Roof Top Hives: Practical Beekeeping or Publicity Stunt?

[alldigging]

https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/ga...on-and-ratnieks-2016-bee-world(1).pdf&site=60

Roof Top Hives: Practical Beekeeping
or Publicity Stunt?

Article by Karin Alton and Francis Ratnieks

 

[B+.]

Article by Karin Alton and Francis Ratnieks

Slow news day?

 

[Finman]

.
Roof is the worst place to keep bees.
. I do not know worse.

 

[viridens]

Thanks for the link. A very sensible and well considered article.
There was some talk about locating a hive on top of a local church hall to help 'save the bees' until it was pointed out that there were already 2 apiaries and 8 hives tucked away within a few hundred yards....

 

[user 6228]

" Professor Seeley’s work it seems that honey bee colonies would prefer to nest at approximately the height of the roof of a 1–3 storey building. He is not sure why
swarms prefer to nest above ground level, and thinks it may be as protection against
bears (or even humans), or that height in some way helps overwintering perhaps by making it easier to take wintertime cleansing flights in the cold New York climate."

The reason for height imho is mice! or any small mammal that wants honey and can get in the entrance.

A tree is a fortress and bear proof at any height so height cannot be to escape the bears. The real issue problem is the things are small enough that will try to get in the entrance.
However the higher the entrance,and in a deciduous forest after the leaves have fallen, the greater the exposure to weather and predators for the would be raiders . For the bees, if they can maintain a full guard until either leaves fall and or the weather is deadly to small animals, then they can rest easy.

 

[Finman]

.
The reason to keep bees on roof is mice. They were bears what you saw in pictures, and why hives were lift to trees..
.

 

[B+.]

The reason for height imho is mice! or any small mammal that wants honey and can get in the entrance.

I don't think so Derek. Rats can climb very easily and they can do more damage.

Dusty has hives ontop of a cathedral. It seems to work ok for him

 

[user 6228]

I don't think so Derek. Rats can climb very easily and they can do more damage.

Dusty has hives ontop of a cathedral. It seems to work ok for him

when I last looked a rat was a small mammal.

is mice! or any small mammal

Yes rats can get in but they wont if the bees are guarding or their predators can see them and get them.

 

[Finman]

.
We have a forest mouse which lives in bird boxes up on trees during winter.
.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not just in forests either......In Welsh rural gardens too.

 

[Finman]

.
Apodemus flavicollis is our forest mouse. Very common.

 

[Plenty of honey]

I met up with Bermondsey street bees late this summer, who run their business from around central london
They put and maintain many hives on different high rise locations for corporate and private clients. The biggest problem they have is the lack of forage for colonies right in the urban areas.. Too many hives in one location and sometimes possible too high.
Ive always been told to have a maximum of 15 hives per apiary, here in Brittany, but other areas i know can support colonies better. Other parts of the world, 30 is easily possible.

I know of beekeepers in central Paris, who despite having access to many roof to gardens, still struggle for forage. The honey is unique, but one could question at what price? Are their bees really as good (in health terms) as those who have access to more biodiverse areas. I am not convinced its all as good as its cracked up to be. ( the forage and bee health not the beekeepers!)
Then there is the issue that bees in urban areas have less pesticide, but are they flying in more polluted skies!

My point is, to have healthy hives, you need good diverse forage. if your a roof top beekeeper your hives must have this, or not many hives.
Whats the point of having 10 hives with half a super full, where half the number of hives would give you the same crop, with an awful lot less work and better stronger colonies as well as a lot less humping stuff up and down stairs from Hell!!
Theres no doubt, hives on roof tops are seen as being green and eco friendly, saving the bees and the planet and an iconic thing to have! prices of the honey are enormous.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=13830&stc=1&d=1482275140

 

[Hivemaker.]

I met up with Bermondsey street bees late this summer, who run their business from around central london

Known Dale for many years, has also visited here a couple of times in the last month or so, he and Sarah are a lovely couple, most invigorating in their enthusiasm for all things to do with beekeeping and the marketing of quality products.

 

[Finman]

.
Finnish towns are full of hobby beekeepers and beehives. I started beekeeping in a town and I moved hives to forest pastures at the beginning of July. Reason to move was that yield in town area was zero in July.

What is the diffence in roof keeping and in groud keeping is that roof thing is so special and honey is so lovely. Ground keeping is not worth to mention.

That is odd explanation that countryside has more pestisides than city.

What is difference in forage in cities is, that city trees gives a huge amount of honey dew. You can see it when you leave a car under a tree.
.
.

 

[fatshark]

.
Roof is the worst place to keep bees.
. I do not know worse.

Underground?

 

[REDWOOD]

Forage would be my only concern in a town or City as most are now concrete jungles, or hybrid flower boarders that give little to bees.

 

[MartinL]

.
Roof is the worst place to keep bees.
. I do not know worse.

Suppose the angle makes it a bit difficult to keep your footing?

 

[Finman]

Suppose the angle makes it a bit difficult to keep your footing?

To bring down 150 kg honey /hive happens fast

 

[Finman]

Underground?

You mean cellar bees?

 

[REDWOOD]

I think this is what he meant
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf