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Residential Beekeeping

7K views 19 replies 17 participants last post by  nuke 
#1 ·
Our new house will be ready in a couple months and I am torn between keeping my first two hives at my new house or on a farm I have access to. The neighborhood we are moving into is a small 60 house neighborhood surrounded by pasture and lots of woods. Not much else out there. I think it would be a great place for bees but I am concerned about my future neighbors. The house next door is also under construction and most likely will be sold some time after we move in so I will not have the oppurtunity to speak with them about bees and the benefits of having them around. I have also been warned on more than one occasion about legal action is someone gets stung. Even if they were stung by a wasp I am sure they would take a hard look at my bees. Does anyone here keep bees with neighbors close by and do you have any advice on doing so.
Thanks
 
#2 ·
I live in a development subdivision and have two hives. I have never had any complaints. When they walk by they ask a lot of questions which allows me to educate them that honeybees are harmless if left alone. Funny thing is they tell me as long as they stay at my house that's good. I just look at them funny and laugh. I guess they think they can only fly in my yard. They say this jokingly. However I live in a pretty laid back community.

Most people just ask for some honey when they find out. I don't mind giving it to them of course after payment is made. :)
 
#5 ·
I inspect in the middle of the day when neither neighbor is mowing. No one has come out to ask what was going on.

More often, I've had neighbors (especially the kids) ask when the next inspection would be so they could watch from my screened porch. I walk the frames over and point out the larvae, the queen, the honey. They really freak out (in a good way) and the education is just what is needed to show that it's not that big of a deal. They feel safe inside the porch and a couple of neighbor kids will suit up in my son's bee suit and stand there with me at the hive. They are the best ambassadors.

The only time I've had to negotiate is when I was running out of the house to my son's school for a second grade bee talk. I needed to open the hive and grab a frame to put in the observation hive. The neighbors next door had workmen setting up a giant swing set with power tools. I asked them to stop just long enough to get in and out. I will tell you that their gaudy swing set is way more of an annoyance than my hive :)
 
#8 ·
I have 5 hives in my backyard that's on less than half an acre. We've got 6 other houses in our subdivision and they've all seen the bees and don't seem to care. In fact, they are quite intrigued every time I'm out working in the hives, or when they swarm. :) I don't complain about their barking dogs or loud music, and they don't complain about my bees.

I would recommend getting a fence if there isn't one already, however. I didn't have a fence at first and I am more comfortable now with one for sure.

Matt
 
#9 ·
Yep...I live in the middle of OKC on less than 1/4 acre surrounded by neighbors on all sides.....never told my neighbors. The big thing is ample water to keep them out of pools, bird baths, and the like. Trust me you will enjoy it much more if you have some hives at the house even if in the future you expand out to the farm. It is so nice to come home after a hard day and walk out the back door and watch the girls, very soothing (to me anyway).;)
 
#11 ·
You'll enjoy the bees more if you keep them at the house and it sounds like you've got pretty good vegetation around to support them. I have a couple of small out-yards but keep two-three colonies in my backyard (one-acre lot with several acres of woods behind, neighbors on either side and across the street) and it's great to be able to walk back anytime and see what the bees are up to. I built a 16'x12'x6' high enclosure out of privacy fencing to reduce the chance of neighbor problems. First -- out of sight out of mind helps, I think. Second, the fence forces the bees to fly up immediately after leaving the hive and they're now cruising above people-height. This way, when my kids have friends over and they're playing in back, they're not in a bee flight path either. It helps a lot. I've kept as many as five colonies in this small enclosure. Also, as others have mentioned, you must provide a water source or the bees will be at the neighbors' bird bath or kiddie-pool. The neighbors know I keep bees but so far no problems; I have given away a little honey.
 
#12 ·
I don't think my yard is more than 1/4 acre with a 2200 sq ft home with a 2 car garage and large patio/carport. Also have a workshop and large driveway in the back. I currently have 10 hives in my back yard and earlier in the year I had has many as 16. I live in town with house all around me. All of my neighbors know I have bees and have never complained. In fact, everyones flowers bloom better, produce more seed, and those with fruit trees have more fruit than anytime in the past.

People see me a lot in my beesuit in my front yard and I had bees in the backyards of two house across the street from me.
 
#13 ·
I don't see a problem with then. What I would plan is what there fly path would be like. That will be key In my thought. I have One hive that I need to move and turn around in the spring so that it faces a fence and bushes instead of the back yard.
 
#15 ·
After reading all the replies I think I will keep my first two hives at the house. I can plant some bushes to help conceal them a bit without blocking to much sun. I agree that having them near is a big plus. If I do get a neighbor that just does not want bees around I will just move the hives at that point. I will also give away honey the first year as a sort of peace offering and I will ask our insurance provider about bees and what they would recommend. Next year I will have bees at home and the farm if all goes well. Our goal is to actually start to make money after a several build up. I hope to have 30 to 50 hives in the next 5 years or so.
Thanks
 
#16 ·
I live in town and keep 3 hives at the back of my property - My neighbors and I each reside on 3/4 acre, so it is not like we are on top of each other.

My one neighbor has two older teenagers where they don't play as much in the backyard as they used to. Her husband in his youth raised bees -- so they are very bee friendly.

My other neighbor on the other side told me when I asked why her dog had a cone on his head told me that it was to keep him from chewing a sore that they believe that he got stung by a bee. Yeah right.

My neighbors have gotten up in years and not a lot of children play in the back yards, which also makes it nice for me.

I also give honey to my neighbors. What does a pound of honey cost in relationship to ensuring good will.

I did have one hive this past year that attempted to swarm, but I got my paws into it as the bees were swirling in the air. This is my biggest concern.
 
#18 ·
i live on a 100ft by 50ft lot. my house takes up 40x 50 of it. my neighbors are 5 feet on either side and i have a road and more neighbors to the rear. i keep hives on my lot. no problems so far. the local pd seen me in the hive one day and stoped. thay were curious and i told them all about the bees. one of the oficers will be getting his own hives this spring. people are afaiid of what thay dont understand. just hope thay ask questions before thay get a neg attitude.
 
#19 ·
I had three hives in my back yard, fenced, when the neighbor's house was built. Their back door is 100' from my hives. No problem whatsoever. Of course I don't work them when he's mowing his yard. But when he's out of his deck, and he sees me go out to them, lay out my equipment, and get my veil on while standing next to the hives, he is quite observant. We've had some good conversations about the bees.

I suspect if you simply act as if its a normal occurrence, and don't ask permission from them, don't tell them, simply let it bee, things will work out well. Its usually when we approach neighbors about the bees they get the idea there might be a problem. Power of suggestion?

And I second all the other comments - keep bees at both locations! :applause:
Regards,
Steven
 
#20 ·
Had bees in the back yard 2 years now. Have a privacy fence around them. One of the neighbors would complain if she knew but feel pretty good now that I can say they been there 2+ years with no problems. I put my veil on and light the smoker once I'm in the fence. Some of my kids friends have been interested enough to want to see an inspection but other than that not many people know about them and none of the neighbors, unless they being quiet too.
Nuke
 
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