There’s a buzz in the air these days…and it’s being caused by the
growing number of bees living in cities. Since the mysterious collapse
of bee colonies a few years ago, an army of urban beekeepers are
striving to rescue the population, one bee at a time, because they’re
worried about the environmental impact of fewer pollinators. Some people
have blamed the colony collapse disorder phenomenon on the large,
commercial beekeeping operations with their overworked colonies and use
of pesticides. Others focus on mites and diseases that the chemicals are
supposed to conquer, in the same way that factory hog or cattle farms
are susceptible to diseases. Other urban beekeepers value the one
hundred or so pounds of honey a hive can produce in a good year and
cultivate bees in the same way they’d grow organic veggies and fruit.
Beekeeping is a relatively inexpensive hobby and is more common in
the city than you might think. It takes up very little space, with
stackable hives that are about one foot square. Urban beekeepers
typically keep their hives in their backyards, but some are kept on city
roof-tops, such as the roof of downtown Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York
Hotel. Bees can travel several miles to collect nectar and pollen, so
they do not need flowering plants close by. As long as you practice good
hive hygiene, your involvement can be as limited as you wish, since bees
are pretty self-sufficient creatures. Then, once a year, you’ll have to
get involved with the honey harvesting process, which is time consuming
and messy. That involves removing the bees from the hive, removing the
honey-holding wax from the frames, extracting the honey from the wax and
jarring the honey.
The Challenges
However, there are challenges. In the city, these include jittery
neighbors, vandals and by-laws banning the activity. Outright bans seem
to be rarer than those banning livestock such as chickens, but some
places have put practical constraints on beekeeping, such as limiting
the number of hives, regulating the distance from property line and
requiring that the beekeeper provide water for the bees (which you
should do anyway, since they’re thirsty critters). And then there are
mites and parasites, which can be a problem no matter where your colony
is located.
Neighbors’ fears can be the biggest obstacle for urban beekeepers to
overcome. Many people think that bees are vicious and just hang around
waiting to sting people, so they worry about the safety of their
children. A little education can help in this regard, since honeybees
are vegetarian – unlike wasps, which are meat eaters – and prefer nectar
from flowers to human blood. Bees only sting when they sense that their
hive or their young are in danger – and that’s often triggered by quick
or threatening movements. That’s why beekeeping is a slow, methodical,
almost meditative process – something urban beekeepers value about their
avocation. Refraining from working with your bees while the neighbors
are having a party or mowing their lawn, and when the temperature is
cool, will help ensure the bees stay calm and minimize the chances of an
angry colony member stinging someone.
Some urban beekeepers would rather their neighbors not even know
about their hobby and resort to stealth techniques. They plant greenery
in front of their hives and camouflage them with paint. Privacy fences
and high hedges are also popular. And high fences can do more than hide
the hives; bees normally travel in a straight path to their hive (hence,
the term “beeline”) and constructing a fence (or locating the hives on a
flat roof) forces their flight path upwards. That reduces the chance
that people will see the bees or collide with them and get stung.
Providing a source of water, such as a small pond, will keep your bees
out of your neighbor’s dog’s drinking bowl or swimming pool.
Getting Started
The first thing to do if you want to keep bees is to learn everything
you can about bees and beekeeping. Since you’ll likely start in the
spring, winter is a good time to educate yourself. Your local library
will probably have some books on the subject (see the sidebar for some
suggestions) or a DVD. There are also some good internet sites for
beginning beekeepers.
You can buy starter hive equipment from one of a number of
manufacturers and mail order firms that have websites. A complete hive
involves a metal covered top, an inner cover, a bottom board, two
ten-frame hive bodies and a queen excluder. Although bees like to settle
where a colony has been established previously, you should be cautious
when buying used equipment. Check its condition carefully and be sure
it’s been examined for the possibility of disease. A new starter kit can
cost anywhere from US$150 to $300. You’ll also need a bee smoker,
coveralls and a bee veil and gloves. You’ll also need to buy jars for
the honey and to rent an extractor machine to remove the honey from the
comb.
As for the bees, you can buy a three-pound starter box of package
bees (15,000 bees and one queen) from a mail order bee supplier for
around $100. You could also buy an established colony with all equipment
from a local beekeeper or have the beekeeper install a swarm in your
purchased hive.
It’s always a good idea to find someone with experience to help you
get started and provide advice along the way. Writing in Bee Culture
Magazine, Larry Connor has this advice for the novice urban
beekeeper: “There are many beekeeping organizations around the country
that conduct beekeeping classes in the winter and spring. Most folks
start their first hive in the springtime. If you decide to do this, find
someone who will mentor you in your training as a beekeeper. It will
probably take you several years to learn enough to feel comfortable
keeping bees, but it is a great part-time activity, and people of all
ages are in beekeeping classes, from school students to retirees.”
Learn More
Bee Culture Magazine
Beginning Beekeeping
Beekeeping For Dummies by Howland Blackiston (John Wiley &
Sons, 2009)
The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Keeping
Bees in Your Yard and Garden by Kim Flottum (Quarry Books, 2005)
The Beekeeper’s Handbook, Third Edition by Alphonse
Avitabile and Diana Sammataro (Cornell University Press, 2006)
The Original Langstroth On The Hive And The Honey-Bee: The
World’s Foremost Bee Keeper’s Manual by L. L. Langstroth (CreateSpace,
2009)
The Backyard Beekeeper’s Honey Handbook: A Guide to Creating,
Harvesting, and Cooking with Natural Honey by Kim Flottum (Quarry
Books, 2009)
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