Urban beekeeping - your thoughts?

[saaarawr]

What do you all think of inner city, rooftop or densely populated bee-keeping? Do you think it hinders bee health or is it promoting a better environment?

I spoke to a rural bee-keeper today who wasn't convinced that the general public could be sway round to accepting bee's 'next door' so to speak.

Do you think urban bee-keeping is a good idea?

I am coming at this from a very novice (I am a student) point of view. I have heard many differing opinions on where people thing bees should be, and how bees should be approached.

Do you think the hives for urban areas should be different than to rural? On rooves/walls etc?

 

[pigletwillie]

I have kept bees at home for 3 years now. I moved them from inside my garden to a piece of my land alongside a shared drive. There were no issues until people could see the bees then there were complaints to the Environmental health dept at the council. I just built a 6ft fence to force the bees up and hide them from view and there it hasnt been an issue since. Being urban and on the cusp of the countryside but it being grazing land I dont get the huge flow of osr in the spring but then all my honey is summer stylee.

I suggest that you keep your hives out of sight if you want to keep them at home, out of sight out of mind.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I have kept bees at home for 3 years now. I moved them from inside my garden to a piece of my land alongside a shared drive. There were no issues until people could see the bees then there were complaints to the Environmental health dept at the council. I just built a 6ft fence to force the bees up and hide them from view and there it hasnt been an issue since. Being urban and on the cusp of the countryside but it being grazing land I dont get the huge flow of osr in the spring but then all my honey is summer stylee.

I suggest that you keep your hives out of sight if you want to keep them at home, out of sight out of mind.

And practice effective swarm control, to the very best of your ability!

 

[Tom Bick]

What do you all think of inner city, rooftop or densely populated bee-keeping? Do you think it hinders bee health or is it promoting a better environment?

Do you think the hives for urban areas should be different than to rural? On rooves/walls etc?

I am a greater London beekeeper not to be confused with central London as the two are poles apart. Parts of central London are ok for bees but others not so great. I was asked early this year if I was interested in managing two hives on the roof of the Old Bailey and turned it down, way to stressful and more trouble than it was worth despite they would have paid well. I know someone who visited the hives this year and he said I was right as you stand on the roof and it's a sea of bricks and concrete way beyond the 2 mile flying range of the bees. The bees will have access to some forage but mostly in that case the beekeeper will have to keep them alive with feeding similar to a caged pet. The other extreme to central London beekeeping although a few miles further away there was and may well still be 40 hives in Regents Park and all did very well from all reports. My hives are way further out than Regents Park and a true urban environment and they thrive and produce good crops of honey.

 

[biglongdarren]

i have just finished reading "the urban beekeeper" by Steve Benbow, he has hives all over the place in london, is he on this forum by any chance??

Darren

 

[madasafish]

I am in a semi urban setting. My next door neighbour does not mind my bees as they provide his annual honey bribe...

 

[dclewis]

My Parisien hives are pretty central!

I know there are plenty of other rooftops in the area that are also occupied and am coming to the early conclusion (after 1 season here) that competition for forage may be an issue, but pollen collection has been strong but nectar was more of an issue. But the quality of the Lime tree honey harvested was pretty good.

Agree with GJ, swarm control is key in such areas.

However the project is on the office roof and it has really sparked the imaginations and interest of many of my colleagues and has helped with the 'green credentials' for the building.

 

[thorn]

I'm an urban (and urbane) beekeeper. Around my home are allotments, a public park, a municipally owned mansion with extensive shrubland and woods, a nursery (flowers, not kids), the Meanwood Valley Trail giving access to the countryside, and bordered by hedges, and, of course, a lot of gardens with a wide variey of flowers, trees and shrubs.
Around the village in Essex where my parents used to live are vast fields of rape, with the occasional hedge and the odd tree, and a few houses with gardens and orchards.
Where would you think the better forage is to be found?

 

[Mrs Webmuppet]

I keep my bees in my back garden in the middle of a housing estate, we have plenty of protected hedge rows and gardens around. My neighbours are quite happy with the bees, they have been known to watch them flying (there is a 6foot fence between the gardens). Just beyond the estate are woods, a bridle path, Heath land and farm land so they have a choice of forage (and the farmer assures me that he isn't growing OSR next year). My mentor reckons the bees should do really well.

 

[Mart_got_hives]

Here in West Hull there are a huge number of adult trees, a couple of allotment sites, two little orchards, a few parks, some cemetries and a lot of gardens so plenty of forage to keep them busy. There's also 2 other beekeepers within half a mile of me that I'm aware of.
My hives are in a corner of the back garden facing the back of my neighbours shed which forces them to fly upwards. They've been there nearly 4 years now and so far only one neighbour has noticed.

 

[REDWOOD]

I have two hives semi urban ( in a housing estate but lots of fields all around) honey production is very good all year because of the garden flowers and the benefits of the surrounding environment.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Having lived and indeed been brought up in an urban estate I wouldn't dare to keep bees in the garden unless I had an out apiary I could move them to at little notice. I wonder how many folk here who have started keeping bees in their garden or allotment still do so three years hence

 

[dickbowyer]

My Parisien hives are pretty central!

I know there are plenty of other rooftops in the area that are also occupied and am coming to the early conclusion (after 1 season here) that competition for forage may be an issue, but pollen collection has been strong but nectar was more of an issue. But the quality of the Lime tree honey harvested was pretty good.

Agree with GJ, swarm control is key in such areas.

However the project is on the office roof and it has really sparked the imaginations and interest of many of my colleagues and has helped with the 'green credentials' for the building.

Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile n'est ce pas?

 

[Blacky50]

I live in the middle of Luton and have a few hives in my garden. The neighbours are happy with them and indeed enjoy watching them. I know of 5 other beekeepers with garden bees within a mile. All of us enjoy good crops with little OSR.

I had 7 swarms arrive in the garden this year, although only 1 came from my hives and they weren't from the local beekeepers I know. No idea where they came from or why they were attracted to turn up here, but pleased they did as they added to my stock.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

I wonder how many folk here who have started keeping bees in their garden or allotment still do so three years hence

I do, ericA.

Mind you, I requeened pretty quickly this June, when one hive turned a bit stroppy.

And I've got a potential out-apiary if it happens to any greater extent.

That's not to say we get the odd sting - but almost always when people don't take advice to stay away (thunderstorm weather, for example).
The next-door neighbour got hold of a bee when weeding and was stung - but she's put it down as a small price to pay for the honey they get about 4 times a year.

Dusty

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wonder how many folk here who have started keeping bees in their garden or allotment still do so three years hence

I do - well half of them anyway - the benefit of the out apiaries is I can drive a bit closer too them to save me a walk

 

[MuswellMetro]

I am a greater London beekeeper not to be confused with central London as the two are poles apart. Parts of central London are ok for bees but others not so great. I was asked early this year if I was interested in managing two hives on the roof of the Old Bailey and turned it down, way to stressful and more trouble than it was worth despite they would have paid well. I know someone who visited the hives this year and he said I was right as you stand on the roof and it's a sea of bricks and concrete way beyond the 2 mile flying range of the bees. The bees will have access to some forage but mostly in that case the beekeeper will have to keep them alive with feeding similar to a caged pet. The other extreme to central London beekeeping although a few miles further away there was and may well still be 40 hives in Regents Park and all did very well from all reports. My hives are way further out than Regents Park and a true urban environment and they thrive and produce good crops of honey.

I agree, i get 100lb per hive in outer London but a hive i help with on a roof of a Quaker meeting in central london required feeding (near oxford sreet) only forage plane and Lime trees

So is Dusty Rhodes going to get out the Bell ,Book and Candle now i admitted i am a member of the society of Friends

 

[MuswellMetro]

I am a greater London beekeeper not to be confused with central London as the two are poles apart. Parts of central London are ok for bees but others not so great. I was asked early this year if I was interested in managing two hives on the roof of the Old Bailey and turned it down, way to stressful and more trouble than it was worth despite they would have paid well. I know someone who visited the hives this year and he said I was right as you stand on the roof and it's a sea of bricks and concrete way beyond the 2 mile flying range of the bees. The bees will have access to some forage but mostly in that case the beekeeper will have to keep them alive with feeding similar to a caged pet. The other extreme to central London beekeeping although a few miles further away there was and may well still be 40 hives in Regents Park and all did very well from all reports. My hives are way further out than Regents Park and a true urban environment and they thrive and produce good crops of honey.

I agree, i get 100lb per hive greater London but a hive on a roof of a quaker meeting House in central london required feeding (near oxford sreet) only forage plane and Lime trees

So is Dusty Rhodes going to get the bell , book and candle out now that I admit I am a dissenter as I am a member of he Society of Friends

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Oooh!, I just had a deja-vu.

CVB

 

[BeeJayBee]

Oooh!, I just had a deja-vu.

CVB

Don't worry, there's probably a cure for it!