Bees in garden advice

[Toto9012]

Hi, I know this is an often raised issue and I have read so much conflicting advice and am starting to get confused.....
I attended the local BBKA beginners course last year (2021) and having now moved to a new house with a large rear garden I would like to start keeping.
We have neighbours on both sides one of whom who keeps horse adjacent to our garden separated by a solid wooden fence and a 6' high beech hedge.
I invited someone from the association to have look and they thought the proposed site was fine and was far enough away from the horses (approx 15m to hedge) and would be ok.
I went ahead and prepared the area and ordered two flat pack hives and equipment.

In my continued reading I am starting to get worried about the horses and the potential issues. I have spoken to the neighbour and asked whether she was OK, she has responded that she has taken advice and is fine with it but I am still nervous.
My plan was to put myself on the list for a swarm but am also worried that they might be aggressive... but not sure where to get a gentle swarm from and how to locate. I have been given a mentor who I will be meeting shortly but would appreciate others views albeit it appears very mixed on the subject of garden sites. I am new to the area so do not have a option for an out apiary.

 

[Boston Bees]

Is there a clear line of flight between the hives and the horses, or is there an obstacle like a hedge to make the bees fly well up (I don't mean a 4 foot field fence/hedge, I mean a proper 6+ foot barrier)?

If not i.e. if you can stand at the hives and see a horse, 15m away, I wouldn't put hives there (or I would erect a tall mesh barrier to push the bees up into the air)

 

[Amari]

OP says 6 ft beech hedge.

 

[Toto9012]

Is there a clear line of flight between the hives and the horses, or is there an obstacle like a hedge to make the bees fly well up (I don't mean a 4 foot field fence/hedge, I mean a proper 6+ foot barrier)?

If not i.e. if you can stand at the hives and see a horse, 15m away, I wouldn't put hives there (or I would erect a tall mesh barrier to push the bees up into the air)

There is a beech hedge which is 5-6 ft high picture attached from the proposed site

 

[Ian123]

Many start with a free swarm and it works. However with bees in the garden a lack of experience and to head off problems I’d be inclined to order a nuc from a reputable supplier. Keeping bees in a garden is great provided you have the experience to deal with any issues!

 

[Boston Bees]

There is a beech hedge which is 5-6 ft high picture attached from the proposed site

Hmmm. I wouldn't leave it like that, personally.

I would erect a 6-8 foot screen in front of the hives, blocking direct line of flight to the stables and field hedge, to force the bees to fly up from the start. You can do this easily with trellis panels, cable ties and stakes.

It will also give you privacy, and provide a bit of "out of sight, out of mind" for the horse-owner.

 

[enrico]

Where are you based?

 

[Toto9012]

Where are you based?

Suffolk / Norfolk border

 

[steve1958]

I have my bees in the same field as the horses, and they have got along fine for the past 12 years.
The two Hives are separated from the horses by a 6ft fence to encourage the bees to fly up and high across the field.
However these are gentle colonies and I inspect them weekly as part of my swarm control.
So yes it is workable.
You will need to think ahead as to where you are going to put any future hives obtained from splits or swarms

 

[Toto9012]

I have my bees in the same field as the horses, and they have got along fine for the past 12 years.
The two Hives are separated from the horses by a 6ft fence to encourage the bees to fly up and high across the field.
However these are gentle colonies and I inspect them weekly as part of my swarm control.
So yes it is workable.
You will need to think ahead as to where you are going to put any future hives obtained from splits or swarms

Thank you, i think I will add another fence around the apiary and then need to try and source a good natured set of bees. Probably means waiting to next spring now but I would rather get this right so as not to upset the neighbour
I probably have room for another two hives but don’t want to go over three but need to consider the points made I would try and unite any splits where poss.

 

[enrico]

Suffolk / Norfolk border

Too far for me to supply some bees if I get them. Can you put your location on your avatar

 

[Toto9012]

Too far for me to supply some bees if I get them. Can you put your location on your avater

will do sorry ....new to the site

 

[enrico]

Had mine in field next to horses. The only time they got stung was when they were eating grass immediately adjacent to the hives and got stung on the lips with the bees getting water off the grass. Kept their distance after that!

 

[Boston Bees]

The thing with horses and honey bees is that it almost certainly won't go wrong, but if it does go wrong, it can go really really wrong.

If you know what I mean

The fact that there is a stable block there makes it significantly worse, sadly. Horses in fields can run away. Horses stung in stables panic and try to bolt through the door.

There was this infamous case, but it is of course the very rare exception

Horses bee sting deaths at Nutley farm 'horrific' - BBC News

 

[Boston Bees]

Thank you, i think I will add another fence around the apiary and then need to try and source a good natured set of bees. Probably means waiting to next spring now

Nah - seriously - you can do it yourself in a day. Just order a few of these from your local timber merchant

Forest Garden Square Lattice Trellis - 1830 x 1830mm | Wickes.co.uk

arrange them in a semi-circle, about 5m away from the hive stand, between it and the stable block

cable tie them together, and whack a stake in the ground at either end to secure it

 

[OH honey]

Many start with a free swarm and it works. However with bees in the garden a lack of experience and to head off problems I’d be inclined to order a nuc from a reputable supplier. Keeping bees in a garden is great provided you have the experience to deal with any issues!

Hi, I know this is an often raised issue and I have read so much conflicting advice and am starting to get confused.....
I attended the local BBKA beginners course last year (2021) and having now moved to a new house with a large rear garden I would like to start keeping.
We have neighbours on both sides one of whom who keeps horse adjacent to our garden separated by a solid wooden fence and a 6' high beech hedge.
I invited someone from the association to have look and they thought the proposed site was fine and was far enough away from the horses (approx 15m to hedge) and would be ok.
I went ahead and prepared the area and ordered two flat pack hives and equipment.

In my continued reading I am starting to get worried about the horses and the potential issues. I have spoken to the neighbour and asked whether she was OK, she has responded that she has taken advice and is fine with it but I am still nervous.
My plan was to put myself on the list for a swarm but am also worried that they might be aggressive... but not sure where to get a gentle swarm from and how to locate. I have been given a mentor who I will be meeting shortly but would appreciate others views albeit it appears very mixed on the subject of garden sites. I am new to the area so do not have a option for an out apiary.

View attachment 31760
View attachment 31761

I think you should grow the hedge to at least 7-8 ft, and also that low wooden fence in front of the stable could be higher ( netting perhaps?). I have 2 hives at the bottom of my garden, approx 15 ft from the 7ft Hawthorne boundary hedge. Neighbours have never been bothered by the bees, and are always kept sweet(ahem) with a jar of honey every few months.

 

[SWHives]

Thank you, i think I will add another fence around the apiary and then need to try and source a good natured set of bees. Probably means waiting to next spring now but I would rather get this right so as not to upset the neighbour
I probably have room for another two hives but don’t want to go over three but need to consider the points made I would try and unite any splits where poss.

If you insist on catching a swarm, you can do that and if they turn out to be aggressive you can perhaps still requeen with a mated queen from a reliable supplier.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hi, I know this is an often raised issue and I have read so much conflicting advice and am starting to get confused.....
I attended the local BBKA beginners course last year (2021) and having now moved to a new house with a large rear garden I would like to start keeping.
We have neighbours on both sides one of whom who keeps horse adjacent to our garden separated by a solid wooden fence and a 6' high beech hedge.
I invited someone from the association to have look and they thought the proposed site was fine and was far enough away from the horses (approx 15m to hedge) and would be ok.
I went ahead and prepared the area and ordered two flat pack hives and equipment.

In my continued reading I am starting to get worried about the horses and the potential issues. I have spoken to the neighbour and asked whether she was OK, she has responded that she has taken advice and is fine with it but I am still nervous.
My plan was to put myself on the list for a swarm but am also worried that they might be aggressive... but not sure where to get a gentle swarm from and how to locate. I have been given a mentor who I will be meeting shortly but would appreciate others views albeit it appears very mixed on the subject of garden sites. I am new to the area so do not have a option for an out apiary.

View attachment 31760
View attachment 31761

My horse paddock is separated from my apiary by a 6 foot x 1" mesh galvanised chicken wire fence. The bees always fly up over it despite the mesh being of a size that a bee could easily pass through. Chickens freely wander amongst the hives without trauma.

 

[Moobee]

Thank you, i think I will add another fence around the apiary and then need to try and source a good natured set of bees. Probably means waiting to next spring now but I would rather get this right so as not to upset the neighbour
I probably have room for another two hives but don’t want to go over three but need to consider the points made I would try and unite any splits where poss.

Your local BKA might be able to give you a split from one of their hives. BTW I’ve kept mine in the garden for three years with no issues (so far!) and would kill for the amount of space you have, looks lovely

 

[Nighthaunt]

Our BBKA association previous apiary was next to a field containing horses with no issues - nor anything other than the usual barbed wire fence between.

key requirement is to not have aggressive or guardy bees -even without horses you would want peaceful bees in the garden -try and get a colony of local bees (NOT a Buckfast or imported queen as there is then potential next year or after of F2 aggression).

Other than being caught out by swarming this year I have 2 colonies in a urban back garden fenced in with 6’ high fence panels - no problems with neighbours, only issue was we got stung last year when one was running v low on supplies (soon as syrup fed bees went back to being peaceful) - we tend to walk slowly through flight paths about 4’ from entrances and bees just bounce off and continue on their way.