Questions/Concerns

[Monie]

I have a small backyard and I'm considering keeping bees to help my garden along. I live in the city with close neighbors. I have two concerns:

1. Will my neighbor's lawnmower aggitate the bees enough causing them attack? The hive would be within ten feet of the fence, the only place I have fot it.

2. Will my neighbor's son's dirt bike aggitate the bees? He rides up and down the alley when he's there.

Thanks all! :)

[peggjam]

Put a privacey fence around the hive, they won't even notice your neighbors:).

[Ruben]

Can they yes, will they most likely not. Peggjam has a good idea. Either way get you some bees and you will love it. If anything they may make the boy ride the bike quietly around your house :)

[Ski]

May want to check your city or town ordinances so you don't caught unaware. Some have set backs that must / should be adhered to. Just in case someone does complain you will know where you stand. But as peggjam suggested a privacy fence might keep everybody happy.

Good Luck,
Ski

[Jeffzhear]

That is a great idea, the privacy fence.

I need to put one up at one of my yards this spring.

I have honeybee hives at my house in a residential neighborhood...I have them on my back deck and on a patio right outside the lower back door, close to my house. This way they are a long way from the property lines and not likely to bother anyone.

[Sogal]

I'm also in a residential suburb, and have two hives at the back of the lot in the center. Shrubs and trees help sort of "direct" their flight path up and into my yard rather than those of my neighbors. I also have a small pond for water, so hopefully they won't bother my neighbors swimming pools this summer.

I would recommend discussing the hives with your neighbors. I was hesitant, but all my immediate neighbors were incredibly supportive and even intrigued by the notion. I think hearing about the hive collapses made them more accepting, and I had articles ready for them on the defensive NOT offensive nature of honeybees and how they help gardens, etc. It probably is being a good neighbor to make sure none of your immediate neighbors is seriously allergic as well.

My .02....worth every penny

[Ravenseye]

I checked with my town and they had no special ordinances to follow. Never did check with my neighbor although he has a pool and bees sometimes like pool water. As it stands, they are about an acre away from my neighbors house. My hives are about 30 feet from a main road and people who walk or jog by often stop and peek through the trees, watching the bees come and go. The trees are fairly dense...it's an overgrown privacy strip between the property and the noisy road. When the bees head in that direction (they usually head off in a different direction but from time to time they fly right over the main road), they have to fly high to cross that privacy strip. That takes them dozens of feet over the heads of passers by. So, even a section of stockade fence would help, or planting some tall shrubs like Arborvitae. Certainly, an informed and even supportive neighbor is even better.

[Ben Brewcat]

I have hives right on Main Street in our town, as in five feet off the sidewalk. Generally people are way more interested than concerned. We mow right under our hive stand with no problems. The thing to make sure are that 1) they're OK or at least neutral to having bees for neighbors, 2) to use a barrier of some kind to direct the bees away or upward so the flight path doesn't coincide with the neighbors' flight paths ;), and 3) consider not wearing gloves and wearing street clothes when working the bees. Having on a full haz-mat suit can make the bees seem scarier than they are.

Sit in front of the entrance as often as you can with a cup of coffee or pint of ale, feet propped on the hive stand, and watch the entrance. You'll acclimate to having the girls buzzing safely all around you, you'll learn a lot from observing the entrance activity, and most importantly the neighbors will see that you're sitting quietly in a cloud of bees perfectly safe and unmolested. This more than anything will make them feel safer. Greet neighbors as opportunity allows, in my experience people love talking from a safe distance and then they will creep closer. Also, when someone seems a little nervous about the girls, I can have one of my neighbors (several of whom have borrowed my extra veil to join in) tell them how cool and safe it is to have bees around. A non-beekeeper saying "I watched a soft little baby bee hatch out with Ben and it was the coolest thing I've ever seen!" goes a long ways on the PR front :).

[Ben Brewcat]

Oh, and I did plant a screen of hops to shield bees from a phobic neighbor's view. Just not having to look at hives directly did wonders for her (remaining) mental health.

[Swobee]

Oh, and I did plant a screen of hops to shield bees from a phobic neighbor's view. Just not having to look at hives directly did wonders for her (remaining) mental health.

And no self respecting home brewer is going to let the shortage of hops get in the way, so growing your own serves two purposes, right? :D

[Ben Brewcat]

Hey, offer me a fast-growing, drought-tolerant perennial climbing vine and I'm half sold already. Add yummy flowers for my beer and try to stop me!

[Monie]

Oh, and I did plant a screen of hops to shield bees from a phobic neighbor's view. Just not having to look at hives directly did wonders for her (remaining) mental health.

lol I could plant some hops...and a little barley to go with. :D

Thanks so much everyone!!! You people are awesome! I do plan on fencing the beeyard and I have spoken to my neighbors. I also found, when I did some checking, that the local extension office has several members who keep bees in town! I did check the books, anyway, and found no mention about bees within city limits.

Like I said, my main worry was the mower and the dirt bike.

[hummingberd]

I've never had any problems with mowing or weed wacking right around the hive. My husband uses a big commercial mower too. However, I don not suggest doing so, but I'm just sayin I haven't had any problems. My bes have been super chill...

[indypartridge]

Monie,

Since you're in Kokomo, I want to invite you to a bee meeting we're having in your backyard. The Indiana State Beekeepers are holding their spring meeting at Ivy Tech-Kokomo. Hope to meet you there!

Details:
http://www.hoosierbuzz.com/

[Monie]

Dang dang double dang!! I'll be in Iowa, for a banquet, on that day! :mad::(

Thank you for the invitation, though. :)

[Michael Bush]

>1. Will my neighbor's lawnmower aggitate the bees enough causing them attack? The hive would be within ten feet of the fence, the only place I have fot it.
>2. Will my neighbor's son's dirt bike aggitate the bees? He rides up and down the alley when he's there.

Either MIGHT. Both might not. I'd face the entrance away from the fence and toward your yard.