What do you tell neighbors?

[LiquidAu]

Hi,
I am a new beekeeper and I put a couple of hives in near my house in a small town. I wonder what to tell neighbors who may be worried about having honey bee hives in the neighborhood.
I wanted to let them know that its not a problem, that they probably won't see more bees than usual at their flowers.
I am looking for a list that someone else or this site might have that tells the benifits of bees and how most flying things that look like bees are not honey bees, etc. That kind of thing. I tried to search for this but couldn't find it if it is on this site. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
LiquidAu

[Ben Brewcat]

The most helpful thing you can do is to spend some time in a chair at the entrance. When they see you in no gear, surrounded by bees, they'll feel a little silly for their fears. Also try not to use ALL your protective gear; if you can work without gloves or even better in short sleeves it helps a great deal.

Or you can tell them that 90% of stings are actually caused by yellowjackets alone, that honeybees die by disembowelment when they sting (so they have an incentive to only sting when it seems important), and that they can travel 8+ miles for forage. The only thing they want is nectar and pollen, so proximity to a colony does not increase how many bees they'll meet appreciably.

[Noelle]

but do beware! I was so excited about my pending bee package I told a neighbor - I was beaming and still her response was terror and disgust. our properties do not abut and my yard is surrounded by conservation land full of good forage. None of this occurred to her.
It was a real eye opener for me. wait for questions, say as little as needed, be knowlegable, and know your local laws etc.

good luck.

[HAB]

When the neighbors ask I just reply "Honey is $9.00 Qt, or $99.00 a case."

[devdog108]

My neighbor Josh is HIGHLY allergic to yellowjacket, bees, wasps, hornets...etc... He was the one who found the swarms for me and pointed them out as he ran like lightnening past me to get away. After he witnessed me walk up to 5lbs of bees, pick them up and put them in a hive and carry them away, with his brother right beside me he calmed down immensly. This was a couple of weeks ago. When he went out front the other day, they were working his bushes like madladies, he walked right past them and came over to tell me that my "girlfriends" had invaded his front lawn.....lol...no panick what so ever...He watched me work my new hive tonight and release the queen with no gear...he said, man your crazy, but they sure dont care about you. To that i said, sure they do, I just dont give them a reason to get mad at me.....lololol he is totally kool with it

[DiverDog]

LiquidAu, I have been thinking the same thing as you about making a paper that has interesting honeybee facts that I could print out and use as a handout. I have been asked more questions about honeybees and once I start telling people about them they are totally amazed. You sure can change the way they feel about them in just a couple minutes of conversation. I also thought about putting my name and phone numbers in case they come across any swarms. Just this spring I have been told about 6 swarms just by telling people to let me know if they hear of one. If you come across something let me know cause I would like to have it too.

[NasalSponge]

I just don't tell them....never have.

[stoweski]

My father will be getting a hive this weekend. After setting up the equipment he decided to tell his neighbors (3 different families) of 25+ years that he was getting bees. That was over a month ago. His neighbors have been asking him on a weekly basis when he's getting his bees as they can't wait for them.
I should add that they all have an assortment of flower and veggie gardens too.
Wish I could offer advice but I have not run into anyone who does not like the idea of their neighbor keeping bees. I've even had people offer for me to keep hives on their property.

Keith

[Hambone]

Hi my name is Derek.

http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/32814/2195377880103391520S425x425Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2195377880103391520Pvavxe)

I just moved in. Nice to meet ya.

[NasalSponge]

OMG Derek...ROFL!!:lpf:

[RZRBCK BEE]

I just tell them don't kill my bees and if you see a swarm, call me. LOL
But then again, I live in the country and not in town.

[Ravenseye]

I think it really depends on the neighbors. A small town in a country setting MIGHT be a better place for bees than an urban setting but so much depends on who you're next to. Our town is recently populated with ex-urban folks who moved in and promptly decided that we needed street lights, sidewalks and traffic signals. Their perspective is all together different.

I would simply be factual. "I'm a beekeeper. I have bees in hives on my property. Bees forage for miles around in search of pollen and nectar. I'm proud of what they do for the environment. Sometimes, I get honey from the bees. If I do, I sometimes share with people if you're interested. If you ever have questions or concerns, I'd be much obliged to hear from you. If you'd like to learn more, you're welcome to visit."

Our first year, we had just moved in and we didn't know our abutting neighbors or the folks further down the street. It's a private road and there are four homes in a row. All the mailboxes are in a cluster close to our house. When we harvested, we put a jar of honey in each mailbox. Within a week we got three thank you notes with little stories about how "our bees" had been helping their gardens....on their flowering plants, etc. They all knew we had hives and the honey broke the ice. Last year, we got a thank you card in the mail telling us that their garden had never produced so much as it had that season and thanks for keeping bees nearby.

Your mileage may vary but you tend to get back what you put in to anything in life...that's what I think.

[beecron]

I live in the city and originally wanted to keep my bees in my yard. I have a larger yard for a city yard, but when the kids came around, my wife was too concerned for them so I found a place in the country where the farmer lets me keep them. I do on occasion bring home a nuc box to breed a new queen for a split and never have any problems with the neighbors or kids, even though a couple of neighbors were pretty apprehensive at first also. A little education can go a long way.

[notaclue]

I told my neighbors five years ago I was thinking about keeping bees in the back yard (extremely small space). They asked if I had them and I said I wanted to study up on beekeeping first and then get honeybees. We had not seen a honey bee in quite a few years, but many wasps and hornets. I gathered the neighbor kids in and gave them a down and dirty about hair color and predator hair color (basically anyone with hair darker than my son) and attitudes of bees and what would set them off.

Only had a problem with a couple boys throwing rocks, balls and what-not at the hives. When my son got cocky and was sting a few times and ran screaming like a banshee they backed off real quick. Honey helps and I have been told how well gardens are doing and we now have four beekeepers within a block area for a total of ten hives and about six swarmed ferals.

[Michael Bush]

I don't tell them. The smart ones who figure it out aren't the problem. The others, if they figure it out, by the time they figure it out, you've had bees for a year and their irrational fears already didn't come to pass. Telling them is giving them information they don't know how to process or what to make of it. Their imaginations go wild and they jump to irrational conclusions.

[Tom G. Laury]

I bring over my friend Derek and introduce him. After that the bees that live INSIDE a box don't seem nearly as bad. :thumbsup:

[terri lynn]

Derek-

:lpf::lpf::lpf::lpf:

[odfrank]

Hide them well behind tall fences, don't mention a word about them, pray that all your swarms stay in your yard and don't land in theirs, and hope that no one tells them that all those little yellow spots glued like epoxy to their cars are BEE POOP from your beehives!

[terri lynn]

I've met only with people being either curious about bees, so I tell them a couple of particularly interesting facts, or people that are excited. Now people that know me are requesting me to put hives on their places when I have enough, assuring me they are organic, etc. to talk me into it!

I have come across people that were varying degrees of terrified when called for swarms (all but 1 of which were actually cutouts), and usually just explaining facts helps. I let them know about bees dying when they sting, and they mostly do so to protect their babies (which people seem to relate to) queen and food if their hive is being bothered; or if they are being stepped on or swatting, in which case there's not much to lose. I tell them as long as they don't bother the hive, the bees don't care at all about stinging them and dying, and that a lot of their bad rap has come from yellowjackets, etc. I tell them if they are near (approaching or mowing by)the hive, try not to wear dark clothing, since the bees predators are dark - bears, racoons, skunks. I also tell them that when I wear a bright color, such as yellow, they will often land on me until they find no nectar available, and that I just stand still and after a second they leave. I also let them know how much of their food is pollinated by bees, and that they should be protected. So far each person has ended up very interested in bees, many wanting to leave the colony where they were, and several went from terrified to pretty much unafraid, thinking as long as they didn't bother the bees, they'd be ok. I do always tell them to feel free to call me if they have any problems (and of course offer to remove them) or questions, and I think just knowing a little bit about them and knowing they can call if they have questions goes a long way. Good luck!

[samak]

Like Michael Bush said. Also, if you do not tell anyone, chances are none of the neighbors will even find out until maybe a year later. I had bees for a while before anyone knew, and my bees are in the front yard! By the time people find that you already had bees for a while and nobody got hurt, usually nobody has a problem with it. Anyways, bees can be anywhere, maybe theres bees 25 yards away in some neighbors tree that nobody knows about. The only difference with beekeeping is that you know where the bees are.

[Michael Bush]

The thing is if you discuss it, first they assume you want their permission, which, of course, you don't. Second, it's not the same as something they can grasp. For instance if you were planning to put a fish pond in your yard and you told them, at least they have a grasp of what that means. Although they still may feel they should have some input... They have NO grasp of what it means to live next door to a beehive until they have done so. You will simply be causing undo, unnecessary, and preventable anxiety over something they can't even grasp.

[Bluidshay]

LOL Derek!!! I love it!!!

I told the neighbor on one side because it came up, but not the other neighbor. As long as there's no swarm, we should be ok, I think. I have had an interesting spectrum of responses from coworkers and friends I have told, ranging from excitement (and in the case of my sister in law, a little envy!) to being appalled into silence (with a snarky comment about a Raid can). You never know what the responses will be, so I like the "know your laws and keep quiet until asked" methodology. If your neighbors DO know, our bee class instructed us that a jar of honey here and there on their front stoop goes a long way towards alleviating their apprehension.

[Bob Nelson]

OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND. No need for secrecy but this principle applied will cause the least anxiety for neighbors. No barriers-put up a section of privacy fence or wall.

One spring I was at a yard before the leaves were on trees. There was a neighboring business across the road with many employees. The owner came charging over on his 4 wheeler 3/4 cocked and the first thing out of his mouth was "I don't think so, not here." thinking I was just putting them out (when in fact the hives on truck were deadout pickups).

The yard had been there 2 years and off and on before that. He had recently leased the farm ground but the owner still resided on the property. I addressed him by his first name and calmly asked him if they had any bee problems in the past. His reply was no. I then told him the bees had been there during that trouble free time.

The wind being completely taken out of his sail I resisted capitalizing on a prime ego building opportunity (just in my thoughts). I reassured him of my confidence he would not have problems in the future and if there were to call me. That was the last I heard of the matter.

Probably less important to know your neighbors (especially to sollicit approval from ones you do not know well) than to know who they are. Address the presence of your bugs in a positive and educational manner as necessary. Most are curious and approving.

[Natalie]

I never said anything to any of my neighbors.
I just put the hives in and that was it.
One day last week I picked up 4 nucs and on the way home one of them started to leak bees all over my car.
They ended up plastered against the back windshield.
As I pulled into my driveway a neighbor came running up to me about a swarm that was in his yard.
Now, here I am leaning against the window full of bees and I casually say, what makes you think those are my bees?
He just wanted them gone so he said, I am not saying they are yours but I am asking you if you will please come and get them.
I picked up the swarm and they took lots of pictures and asked questions.
Other neighbors showed up to watch.
I went home with the swarm, no one complained, they learned alot and its out in the open.
My motto is its easier to ask for forgivness than it is to ask permission.

[cow pollinater]

It really isn't anyones business if you want to have bees but if you want happy nieghbors, get some gentle stock like cordovans and offer them YOUR protective gear and a tour while you work in jeans and a t-shirt. From experiance I can say that once they accept, you won't have a problem with them anymore. Curiosity will quickly overtake fear.
That being said, if I lived in town I'd probably set up a small privacy fence and let'er rip without looking back. Most folks won't notice. Last month I cut out three massive colonies and set up a trapout for a fourth that nobody knew about until I got a swarm call for a basketball sized swarm in the front porch in a high density area. People had walked past them for months without knowing they were there until I spotted the entrances.

[manymongrels]

I agree w/ the don't ask, don't tell policy. I did research my city's laws, though, before hand. I have bees in backyard up against a fence and unless somebody says something, I'm not going to tell them. After all, I don't complain about their smoky grills and late-night noisy parties.

[terri lynn]

Have you checked your city's ordinances? I'm in the country, as are 2 of my yards, but my grandparents wanted a hive at their place in town. After my stepmom kept on about it :pinch:, I looked up the ordinances and it said if they were within 300ft of neighbors, you should, in order to protect youself if anything is filed, get their signature that they know about the bees, or something along that line. As my grandad said, he didn't have to tell anybody about the wild hive he had living in his shed for years! :applause: He even missed them, ergo, wanting my hive. Which I sometimes bring up to people that worry about bees as well. One of the neighbors saw me putting it up and thought it was very cool, one is elderly and doesn't go outside, and the last one hasn't noticed. Maybe someday, I'll get around to the signatures, maybe not. But do be aware of yours just in case.

[KQ6AR]

Maybe I'm lucky, The 6 or so neighbors that know about our bees, are thrilled & interested in them.
But there's always one bad egg in every neighborhood.

[BoBn]

I give my neighbors 4oz jars of honey once a year. It goes a long way.;)

[Bee Draggle]

Don't say anything about your bees unless you're asked directly. If you go around the neighborhood trying to educate your neighbors you'll only alarm them and you'll get a lot of knee jerk reactions....and probably not in a poistive way. The less said is often the wiser thing to do. That leaves open the door for you to provide information in the future if absolutely have to. However, if you inform all the neighbors now and things go badly, you can't take it back once you put the word out.