Orion, as I mentioned in the initial post " this theft included genetic-recorded numbered queens",ANY honey bee queen has value, a genetic recorded numbered queen (ie, the bee that creates future known genetic trait queens for normal beekeepers) have great value, so much of the value is the YEARS of genetic work that was put into making these queen producing bees to create colonies that are uniquely adapted to honey production in Hawai`i, with the stressors that are upon the girls that work here...
Although honey has value, the pollination services of a colony can actually have greater that the honey value for some producers.... anyhoo this is to alert anyone being offered pollination services or honeybee colonies.... if the queen marker has a number, you are being offered a stolen property (not one queen breeder I know of offers their numbered queens to anyone outside of the queen breeders. & it is very rare to be in that circle & be offered a numbered queen without very close acquaintance!....
Although honey has value, the pollination services of a colony can actually have greater that the honey value for some producers.... anyhoo this is to alert anyone being offered pollination services or honeybee colonies.... if the queen marker has a number, you are being offered a stolen property (not one queen breeder I know of offers their numbered queens to anyone outside of the queen breeders. & it is very rare to be in that circle & be offered a numbered queen without very close acquaintance!....