A beekeeper has told of his shock after one of his beehives was extensively damaged – vandalism which has cost potentially tens of thousands of pounds in income.
Aidan Scotland MBE was told of the damage to his double hive Easter Delnies when a friend and member of the Nairn Beekeepers Association raised the alarm around 9.30pm on Saturday evening.
Mr Scotland said: “My initial reaction was of shock and horror. After over 50 years of beekeeping I have never had anybody vandalise beehives, never. I am really, really disappointed.
“Hopefully they can find the culprits. I’d like to speak to them myself, to enlighten them of how important honey bees are to keeping crops. I would also like to discuss the ramifications of their actions, the reduction in yield of rape seed, the loss of all the young brood – the eggs, larvae and nurse bees, and the financial ramifications.”
Police Scotland has issued an appeal for information related to the incident. The hives were in use and as a result significant financial loss, running into tens of thousands of pounds, is to be expected for both Mr Scotland and the farmland owner. Exporting the honey could have made over £30,000, and even selling it wholesale would raise £8,000.
Reporting officer Constable Martyn Cameron said: “It is believed that the hive was damaged by a long metal bar as well as rocks being thrown.
“Vandalism is unacceptable no matter what form it takes and creates unnecessary disruption and expense for the victims.
“I would ask anybody who has information to contact police in Nairn using reference NM1536/18.”
Mr Scotland continued: “I would have had 16 colonies there, each one returning 100lbs of honey but I have informed the farm manager at Cawdor Estates that because of what has happened I will not be putting any bees there.”
Honey from the Highlands of Scotland demands a very high price when exported with countries such as China paying near £20 per lb of honey.
Richard Youngson, Chairman of the Nairn Suburban and West Community Council, said: “It is an example of sheer vandalism and is something that is happening in our community that is totally wrong. It’s a shock that people go to these measures and we don’t even know what the motive is.
“It’s the last thing we expect to happen – especially to hives. People are ignorant to the true value of bee hives.”
