Bees In Gardens And NOT The Beekeepers

[beebreeder]

What is the general opinion on this one, I had a customer in at work today, says he now has bees in his garden and so does one of his friends in our village. Evidentally a beekeeper had asked him if he knew anyone with a garden suitable to keep bees in as he had run out of space, so two families one with regular grandchildren and dog visitors now have colonies of bees in their gardens and absolutely NO knowledge or respect of the potential hazard, and I am in the sticks with loads of farmers happy to have bees miles from people, he finished up by saying that the bees were installed at end of May and the beekeeper has only been back once to put another box on. Where do we go next, bees at the back door!!!!! Rant over

 

[Rosti]

More front than Woolworths - and look what happened to them!

 

[kazmcc]

That is frightening. Lets hope when it goes wrong ( and it will if you leave it that long without inspecting ) that the damage to person or animal is minimal. It is trendy it seems to keep bees now, and people are fluffy about them ( me included sometimes, but I repect the danger they are capable of posing )

I don't blame you for being flabberghasted

It will be the bees that get the blame when it kicks off as well

 

[Heather]

And the responsible beekeepers...
After all- one social worker screws up- all labelled at rubbish-
One woman cannot reverse a car- so all are incompetent!!! Allegedly

 

[Queens59]

I wouldn't want to be aound when it goes wrong...sounds like someone who intends to let bees swarm as required...

 

[Cazza]

I'm thinking of installing bees in peoples lounges. Can't see any problems as long as they keep a window open.
Cazza

 

[oliver90owner]

Maybe a bit of an unnecesary rant IMO, especially regarding the inspection regime, but a lot of things depend on a lot of others. And do we know any more than anecdotal 'mights' and 'maybes' here. NO.

Find the whole facts first. Rant later.

Perhaps this beekeeper is smarter than a lot. Maybe his bees are docile, maybe he sited the hives where it was safe; maybe the recipients were aware re interference with the bees' area.

Inspections - that could be three times in 6 weeks, then? Perfectly acceptable in the correct circumstances. Why interfere with bees more often than is necessary? Inspected at installation, again and supered, next inspection due now. If it was a smallish nucleus at the start, with a queen of reasonably known provenance, what is wrong with that in the proper circumstances..

Some people meddle unnecessarily. Rants and with bees alike.

So all I am saying is find out the true facts before spouting off.

I will add the following to demonstrate (the possible) exagerrations here: suitable (come on, it does say that), regular grandchildren (no ages given), dogs (no mention of access of these dogs to the beekeeping area), absolutely NO knowledge -anecdotal and could be 100% incorrect. No mention of size of these gardens or the topography.

Yes, lets hear all the true facts before jumping on an unecessary high perch.

RAB

 

[OXFORDBEE]

...absolutely NO knowledge or respect..

This comment on its own is enough to give me concern. I'm sure beebreeder would not express his opinon without valid reason.

Regardless of the inspection regime used. People with bees in thier garderns need to understand what they are letting themselves in for, especially at this time of year.

 

[YorkshireBees]

I have had an offer to install 1-2 hives in a friends garden which I will consider next year (dependant on colony survival this winter and increase made early next year). I would of course inspect the garden, I already know that is it very long and backs onto fields and I would make the friends aware of every possible aspect / danger of having a hive in the back garden before agreeing.

With regards t regular inspections, it really depends on the swarm control method employed and the size of colony at the start.
I for one intend to try a method described by a member of my local BKA who is a commercial beek and this would allow me to leave the bees to get on with their work a lot longer than general inspections during swarming season.

 

[beebreeder]

Oliver90owner
I know both people as they are customers, they both have grandchildren on a daily basis and they are all under the age of 8, both have dogs and at least one told me yesterday he knows nothing about bees other than they make honey and can sting, he has half a dozen apple trees and thinks the pollination will keep the bees going. My concerns personally are selfish to an extent as I rear queens and have spent years working on good tempered, prolific bees, and next season I will have unknown drones in the air.When these swarm next season, if the inspection system continues as is they will, I will get the blame as villagers know I have bees. He may be a good beekeeper but its the thought of bees in someone elses garden and the grandchildren that scare me.

 

[kazmcc]

You have a point Rab, consider me told off. Saying that though, I agree that bee breeder wouldn't have posted his thoughts unless he had serious concerns, and his last post goes to show he was justified in that opinion.

I hope you can speak to this family beebreeder, hopefully they will take your advice. Could they not visit your hives and see what is involved in keeping bees, maybe thay will be spurred onto finding out a little more before they make the commitment, or find that after all, bees are not for them at the moment while the grandkids are young and visiting so often.

 

[bruce]

When these swarm next season, if the inspection system continues as is they will, I will get the blame as villagers know I have bees

Why would they complain about swarms? They could just as easily be from feral colonies. Presumably the locals know that you'll remove swarms for them foc? I've never had a swarm collection where people have been other than fascinated by the swarm - especially once they've understood how safe they are. It's also a great opportunity to get to know people and apply a bit of education - especially if the householder has kids. Admittedly I've met a self selecting sample - I probably don't get 'phone calls from people who pull out a can of fly spray. The only time in my experience that honey bees become a nuisance is when they establish their colony in an inaccessible place (cavity wall/disused chimney) because then people get anxious as it costs money to remove them. The good news is that thanks to the media, most people look on the honey bee as a friendly insect - even though they often can't tell the difference between them and bumble bees - so keeping bees is seen as an environmentally friendly thing to do which seems to count for a lot these days. Unless your locals are members of the pitchforks and burning torches brigade I think you're over worrying.

 

[oliver90owner]

A tiny amount of extra information filltering out. The customer knows they can sting. Great. He may well know, then, to keep himself his dogs and his grandchildren away from the bees. We don't know whether these bees are fenced off securely or just outside the back door (well not quite, I would think).

You say: if the inspection system continues as is

Big word that IF.

You don't even mention whether this beek has bees nearby too. Would they not produce drones too in 'your' area if that were the case?

IF you have concerns perhaps you should express them to the beekeeper, not just rant on here, as that will likely have about as much effect as going against the wind. Maybe offer him some of your prolific, docile queens with which to requeen his colonies, then there will be more of your drones in the air next year. There again, perhaps he might decline as his are more docile than your stock.

Just don't think you should be scare-mongering without the facts. All of them. And without discussing it with those concerned.

Now I note it is both with grandchildren - earlier, it was just the one.

RAB

 

[Foxylad]

When i was very young, i was at a BBQ round at my parents friends. I had apparently wondered off, when everyone heard my screaming. I was only two at the time. I had found a hive at the bottom of the garden and begun hitting it with a stick.
I received multiple stings to my head and body. Apparently they were all over me, as you could imagine. I spend three days on a drip and a week in hospital, apparently it was very touch and go. My mother still objects to me keeping bees, im 30 now!!

Not everyone knows what a bee hive looks like, it would only take a minute of one day for a serious accident.

Please everyone be careful.

 

[BlidworthBees]

I am surprised that at that age you weren't kept more closely supervised by the adults present. Your parents must have surely known that their friends kept bees before they accepted the invitation to the BBQ.
Hardly an unexpected reaction from the bees for trying to defend the hive when an unruly child attacks their home.
As to your mother objecting to you keeping bees now - phrase linking the words "stable door" "horse" "bolted" springs to mind. Probably triggered by a guilty consience since it was her failure to keep an eye on you that led to this painful accident for you.
I do not allow any children on my land. In given circumstances I know how the livestock will react but children are far too unpredictable since many parents fail miserably to teach them how to behave or keep them under control.
A dog was recently brought into the vets for trying to bite a child. On examination by the vet it was found to have a pencil rammed down its ear canal. Vet refused to PTS and dog now rehomed. Dog was innocent victim and in considerable pain yet parents of brat who clearly weren't supervising were prepared to have dog destroyed.

 

[Roy S]

I am surprised that at that age you weren't kept more closely supervised by the adults present. Your parents must have surely known that their friends kept bees before they accepted the invitation to the BBQ.
Hardly an unexpected reaction from the bees for trying to defend the hive when an unruly child attacks their home.
As to your mother objecting to you keeping bees now - phrase linking the words "stable door" "horse" "bolted" springs to mind. Probably triggered by a guilty consience since it was her failure to keep an eye on you that led to this painful accident for you.
I do not allow any children on my land. In given circumstances I know how the livestock will react but children are far too unpredictable since many parents fail miserably to teach them how to behave or keep them under control.
A dog was recently brought into the vets for trying to bite a child. On examination by the vet it was found to have a pencil rammed down its ear canal. Vet refused to PTS and dog now rehomed. Dog was innocent victim and in considerable pain yet parents of brat who clearly weren't supervising were prepared to have dog destroyed.

Gather you arent a big fan of children then???

 

[Silly Bee]

Why would they complain about swarms? They could just as easily be from feral colonies.

Bruce.

It doesn#t work like that Bruce. If people know you keep bees, every bee in the neighbourhood must be yours.

 

[MrB]

One woman cannot reverse a car- so all are incompetent!!! Allegedly

Only one!!!

 

[Gillybee]

I for one have kept bees at the bottom of my garden for 9 years now without any problems whatsoever, the problem is when the bees decide to swarm, regardless of my best efforts to control the swarming impulse, my neighbours always let me know where they land usually in their bushes so that I go round to collect them, and they are so fascinated by this that they ask all sorts of questions on the subject of bees.

By law you are allowed to keep up to two colonies on your own property, any more then you will have to move them out of harms way,

As regards to dogs I have one and he could not careless about the bees, he has been stung by them because he stuck his nose where it not wanted, so learnt his lesson with no problem, just avoids going near the hives now.

The hives could be fenced of with a notice to warn people when they visit to stay away, especially children as they are curious beings that is how we all learn, a fatal mistake to hit a hive with a stick, boys will be boys.

Gillybee!

PS I agree with RAB know the facts first lol!!

 

[Hombre]

By law you are allowed to keep up to two colonies on your own property, any more then you will have to move them out of harms way,

Not something that I am generally aware of. I have an absolute max of four that I will keep in the garden, but there have been a few short term excursions.

The grand children found them to be interesting, but know better than to take liberties with things that are apt to sting.