A queen bee and her loyal subjects have been safely returned to their home.
This comes after a vandalised and abandoned brood box was found on the corner of Rapid and Maalstroom streets, Farrarmere, on July 12.
Pete Beart, chairperson of the Eastern Highveld Beekeepers’ Association (EHBA) and a Nortmead resident, received a call from a concerned resident who came across the dismantled box earlier in the day.
Taking to social media, Beart created a buzz about the discovery, warning members of the community to stay clear while attempts were made to locate the owner.
Clad in his beekeeping protective suit, the apoidea aficionado set to work putting the box and discarded screens back together.
“Midnight raids of brood boxes are not uncommon,” said Beart.
“These boxes are often targeted for the thin metal sheet that covers the lid. As the temperatures drop bees become more docile and, therefore, the risk of being stung becomes less and this is when criminals strike.”
The fiends did not escape with their intended loot, however, and a single frame, possibly containing honey, was unaccounted for.
“Sadly, considering how the box was dismantled and that the raid happened in the dead of night, the larva died due to exposure,” Beart explained
“Thankfully, the queen was unscathed and will, in all likelihood, start reproducing again as soon as the panic has settled and the hive is returned to familiar foraging grounds.”
Checking his Facebook feed Eric Fletcher of Farrarmere came across Beart’s post.
“About six months ago a swarm of bees settled in my garden but disturbances caused by my gardening services prompted me to enlist the help of a Mpumalanga-based beekeeper,” he said.
“He relocated the swarm into a designated brood box, which was secured on my property. The little pollinators have been living there ever since.
“When I saw the social media post I immediately went to check on the box. Imagine my surprise when I realised that it was indeed the brood box that had been stolen.
“I am not a beekeeper but was happy to offer a haven for the buzzing critters. With Pete’s expertise the box, along with its residents have been returned home and better secured.”
Beart said that he is happy that despite the upheaval, the hive and its queen are once again safe within the confines of their home.
“I will regularly check up on the hive to ensure that it is in optimal health,” he said.
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