Beekeeping in Urban & Suburban Neighborhoods
Neighbor relations are an important consideration whether you're living on 100 acres or a city lot. Having a barking dog is probably the number one way of earning someone's ire, but bringing in a beehive, or two, might be a close second if you live with neighbors close by.
While most people understand and appreciate the benefit of honey bees, and gardeners in the neighborhood will undoubtedly enjoy the results of their hard work, having fifty-plus thousand stinging insects taking up residence next door can cause issues.
Having bees can make your neighbors love you, or hate you, depending on how you handle it.
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Talking to your Neighbors before going Full-bee
As with most activities that impact others, if you're going to bring in honey bees, talk to your nearest neighbors before they see you mulling around your backyard wearing a bee suit. And be prepared to discuss the realities of keeping bees, especially in urban or suburban areas, since honey bees illicit a hot or cold response, depending on their perceptions.
Either people welcome them because they understand their typically docile nature and look forward to a bountiful garden, or they're innately fearful of a sting. This initial discussion is the opportune time to educate them on the nature of honey bees.
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And while you're having this chat, you need to find out if any of your neighbors do have a serious reaction to bee stings, as a potential anaphylactic reaction is not worth the risk, no matter how appealing honey bees may seem.
A hive in the backyard can go completely unnoticed (and some people do keep bees for years without their neighbors' knowledge) if it is properly screened with a fence behind it and plenty of nectar sources and water available, but not always. Depending on the personality of the hive, it can be obvious there are a bunch of new neighbors on the block.
Make Water Available to your Bees!
One of the first telltale signs in the spring is when the honey bees are awake and searching for a water source. This might be your neighbor's hot tub, pet bowls, or damp laundry hanging on the line. Having to shake thirsty workers from the clothes doesn't win friends.
If you have a water source on your own property, whether a bird bath, pond, or bowls set out, at least some of them won't take advantage of other water options.
And the reality is, honey bees do sting and it hurts like the dickens. Sometimes aggressive behavior is simply the personality of the hive. Typically, honey bees are completely docile and go about their work with little bother to anyone else.
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Ninety-nine percent of the time, the only chance you might be stung is if you accidentally squish one while working on the garden. But there are bad characters in the bee world who seem to have little chips on their wings. These are the ones that bounce off of your head in a warning if you seemingly look at the hive.
The Best Time to Work Bees when you Live in the City
In other instances, honey bees are ramped up after they're disturbed. This is one reason you should locate your hive as far away from where people congregate as you can, and only work the hives when it will be quiet.
A "worst case" scenario would be opening up the hives and having your neighbor host a party 30 ft. away. If you're going to work the bees on a sunny, summer afternoon, let your neighbor know so they can avoid the area for a while.
Honey bees can also be edgy when the hive isn't properly managed. When a hive is dealing with multiple queen cells or a drone laying queen, the mood changes. There have been instances where previously docile hives got downright snarky during a stressful period, stinging passersby for no apparent reason.
If the behavior of your hive suddenly changes, you need to find out why before they gain the reputation of being thugs in the neighborhood.
And be particularly vigilant when it comes to swarming behavior. Not only are you at risk of losing a portion of your hive, if the bees land in a neighbor's tree, or worse yet, take up residence in a building, you might have to do a little damage control with neighbor relations.
Thankfully, a jar of honey or homemade beeswax candles often help win over anyone who isn't completely on board with the bees in the backyard concept, and the neighbors who do enjoy having them around will be even happier.
Read about the pros and cons of honey extraction and make the choice that fits your bees.
Having honey bees in the neighborhood can be a boon for everyone since fruit trees and gardens produce better and there is honey to be shared. If you're aware of the potential concerns your neighbors might have, along with how to prevent problems before they start, honey bees can be a welcomed addition instead of a point of contention.