Neighbour problem

[Pete Nicholson]

Any advice really welcomed!!
Have a neighbour that is constantly getting stung by my bees.
Have bought him a veil to wear (but he won't wear it because he says he gets to hot) Cutting grass in a t shirt and shorts when outside temp, is 8°C.
Have bought 4x2 Mt. willow screen to shield his side of the hedge to drive them up - but he wont put it up.
Am cutting his lawn so he doesn't have to go there.
This guy is really sensed by my girls. - I take all my family close to the hives and no problem but as soon as he goes into his garden they want to sting him.
He says he showers regularly and does not wear any scent but as soon as he is in the vicinity they make a beeline for him.
Maybe the third line says it - he is too hot - is it a beacon?
Am going to requeen when available from a friendly source but not sure if this will solve the problem.
Very reluctant to move my bees as I have a great setup - and I was there first by a long time!
Does anyone have an idea on the way forward?
Pete.

 

[YorkshireBees]

I had a similar problem last year, I suspect it was his shampoo but of course couldn't prove it or really tell him that!

Also he was the type o guy that would swat at anything buzzing near his head!

Best solution for me personally was to move the hives to an out apiary, so just one left in the garden at the opposite side. Lets see if he has a problem this year.

 

[mexbigshow]

is he really being stung or is he just saying he is? does he show you the stings or have you witnessed him being stung?

chris

 

[kighill]

I would move the bees in the first instance, leave an empty hive at home (DO NOT tell the neighbour) Re queen the hive whilst it is at the out apiary.

See if he reports being stung again when you have no bees at home.

It is amazing that when people know you have bees any bite or sting in caused by your bees!!!

It appears you are doing all within your power to resolve the issue.

Good luck

 

[Anduril]

There is a similar thread to this one. One of the suggestions was to move the bees and keep an empty hive on your garden and see if he still gets stung. May not be ideal but just to see if your neighbour is telling porkies.

 

[Pete Nicholson]

yep - Ive seen them going for him and he had to go to hospital last year for treatment. Yesterday I was next to my hives with the girls coming in and out without a problem; as soon as he came by on the other side of the hedge I could see two go for him and the result was he didn't get stung but he beat a retreat waving and dancing back to his house.
They are sensing that he is an antagonist and go straight for him.
P.

 

[itma]

Three suggestions

- put up your screen, on your side of the boundary, as high as you can --- and move your hive so that it is close underneath it, and facing away from it. That way, if the bees want to go in his direction, they have to go steeply up from the hive, to a non-nuisance height. Most of them, most of the time, will likely go in the easier direction, where they can go up (and down) at less than 45°. It won't stop them going his way, but it will reduce the number going that way.

- make sure they aren't going to his garden for water. If needed, put in the most bee-attractive water feature somewhere on your property, but not close to the hive (because the bees would likely ignore it.)

- try requeening if everything else has been tried and failed.

 

[Silly Bee]

I'd cut my loss and move to a different location.

 

[itma]

...Yesterday I was next to my hives with the girls coming in and out without a problem; as soon as he came by on the other side of the hedge I could see two go for him ...

If you can see that clearly, your hedge isn't much of a barrier.
It needs to be over head height, and not see-through.
Then bring the hive(s) close under it.

 

[hailtryfan]

I'd cut my loss and move to a different location.

Your neighbour has a right to enjoy his garden

 

[Pete Nicholson]

If you can see that clearly, your hedge isn't much of a barrier.
It needs to be over head height, and not see-through.
Then bring the hive close under it.

Problem is that this guy has rebuilt and terraced his garden in the last year so that now his lawn is at the height of my hedge! (it was at the same level as my lawn)
Bl**dy planning regs. allowed this even though I objected.
P.

 

[user 6228]

Having had diffiult neighbours I feel for your situation... If you have a neighbour who is looking to find fault, then moving your bees is not going to solve this, they will move on to the next issue. This neighbour is probably trying to have revenge for you objecting to the planning. and now is claiming being stung by your bees.
IMHO You need to draw a line
Give your bees a temporary holiday somewhere else for a few months and take the empty hive option, document and have the move witnessed
If he then claims to being stung then you merely tell him they must somebody elses bees that are stinging him and not yours. You have proof he is not being stung by your bees. If you have demonstrated that you have taken care and are not negilent (taking your bees away for a short time is a demonstation of care) ...

Regards
Derek

 

[richardbees]

Pete,

They're not deliberately going for him - it looks like they're flying into him so you've got to lift their flight path more. Can you put some posts up and make a screen of (the new blue) scaffolders "debris netting"? It's what I have on one side of my bees.....3.5 M off the ground on my side and 2M off the ground on theirs...which lifts them above the neighbour head height.

This new netting is so airy/lightweight it doesn't need too much support, steel conduit piping would do. Debris netting from epay and conduit pipe scrounged as scrap...

Edit if you're the only local beekeeper, you won't win with the "empty hive" ploy !

rich

 

[VEG]

Move the bees it will be easier in the long run, as you said he has had hospital treatment all ready. If you put yourself in his shoes wouldn't you want them moved.

 

[richardbees]

Hadn't registered the hospitalised bit - sorry,

VEG is right, you have to move them.

 

[enrico]

you have a responsibility and you must move them. If I was your neighbour I would probably have poured petrol on them during the night! I feel for him, there is nothing worse than being constantly chased. Sorry but they have to go elsewhere. This is why I am so against bees in suburbia ( tin hat on )
Your enjoyment shouldn't be making someone else's life hell
E

 

[Pete Nicholson]

Thanks for all your replies Guys - seems like I have to move them - lucky in that I think I can and still keep them in my garden. Just a bit P****d off that this has been brought about by no fault of mine, but by indiscriminate alteration of my neighbour's garden/building operations in the last year when I have been here 35 years (only the last two as a BEEK)
P.

 

[Tdf]

is their flight path through his garden? moving the hives to a different part of the garden could solve it

 

[MandF]

I would have thought you can legally put up a huge fence your side to retain your privacy. I think the law is that a 6' fence max, but that must assume the same level ground either side - so you have privacy in your garden, but not blocking out light from neigbour.

In this instance I suspect you can legally put up a fence 6' higher than his new garden level.

I'd want to do that regardless of whether I kept bees or not!

 

[Ely]

Apply for permission for a patio. Shoot the neighbour and any witnesses. Bury under patio with a decent mix of quick lime. Problem solved