start off with a reasonable approach and see where that gets you. If it doesn't then by all means get him because I'm a firm believer in being good neighbors and it's something I try to drill into all the new beekeepers who come to our short courses.

Beekeeper of 30+ years and president of Henry County Beekeepers Association.

 

[gawildlife]

...or spray your coop walls with Bifenthrin. They won't come back because the ones that decide to visit your coop will die.

Recently a suit down in Florida settled for in excess of 100K for just what you propose. Exactly the same if I shot all your birds for crowing and cackling. Common law history places no barriers on where a honeybee may or may not go.

 

[gawildlife]

FYI the market value of an established colony in my area is 250 and mine are capable of producing 600 worth of honey. Colonies are probably worth even more on the left coast with their pollination market.

 

[gawildlife]

Just checked the label on bifen and guess what control of honeybees is not listed. In general parlance "the label is the law" under the FIFRA or FEDERAL Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. So not only could you face civil liability but federal criminal liability if the state doesn't get you first under their version of pest control act.

edited by staff

 

[Kadjain]

...or spray your coop walls with Bifenthrin. They won't come back because the ones that decide to visit your coop will die.

I don't want to ruin his colonies. The bees are not aggressive and I can work around them w/out being stung so far.

Sounds like your in what we call a dearth and it must still be warm. The bees use water to cool the hive and foraging on feed means no natural pollens or a sugar within the feed. Definitely document and speak with the neighbor, please try to get off on the right foot. Not saying you are anything but polite but us beeks to often get confronted by irate neighbors (usually from a mile or so away) because they saw A BEE. But we also know exactly what your going through because we have our own neighbor issues with things like pesticides carelessly applied so if you approach in like manner you're more likely to get his/her full cooperation.
Responsible beeks try to avoid situations like this for obvious reasons. He/she should have set up an alternate water source and possibly an open feeder on his own property prior to moving the bees. Maybe he did and the ladies liked your set up better. Who knows, but I do know this the beek needs to make the effort to change his ladies habits.

How many colonies? I assume the guy is commercial or migratory since you say he just brought them back. If we're talking hundreds of colonies then you got real trouble getting them rehabituated elsewhere. A few dozen and not so hard.

Whatever the case start off with a reasonable approach and see where that gets you. If it doesn't then by all means get him because I'm a firm believer in being good neighbors and it's something I try to drill into all the new beekeepers who come to our short courses.

Beekeeper of 30+ years and president of Henry County Beekeepers Association.

Thanks, I have been planning on talking to him about it I just wanted to get ideas on how to approach it.

 

[roseyred]

Yeah I think the best approach is to just talk to them and hopefully they are understanding. Document and record all conversations incase they are not friendly. I work security and the best way to save yourself from any issues is to record confrontationa