Close to home?

[Excession]

Keep reading of 'backyard' beekeepers.

I wonder how close people have these hives to their homes.

Do any of you have them in your back garden? And how much do you use it? (washing lines, barbques etc)

Seems to me to be a little too close for comfort.

 

[beesleybees]

I have them on my shed roof which is only 15m from my house.

ive not had any trouble with them but this year, i want to move them as they are now getting a little close for comfort. They used to fly out of the hive and go over the houses at the back of me so didnt cause anyone any bother

this year, they have taken a liking to my neighbours pond and the grid at the back of my house, they dodge my kids now everytime they play on their trampoline so its time for them to go before the inevitible happens

back gardens are not the place me thinks unless u own acres. somethings goin to go wrong at some point

 

[raathistle]

Our hive is currently about 120 feet from our house, screened off so the bees fly up about 10' before heading off to wherever they go to. Luckily they are a very placid colony, but we're looking for out apiary locations for the summer in readiness. The idea is nice, but I'm not sure it's worth the risk, especially if neighbours have small children (luckily none around us, but you never know when grandkids etc might be visiting)

 

[drstitson]

i currently have 6 hives all 1-6 ft from back of house.

 

[Poly Hive]

"Backyard beekeeping" is a North American term akin to side liner.

PH

 

[johnfly]

I have two in my driveway, walk past them every day, five by workshop and house back doors and five in the garden no problems in the last five years and all within 30 yards of the towns main street and housing estates, and a lot of lovely forage for them.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

7 adjacent to house wall, 1m from kitchen window

 

[Luminos]

2 colonies about 30m from my house - no near neighbours though (nearest 250km away)

 

[BeeJayBee]

In our garden there are two colonies, in hives, about 60 ft from the back door.

There are two colonies in next door's chimneys, they've been occupied for at least 10 years.

The chimneys are closer to our house than the hives

 

[johnmcc]

Two hives, 40 feet from my back door. Placid bees, only been stung twice in 3 years, both times my fault. Otherwise I walk right across the front of the hives three or four times a day. Only one prob when we were on holiday last year and a swarm tried to establish itself in our cavity wall. Quick smoke and sealing up the external holes one by one sorted that.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

2h ives about 60 yards from back door - used to be three but one colony now on their'holidays in my friend's parents orchard about five miles away pass close to the hives a few times a day when i'm home to get to the land behind and i've not had a problem thus far.

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

When we started we had two hives about 30 yards from the house.

But we run a B&B, and soon found that your average bad-tempered bee can fly faster than your average B&B guest can run. We have now out-housed them (the bees, that is!).

 

[Rosti]

I use an area at the side of the house for short term swarm / newly housed colonies / bait hiving / nucs, there is normally some sort of activity there. Perhaps 10m from back door and 2m from whirly gig washing line. Also over wintered 3 colonies there this year. On a couple of occassions have left a colony all year and harvested from it to see what sort of honey they get.

Never (yet) had a problem. That said, If I had a whiff of a prob I could (and would) immediately move them to the main apiary on a local farm - that is the key to home keeping IMO - a realistic and quickly implemented plan B. Neighbour relations and family safety comes first

 

[Vergilius]

Hive in front yard, 10 metres away from house.

Ben P

 

[Black Comb]

I do exactly the same as Rosti. Any colony can turn nasty so approach to a local farmer is a good idea.

 

[user 6228]

2 colonies about 30m from my house - no near neighbours though (nearest 250km away)

1 house in circle 500 kilometres in diameter i didnt realise that france was so uninhabited

 

[madasafish]

7 colonies within 10 metres of the extension, about 20 metres from any door.

Pond is within 3 metres of back door, used by bees as a watering hole, near washing lines.

I mow under the hives, strim round them etc.

No problems at all apart from bee poo on car, windows and washing,

Happily show visitors around hives..

 

[Luminos]

1 house in circle 500 kilometres in diameter i didnt realise that france was so uninhabited

Doh! Sharp eyes, Derekm - 250km was wishful thinking! 250m more like!

 

[johncorne]

I had 8 in my garden - fields to one side and back , neighbour the other side was happy - till her granchildren each recieved a sting, and both ended up in A&E. The bees are now further away!

Jc

 

[Dishmop]

Two about 4 metres from back door, and one in the lounge.

Wife puts washing out without any problem, but bees have to alter their flight path for the rest of the day.
They have this year developed the habit of dropping their dead right outside the back door.