Laws regarding beekeeping NJ

[Jdlmax]

I have two hives that I started this past april, just harvested my first batch of honey everything was going great. Until, the neighbor behind me started calling the police because there were bees by the pond in her back yard. She had the police here the last two day, she never approached me about it and had every opportunity to, I would have been willing to resolve the situation if she had just approached me about it like a good neighbor, but now out of the blue she is using the police to harass me on a daily basis. I did fill a watering trough with water and put some old towels in for the bees to drink off of after the first visit from the police, but it will take some time for them to find it and start using it regularly so they dont go to her pond as much.
Just wondering if anyone has any knowledge of the laws in NJ regarding beekeeping and am I within the law to have two hives in my back yard. And any suggestions anyone might have to deal with a neighbor like this. Talking to the other neighbors she has caused a problem with all of them at some point in the past. I have not even been here a year yet, she didnt waste any time in aggrevating me.
Oh yeah she also told the police that they stung her daughter and one of her friends, I really doubt it was any of my bees. I mow around them sit right in front of the hives and watch them even opened the hives a couple of time with out protection and have not been stung by them.

[Beeslave]

Don't know the laws there but this is what I would do. Next time the police come say something, nicely state that when they can prove they are your bees you will work with them to solve the problem. Until then they should maybe use there time in a more useful manner.:)

Here is a link to NJ bee laws
http://pdcbank.state.nj.us/agriculture/divisions/pi/pdf/NJBEELAW.pdf

You also need to register your hives
http://pdcbank.state.nj.us/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/beeinspection.html#2

[NC-Bee-Dude]

First of all, I'm not in New Jersey, I am in North Carolina, but let me throw my two cents worth in if I may. And let me add that I'm not an attorney, but I was a deputy sheriff for 18 years and I've dealt with my share of neighbor squabbles. Plus I did my share of research on bees and property lines before I installed my hive. I wanted to avoid what you're going through right now.

First of all, check with your city or county and see if they have any ordinances about beekeeping. That's where I would start. And don't be surprised if they don't. It appears that lots of cities and towns have no ordinances whatsoever about beekeeping. You can check at the state level, but you really need to be concerned about the local authorities first. If you have a beekeeping organization near you, that would be a good place to check too.

But it appears that the towns and cities around the country that do regulate beekeeping in their limits have elements that indicate how many hives you can have on your property, the distance of hives to property lines, that hive entrances can't face a neighbor's property, etc. Some are stricter than others, and even some places are relaxing their standards on governing bee hives because of the danger of the honey bee disappearing.

Unless you're breaking some local city ordinance, I think what you have is a civil disagreement, not a criminal matter. Unless I'm wrong, your bees going across a boundary or property line isn't against the law.

Besides, how does your neighbor know that it was your bee that drank from her pond? How does she know that it was your bee that allegedly stung her daughter? And personally speaking, how convenient was it to to tell the police that her daughter was stung by your bee. How does she know any of this? Are your bees branded? Did she watch it leave your property and come to hers? Of course not, but her story smells like bad fish, and people do tend to embellish details to gain sympathy or make their story stronger (in their eyes).

I hate to tell you this, but you probably already know this...you're in for a fight. This neighbor is going to continue to call the police if she thinks she can get a sympathetic ear, and don't be surprised if goes before your local city council or board to enact some ordinances to regulate beekeeping. That has happened all over the country, just Google it and you'll see for yourself. You won't be the first. If that happens and you have to defend yourself to a city or county board who makes ordinances, get every beekeeper you can to get involved, and find as many examples of other city and county laws (in other places) that have laws in place so your local city or county council can model your area's rules like other places. Don't leave it up to uninformed people to make laws on how to handle bees. That would be a disaster. That's because many people lump anything with a stinger together under the title of bee.

If she tries to haul you into civil court, or even criminal court -- don't waste time, get a lawyer. Personally speaking, I would love to hear her explain how she knew it was your honey bee that was swiping her water or stung her daughter. I am sure that it would be worth a chuckle or two.

I truly wish you the very best. I am lucky that my neighbors have accepted my bees, even fascinated by them when they see me outside. But I'm fortunate. Others, like yourself, have an uphill battle with pesky neighbors which is extremely unfortunate.

Good luck!

[Jdlmax]

Thanks for the info. I found some regulations regarding beekeeping and I am in compliance with all of them.
Another question regarding this situation, lets just say that some of the bees in her pond are mine hypothetically. What are some things that I could do to keep the bees from going there. I have added water supplies to my back yard near the hives Ive even created some mud because they seem to like to drink from the puddle by the hose spigot. I have some old towles in there and rocks for them to land on. Is there anything I could add to the water to make it more attractive.
I am also considering moving the hives to a little bit shadier spot in the yard to cut down on their water requirements. How would you go about moving 2 hives they consist of two deeps and two shallow honey supers with not much in them right now.
What time of day should I move them?
Should I try to move the hives intact if possible?...probably very heavy.
What effect will it have on the colonies will they be confused or adapt quickly?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, Thanks

[Beeslave]

It's not wise to move hives unless you are moving them 2 ft. or 2 miles. As for the water they have already found the source the want and will keep going there. As ponds are part of nature and your neighbor created her own little part of nature she has to deal with everything else in nature that will be attracted to her "bait". You could suggest to her to put a screened tent over her pond and hopefully they will find it is no longer a source of water for them and they will drink from your source. I have friends who are nice enough for me to put bees on their property. When they call and say "my bees" are all over their hummingbird feeder I explain how they are openly feeding nature and it is not just the birds that will use it. It's kind of like putting out a pile of corn for the deer and the squirrels, turkey, mice, rabbits, bears, and birds eat the corn instead. After I tell them that they don't complain anymore. Just my sarcastic 2 cents.

[JohnBeeMan]

Add a drop or two of lemongrass oil to your water supply and they will find it real quick.

[PCM]

I get in trouble for saying this:
Do you have and are you a member of your local Bee-Club ?
This is one of the benfits of being a member, there is strength in numbers.

Good Luck

Also as stated earlier add a little lemon oil to your bee water supply, plus a glob of house hold bleach [ Clorox ] for some reason bees are attracted to the smell of chlorine [ be thankful your neighbor does not have a swimming pool ]

Oh,You might want to share with them a jar of your honey !!

PCM

[bdrowe]

Hopefully by now you have worked out a possitive solution. If you are still have police visit, have Tim our state apiarist give the department a call to calm things down.

Please visit, www.njbeekeepers.org and find a chapter of the NJBA that is close to you. There are many experts in these groups who can answer these basic questions.

Brian
3rd VP NJBA
www.douglasfarm.net

[Bee Bliss]

It may not have even been a honeybee that supposedly stung her daughter! This seems to be a bad year for wasps. I take it your hives are visible in your yard.

BTW we have a pool in our yard with the hive close by (less than 50 ft.) and it is only recently that they found it. Not too many though and it is too cold for swimming now so no problem. There have been a few wasps that have used the pool all summer! The bees liked the wet compost from our garden (the small container was full of rain). My nephew ate a honey and peanut butter sandwich this summer in the backyard and not one bee came! No one got stung from either wasp or bee in our yard this year.

I said all this to say, I doubt your bees are the problem.