Electric Pylons

[Ozzi]

Just looking at possible Apiary sites for next year.
I have been offered a piece of land under some large electric Pylons. I have heard that bee's and Pylons don't mix but not sure if there is any truth in this.

Does anyone have any experience with Apiary's under Pylons?

Cheers

 

[Hivemaker.]

I have heard that bee's and Pylons don't mix but not sure if there is any truth in this.

As long as the pylons and wiring are firmly fixed there should be no problem, they would of course be a problem if they blew over in high winds on top of the hives, but then the same applies to siting hives under trees.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

We have had bees up to ten colonies under electric pylons for 7 years now, never had any problems at all, in fact they always produce good quantity's of Honey, we have just taken the last lot of Heather off last week, also we have not noticed any adverse affects on their temperament either, in fact we find this site very good as a mating site, all our Queens that we get mated there are very good, and very rarely fail, so for us no problems.

 

[yeogi75]

also energy company might not like bees under there pylons, especially if they have planned maintenance to do on them, i would check first

 

[Chrisfnvs]

also energy company might not like bees under there pylons, especially if they have planned maintenance to do on them, i would check first

I would expect them to notify the land owner first before undertaking any form of maintenance, so as long as the land owner passes this on to the bee keeper there should not be problem Yeogi75

 

[DanBee]

No problems here - we had hives between a sub-station for a large industrial estate (proper Flash Gordon stuff) and the main Penzance-London railway line, neither adversely affected the bees.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

No problems here - we had hives between a sub-station for a large industrial estate (proper Flash Gordon stuff) and the main Penzance-London railway line, neither adversely affected the bees.

I hear what you are saying Dan, when we go to that site in damp weather there is a lot of noise from the lines, a bit scary at first, but we dont even notice it now

 

[MuswellMetro]

I am awaiting a police check and security clearance in order to place Beehives within one of london's largest National Grid sites

An initial trial on a smaller national grid site has shown no effect on the bees or their behavior

don't think i will get any vandalism as it is within a 12 ft high metal security fence that has razor wire on the top and is electrified and the whole area is covered by 24hr CCTV

 

[yeogi75]

I would expect them to notify the land owner first before undertaking any form of maintenance, so as long as the land owner passes this on to the bee keeper there should not be problem Yeogi75

as long as you all remember unscheduled maintenance can result in a phone call to remove the hives within a time frame, which would hold up repairs and removal of hives and future ban on hives,

 

[Dishmop]

I have noticed ove the years that a lot of fields with pylons may also have cows and sheep in them....
Do the farmers have to remove these?

What footprint do the pylon owners have a "right" to?

 

[yeogi75]

same as the police, fire, ambulance, water, and council workers, access at all times without notice,

 

[yeogi75]

when I was sewer man we had a patio ripped up , a statue removed and a wall pulled down for obstruction of services the utility's have powers unlimited with house holders and land owners alike

 

[PaulM]

If it's steel towers then I can't see there being a problem with access. Work involving lowering the conductors to the ground is planned way in advance. In many places there are houses under these lines. One exception is North Scotland where they flail the vegetation below the lines, but I think it would be pretty apparent if this is being done.

 

[yeogi75]

planes, balloons, ice all planned !!!! would you go read a meter in a lions cage or would you have it removed. same with bees at the base of pylon.

 

[Ozzi]

Thanks for the replies...it seems there is no issues with bee's and pylons . Looks like I will be using site next year.

There is no live stock issues and the field is park of a country park so should be no issues with workmen etc.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

I was thinking along the lines of planned maintenance Yeogi, i can see that in the event of the line coming down this would be an emergency and would need instant access to re-establish supply, ours are not directly around the pylons but are under the power lines,just behind a line of conifers a good few meters away from the pylons themselves, i know the land owner had no choice when it came to placing the pylons on their property, but they do get a very very small annual ground rent from the National grid i think it is, so place them in a sensible position and i can`t see a problems.

 

[yeogi75]

the op did say under the pylons, I presume he meant the ground that the pylons sat on and not to one side near to the pylons.

 

[oliver90owner]

Pylons are no bother, I would think. But the conductors may be. 3.3, 11 or 33kV are likely no problem. Super grid voltages of 400kV are far more likely to make the bees 'less friendly', shall we say. We know they can be more than a tad feisty when an electric storm is close.

RAB