hive in a garden and BBQ parties

[fatfeet]

here is a silly query, in the hope I'll find the answer.

I have 2 hives at an apiary away from my house, they are at my workplace, I am considering placing a hive in my garden, ready fro the spring.

if I held a feast in my garden of much merriment, involving grog, gruel, guffaws and possibly a bard manifesting a tune or two, (well Spotify) there will definitely be much clinking of glasses.

Question is, will the tenants of the hive take absolute umbrage to the shenanigans and come out in force to see us all off.

Seriously tho, there could be around 20 revellers, no-one will able to go within 2-3 metres, I will cordon it off in some way, either by using scene tape, wicker screen or an electric fence , the entrance will be pointing away from the garden toward a farmers field, and raised from floor level at about 3ft to the entrance.

 

[Ian123]

I doubt they’re going to pour at the front looking for the revellers. However I’d suggest that’s to close for people to be milling around. You only need 1 to get caught in someone’s hair and they get stung.

 

[jeff33]

Agreed with Ian and depends on the pre disposition of your bees!!! Question should be: if you know you are going to have a party, why even contemplate to bring the hive in your garden where it will cause you a headache and unnecessary work ? Bring it home after the party.

 

[user 819]

2 - 3m is too near, one grogged up reveller is bound to get brave.

 

[pargyle]

here is a silly query, in the hope I'll find the answer.

I have 2 hives at an apiary away from my house, they are at my workplace, I am considering placing a hive in my garden, ready fro the spring.

if I held a feast in my garden of much merriment, involving grog, gruel, guffaws and possibly a bard manifesting a tune or two, (well Spotify) there will definitely be much clinking of glasses.

Question is, will the tenants of the hive take absolute umbrage to the shenanigans and come out in force to see us all off.

Seriously tho, there could be around 20 revellers, no-one will able to go within 2-3 metres, I will cordon it off in some way, either by using scene tape, wicker screen or an electric fence , the entrance will be pointing away from the garden toward a farmers field, and raised from floor level at about 3ft to the entrance.

Is this going to be a daytime or evening event ? ... If it's the latter and after dusk it won't be that much of a problem but you would need to screen the entrance from any lights in the garden ..the bees are attracted to spotlights.

If it's a daytime event you will really need to shut them in. You will need to do it the night or early morning when they are not flying and you will need a travel screen (basically a perforated mesh crownboard) in order to provide some ventilation to keep them cool. Put it on in place of the normal crownboard and put the roof back on but raised up an inch or so to allow some airflow but keeping the top of the hive dark. Close the entrance up with another bit of mesh taped in place. They will be OK closed up for a day - you might need to give them an occasional misting of water through the mesh as they can dehydrate if it is warm.

Entirely possible but I would keep your half cut revellers well away from the hive as a knocked over hive may well ruin your party ...

 

[thorn]

if you're really lucky the bees will swarm during the party and give your guests a bit of excitement.

 

[fatfeet]

hi all,
thanks for the replies, some interesting info,

If it's a daytime event you will really need to shut them in. You will need to do it the night or early morning when they are not flying and you will need a travel screen (basically a perforated mesh crownboard) in order to provide some ventilation to keep them cool. Put it on in place of the normal crownboard and put the roof back on but raised up an inch or so to allow some airflow but keeping the top of the hive dark. Close the entrance up with another bit of mesh taped in place. They will be OK closed up for a day - you might need to give them an occasional misting of water through the mesh as they can dehydrate if it is warm.

I am very interested in the idea of closing them down for the day, we hold these gatherings every year, and have done for many years since my days as a fireman, so that could definitely be the way forward.

Is this going to be a daytime or evening event ? ... If it's the latter and after dusk it won't be that much of a problem but you would need to screen the entrance from any lights in the garden ..the bees are attracted to spotlights.

it would start in daytime and usually end well into the night, as for the garden lights etc, the entrance would be pointing away form the garden toward a cow field.

The query was more about, whether the noise would annoy them, it is difficult to explain, but the hive is well out of the way and no-one could stumble upon it, the position I intend to use means I would have to climb to inspect it, it's on a 4ft raised area at the back of the garden, it's not even really in the area where the guests will be, and after rechecking no-one should get within 4-5 metres (should is used lightly)

2 - 3m is too near, one grogged up reveller is bound to get brave.

I do agree as people have a few more beers, it will turn into, "can I just have a quick look", then fall over the hive.

if you're really lucky the bees will swarm during the party and give your guests a bit of excitement.

love that, maybe that could be the theme for the day, "roll up, roll up, come and see a live swarm of bees"

anyway seriously thanks for the info, I was just interested to see if anyone continues to use their garden after putting hives in place, my wife was really against it originally, but is now warming to the idea, I want to reassure her that the garden will not become a "no go area" or perhaps it does?? and if that is the case, then a hive will not be moved in.

 

[enrico]

If one person gets stung everyone will be in your house for the rest of the day!!!

 

[user 819]

Is this going to be a daytime or evening event ? ... If it's the latter and after dusk it won't be that much of a problem but you would need to screen the entrance from any lights in the garden ..the bees are attracted to spotlights.

If it's a daytime event you will really need to shut them in. You will need to do it the night or early morning when they are not flying and you will need a travel screen (basically a perforated mesh crownboard) in order to provide some ventilation to keep them cool. Put it on in place of the normal crownboard and put the roof back on but raised up an inch or so to allow some airflow but keeping the top of the hive dark. Close the entrance up with another bit of mesh taped in place. They will be OK closed up for a day - you might need to give them an occasional misting of water through the mesh as they can dehydrate if it is warm.

Entirely possible but I would keep your half cut revellers well away from the hive as a knocked over hive may well ruin your party ...

Matchsticks .

 

[user 819]

It's not the noise you need to worry about but being so close it will be vibrations transmitted.

 

[fatfeet]

If one person gets stung everyone will be in your house for the rest of the day!!!

indeed, and then never come round again, and all the neighbours will think I have killer bees

 

[pargyle]

It's not the noise you need to worry about but being so close it will be vibrations transmitted.

Yes .. bees are sensitive to some noise levels but often it's more the low frequency sound or the vibrations of equipment that set them off.

Even in the situation and location the OP is describing I would be inclined to close them up for the day .. it's the safest option by far. Resist any suggestions that people would like to look at them ... tell them the bees can't be disturbed and offer a return visit for a look when you complete an inspection.

I keep my bees in my garden - away from the areas we are regularly using - and have never had a problem but I have plans in place for the day when a colony does become disruptive.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i have 4-5 hives in garden and agree 2-3 meters is far too close. Occasionally, once guards have seen someone off, their sphere of patrol (and numbers patrolling) seems to expand some distance (=>10m)

 

[Sutty]

4-5m away and raised up shoud be ok as long as you don't have feisty bees.
The bees in my garden have occasional stung me standing 2-3m directly in front of the hives (5-9 hives & hives at ground level), but not further than that (except when one became very defensive and I'd just inspected).
Noise won't trouble them but vibrations can - but your guests are unlikely to produce that at a distance.
I've previously wondered whether a hosepipe and sprinkler could simulate rain and keep them in for a few hours.

 

[fatfeet]

hi again
thanks for the continuous experiences on this,

Even in the situation and location the OP is describing I would be inclined to close them up for the day .. it's the safest option by far. Resist any suggestions that people would like to look at them ... tell them the bees can't be disturbed and offer a return visit for a look when you complete an inspection.

this does seem to be the best way forward for me, all closed in, therefore cannot come to investigate the goings on.

I've previously wondered whether a hosepipe and sprinkler could simulate rain and keep them in for a few hours.

this seems like a very interesting idea, I am now thinking to myself, I wonder if I could rig up a garden feature and manipulate it to emulate rain, this way it would be reusing water, I'll have to have look into this.
thanks again all for the input,

 

[user 6228]

here is a silly query, in the hope I'll find the answer.

I have 2 hives at an apiary away from my house, they are at my workplace, I am considering placing a hive in my garden, ready fro the spring.

if I held a feast in my garden of much merriment, involving grog, gruel, guffaws and possibly a bard manifesting a tune or two, (well Spotify) there will definitely be much clinking of glasses.

Question is, will the tenants of the hive take absolute umbrage to the shenanigans and come out in force to see us all off.

Seriously tho, there could be around 20 revellers, no-one will able to go within 2-3 metres, I will cordon it off in some way, either by using scene tape, wicker screen or an electric fence , the entrance will be pointing away from the garden toward a farmers field, and raised from floor level at about 3ft to the entrance.

Not that silly .... over a decade with bees in the garden . The classic precaution is you must be prepared to quickly move or euthanize an outrageously aggressive colony. We have only got that far twice in 10 years. That said, the rest is about preventing collisions so it's all sight lines and flight lines. You need to find a way so that honey bees have a defined approach to the hives that doesn't encounter humans. That can mean screens that force the bees high and garden features that bees will use to line their approach up on the entrance. The latter might attract some scepticism here. I have one colony where the entrance is in close alignment with one side of a garden path. There is an apple tree on the other side of the path. Bees coming in to the hive fly along side the path, but not across it. The path is in frequent use in summer no issues. With all the other hives in the garden, I need a hat on to go within 6 metres, as they are staying low on any approach from any direction.

 

[blackcloud]

Yes .. bees are sensitive to some noise levels but often it's more the low frequency sound or the vibrations of equipment that set them off.

Absolutely.
And some colonies are more sensitive than others.
In November I strimmed around the hives.
Its a big heavy noisy thing with a 50cc engine.
14 colonies took not a blind bit of notice but
with the one other hive I thought at first I was being hit with debris but in fact it was a fairly savage bee attack.
Some are tolerant of people but bees are not programmed to play nice and when your back is turned some idiot will try their luck.

 

[Prof]

here is a silly query, in the hope I'll find the answer.

I have 2 hives at an apiary away from my house, they are at my workplace, I am considering placing a hive in my garden, ready fro the spring.

if I held a feast in my garden of much merriment, involving grog, gruel, guffaws and possibly a bard manifesting a tune or two, (well Spotify) there will definitely be much clinking of glasses.

Question is, will the tenants of the hive take absolute umbrage to the shenanigans and come out in force to see us all off.

Seriously tho, there could be around 20 revellers, no-one will able to go within 2-3 metres, I will cordon it off in some way, either by using scene tape, wicker screen or an electric fence , the entrance will be pointing away from the garden toward a farmers field, and raised from floor level at about 3ft to the entrance.

Also worth remembering that in warm weather, some forager come home the next day (and not on the day of leaving the hive - they stay out in the fields etc.) so expect some to be still flying around even when the others were locked up the night before.

 

[fatfeet]

it's all sight lines and flight lines. you need to find a way so that honey bees a defined approach to the hives that doesn't encounter humans.

cheers for that info
even as a beginner I am aware of putting fences or screens in place to force bees higher, I became aware of this a few years back when I first dipped my toe into beekeeping. flight lines is something to definitely think about.

 

[Ely]

Well. That's the bees sorted. What are you going to do to pacify the neighbours?