Tricky one

[Aggravated]

In an "average" urban environment, what would be considered the right number of hives per acre or square mile, how many would be too many

 

[VEG]

There is no real "average" environment. Some areas have lots of different plants flowering at different times other areas may struggle. There is only one way to find out and that is to keep putting hives there until the bees start to struggle to find enough forage.
Why do you ask the question?

 

[Woeski]

Err,
If you mix apples and oranges, you only get fruit salad.
Let's just say for London, the opportunity far exceeds your wallet or your time.
You could put hundreds of hives into London and not scratch the surface of what was possible.

 

[Baggyone]

And yet rumour has it London is drying up. Can't see it myself unless everyone is sticking hives on their flat roofs!

 

[hedgerow pete]

personaly i would never have more then a few per acre in london as it is very poor in flowers, its all grass and concrete and small gardens, untill your into the suburbs.

where as in brum its well over 30 plus a garden,

where i am its not the grass lands its the gardens, london with its great park lands, they are full of grass and trees not flowers, brum is a lot more flowers, the canals alone give a massive acreage of land of wild flowers,

within the square mile of my address i am aware of and only aware , may be theres more? but there is 110 that i know of

 

[Tom Bick]

Who knows the urban environment can be a great place for bees and offer forage at most times throughout the year.

I have talked to London beekeepers who have complained that there are two many beekeepers now in London and we are all going to suffer but they maintain and run over 20 hives each year and see no point to reduce.

I also understand that in Regents Park there are 40 hives and the most are run by one beekeeper and that’s central London and then not really urban and perhaps have less forage available to them.

 

[oliver90owner]

Lets remember here there is a subtle difference between subsistence and a handsome surplus - are you wanting to be 'eco-friendly' towards the bee species (and help reverse the so-called decline in bee populations), or are you hoping for a surplus crop (to their requirements) each year? TBHs or (proper) production hives? Is this urban moorway or urban residential. Density of housing may also enter the equation, if the latter. How long is your piece of string?

 

[itma]

In an "average" urban environment, what would be considered the right number of hives per acre or square mile, how many would be too many

If you get a couple of hives, I doubt that would 'break the camel's back'.
See how those go, and draw your own conclusions for your own area!

And after you register on beebase, you can see how many apiaries are nearby ...
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=16082&page=2 (from post 14)

 

[richardbees]

"in london as it is very poor in flowers, its all grass and concrete and small gardens,.."

Hedgerow Pete,

What a load of utter b0llocks!

just for e.g.: thousands of Lime trees? thousands of streets planted with flowering cherry? hundreds of miles of railway embankments covered in brambles?...

Your problem is too much home made cider, my lad.. ...

Richard

 

[Adam]

personaly i would never have more then a few per acre in london as it is very poor in flowers, its all grass and concrete and small gardens, untill your into the suburbs.

No. My bee inspector tells me each time he visits a beekeeper whose hives are on a roof within sight of London Bridge, it's piled high with full supers. London is warm, and frost free, so the limes flow, a much longer flowering season can be achieved and even in the most densely populated areas, there are still loads of trees at the side of the road, parks, weeds, embankments, roof gardens etc. Ivy lasts longer etc etc. It's not poor in flowers are all. It's better than the arable deserts and large fields without wild flowers (also without hedgerows) that is our 'countryside'.

adam