Bee keepers face challenges from increasing hive thefts

Tom Bidner, a commercial beekeeper from FNQ Honey and Bees, has reported the theft of 14 hives, adding to the recent loss of 41 hives from two properties in the Tablelands. Fellow beekeeper Jack Laughton also suffered a loss of at least 27 hives, suggesting a professional operation behind these thefts. Bidner noted that another beekeeper, unaware of the ongoing issue, also lost four hives, but his were taken as complete units, unlike others that were dismantled and reassembled to avoid detection.