Back Garden Apiary?

[JazzJPH]

Hi everyone,

I read a forum post recently advising a new beekeeper not to set up a beehive in his back garden. My plan so far has been to use my back garden and/or a relative's. I was thinking of putting two hives in each. The back fence is about 7m from the house and the corner I'd place the hive(s) in is about 10m from my back door. We don't have to walk near the hives to get to the garage or to take the bins out.

I know there are many web pages on urban beekeeping for those with small city apartments keeping them on the roof and what not, but maybe the experienced beekeepers on here can give a few pointers.

On the other side of the fence there are plenty of trees. I'm on a new estate too so can't post a Google Maps pic unfortunately...

I am currently looking at local farms for possible sites but I'd still love to have one in the back garden - providing the argument against isn't too persuasive...

 

[enrico]

The bad things
They have bad hair days
They stick to flight paths where you might walk
They swarm
There are thousands of them in one hive
The good things
U mmmmmmmm! They are close by. !
Sorry but i have experience. In quarter of an acre, when I started, they made the garden a no go area, builders refused to finish my roof as it was on a flight path.. I then had them in three and a half acres. They swarmed into my roof and the neighbours chimney.
Now I have an acre, I know all the risks after 40 years and have ensured they fly away from the house .
In a small back garden?.....Not for me!
E

 

[Harley1]

I have no neighbours and live in the country. I kept mine in the garden for 9 years, until one hive turned so nasty that I feared for dog walkers, horse riders, the postman and most of all me and my family. I removed them to my Brother's farm where they have remained ever since, with no further trouble after a change of Queen. I would never want to risk it again. I had heard horror stories but not really understood how badly things could go wrong. I still miss having them here, but even though it's not so convenient or simple now I shan't be bringing them back.

 

[enrico]

Please don't get me wrong, a nice hive in a garden is fine and I stand and watch my bees for hours but ...... There will be times when it just isn't working and you need to move them. If you have an out apiary then no problem, just move them away if there is a problem, you just need that already in place before you start!
Good luck in whatever you do but keep us informed
E

 

[thorn]

I've had hives in my back garden for about eight years now. They're on a flat roof about 8' Up, so there's no problem with our walking across the flight path. My wife has suffered the odd sting from tired bees getting tangled in her hair as they return to the hive and she pegs the laundry out, and there has been the odd grumpy guard bee, but there haven't been any real problems.

 

[Helen]

I kept mine in my back garden for a few years. I didn't have any horrors. A couple of swarms (one the day after I got my first bought colony from a local bee farmer). No hostility from them. The cats used the hives to leap over the fence. The chickens happily sat under them.

However, my neighbour's wife was uncomfortable with them. So I moved them a couple kms down the road.

I now use the garden for only homing the occasional nuc if needed.

 

[beebopper]

Sorry but I would advise against it. Too close for comfort and presumably neighbours close by. Things will almost certainly go wrong in some way as you learn and then you could have a problem with bees getting stroppy.

If you decide to go ahead then you must have contingency plan so that you can move them to a different location but if you have an alternative site to move them to then why not keep them there.

 

[gp125john]

Mine are in a corner of the garden and I have a hedge in front of the hive so they instantly get above head height. Had no problems so far but my bees are very docile and only had them a year. My main concern is swarming so i have a couple of bait hives around the garden in the hope they will use them if I miss any cells. I should probably clip the queens wings too but need to pluck up the courage to do it.

Agree that you need a contingency plan too.

To add another benefit they are fascinating and relaxing to watch

 

[Hachi]

I kept 11 in my garden for a number of years without incident the furthest hive was only 6ft from my neighbours backdoor.

No problems whatsoever.

 

[Stedic]

I thought about having them in my back garden on the garage roof but decided against it.

My mentor has his in his garden, but he is fortunate to have a half acre paddock at the back of his garden, separated from the main garden by thick hedges etc. My hives are on farm land out of the way from everyone.

Working his bees is a lot easier, allows for an easy cup of tea mid way through etc. He is also able to more quickly respond to problems/changes in flow/check after strong winds etc. Getting to mine is a bit of a pain and you have to lug stuff about in the car. But they are away from people, which probably gives me a bit of leniency for behaviour and it means to odd missed swarm isn't a drama.

I may, in the future, move a hive to the garden, but I would always want to option to move it away very quickly in case it became bad tempered.

Out apiaries are pretty easy to find, I have offers of several more without really looking for them.

 

[beebopper]

I kept 11 in my garden for a number of years without incident the furthest hive was only 6ft from my neighbours backdoor.

No problems whatsoever.

Still does not make it a good idea though.

Had a friend how often boasted he drove at over 90 on the motorway. He had done it for 20 years and argued the German drive much faster than him. Guess what had a major rta a few years later. Just because you can does not mean you should.

 

[madasafish]

I have had hives in my back garden since 2010.

But:
50 meters from the house.
Fields at back and one side.. only one adjacent neighbour - retired farmers
I requeen horrible colonies ASAP
Flight paths over 3m high within 10 meters..

Good:
great for visitors
Convenient
loads of nearby gardens/forage incl National Trust gardens
No visitors stung .

Bad:
Bees crap on washing/windows /cars.
One really horrible colony chased son when he dove in..every evening. (he avoided all stings)
Wife stung once - bee on washing.


Fine if you have good bees/know what you are doing/requeen horrible ones.
Not so fine if a beginner with indifferent/bad /swarmy bees.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i have 3 in garden (1 acre surrounded by set aside field)

they havent been a problem yet but i do have out apiary where i would take any mischief makers

only had them 3 years though

 

[JazzJPH]

Cheers for the advice guys. I just last night received an email from a local farm I approached (thanks newbeeneil for the tip!) to arrange a visit to find a suitable spot there. It's only a mile away from my home so if that works out I think I'll start off there and then when my experience grows I'll rethink having them in the back garden.

Now to make a list of what makes a suitable apiary on a farm!

 

[enrico]

A fenced off area to stop cattle and sheep scratching on the hives and knocking them over. Stand all your hives on slabs to stop them sinking!
E

 

[Murox]

Level site at the edge of a field, in a copse or an orchard ideally protected from strong winds with easy access for a vehicle but away from public footpaths. A water supply close by e.g. pond or stream, is perfect, and fencing etc as Enrico said.

 

[Wingy]

I have had hives in my back garden since 2010.

But:
50 meters from the house.
Fields at back and one side.. only one adjacent neighbour - retired farmers
I requeen horrible colonies ASAP
Flight paths over 3m high within 10 meters..

Good:
great for visitors
Convenient
loads of nearby gardens/forage incl National Trust gardens
No visitors stung .

Bad:
Bees crap on washing/windows /cars.
One really horrible colony chased son when he dove in..every evening. (he avoided all stings)
Wife stung once - bee on washing.

Fine if you have good bees/know what you are doing/requeen horrible ones.
Not so fine if a beginner with indifferent/bad /swarmy bees.

Sound advice, I at present have 1 hive in the garden, this year it will be 2 (a split from the original but will have a bought in Q of known origin). The hive already there caused no issues last year, Kids in garden, paddling pool, trampoline etc, you can stand 2’ from the front of the hive and the bees go around you, I inspect in short sleeves with a head veil and have not had a single sting. On my allotment I have 2 hives these have F1 Q’s and even these are well behaved I took a total of 5 stings last year, I don’t wear gloves, every sting was my fault trapping bees as I handle frames (small lugs on heavy Langstroth frames can be awkward).
I’m still new to beekeeping but have handled hundreds of hives with my mentor.
IMO it’s ok to have a hive in the garden BUT research your choice of bees and the supplier, have a back up plan and out apiary site if needed

 

[4sausagedogs]

I was the same , thought they could go in the garden until my husband admitted he was scared!
So, a local farmer said to put on his land. I have fenced the area off with sheep fencing and they are happy there.
They back on to a wood.
Now the farmer has planted a 150 fruit tree orchard and want me to put hives there.
Now deciding how many to put on it.
Any advise?

 

[Ian123]

Simple answer is how many are you geared up to manage or want to manage

 

[4sausagedogs]

I have been asked to tell them what I need and costs invovlved.