Urban beekeeping

[hughjamton]

I've been reading some of the old posts on here and I came across an article by Hedgerow Pete, he of the parrot headed son.
The article dealt with different options for apiary sites, in particular industrial estates.
I work on one such estate in the Medway towns, and as I'm the boss I don't have to follow Pete's tips on sweet talking your way in.
What makes me think it's not suitable though is the close proximity of a refuse centre, I'd be worried the bee's could be picking up all sorts of problematic material from the rubbish.
What's your opinion?

 

[madasafish]

Bees choose where they forage. A refuse tip is unlikely to have flowers ..

 

[hughjamton]

What about residue in honey jars

 

[Flatters]

Bees will go to the best forage. The chance of the finding a honey jar would be remote so I am not sure you should be concerned about that. It is unlikely to appeal to them.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the way they compact the stuff on these sites the chances of anything surviving to attract bees is slim.

 

[hedgerow pete]

yep i follow the rest tips are not a feeding point as such and you should have no problems there

 

[Swarm]

A chap at my association had some of his best hives at an industrial estate, they seem to be a good choice for an apiary site. I suppose there would also be a decent amount of security as well.
I wouldn't worry about the tip.

 

[MuswellMetro]

i have hives within 100 yds of a food/green waste recylce plant, it absolutely stinks and makes me wretch sometimes, the site has been used by other beekeepers for a number of years

it produced good tasting honey , the bees do tend to get their water from somewhere near the middle of the site

only problem has been when the stack of compost caught fire and smoked out the bees reducing the forages by over 50% ( the smoke also closed the M25)

 

[Onge]

Doesn't matter where you put your hives.

They will find forage.

Good luck.

 

[madasafish]

My bees forage beside a sewage works. Lots of tall HB there.

 

[Poly Hive]

"Doesn't matter where you put your hives."

Umm............ I cannot at all in any way size shape or form agree.

It matters TOTALLY.

Next to a honey packing plant. UMM.... no... AFB.

Middle of the agri desert... um no... no honey.

Non managed moor for heather honey... err no.

Manley said it took five years to prove a site. I fully agree.

PH

 

[RosieMc]

Wasps mice and rats from the site? I'd give it a try and you will soon know

 

[Swarm]

My bees forage beside a sewage works. Lots of tall HB there.

No sh*t?

 

[hughjamton]

Thanks for your thoughts.
There are two possible places, a gravelled corner that we don't use at all, but it's right next to the road, all be it behind a 7 foot security fence. We do on occasion have visits on the estate from the travelling community and a stick poked through the fence from the delightful children of the "do as you likey's" is a real possibility.
The other option, that I prefer, is on a large third floor balcony with a service walkway that runs all around the building. The only problem there is if the staff ever want to sit out on the balcony, they never have in three years, but you wait till they can't, they'll want to sit out there every day.
The walkway is fairly narrow, enough to get past a hive if your suited up, but not if your in your shorts cleaning windows.
It wouldn't be until next year now, but meantime I think I'll make up some fake hives (I won't tell anyone they're fake) and put them in the various positions to see what reaction I get.

 

[Tom Bick]

Thanks for your thoughts.
We do on occasion have visits on the estate from the travelling community and a stick poked through the fence from the delightful children of the "do as you likey's" is a real possibility.
.

Just make sure the hive is strapped to a stand that in turn is fixed to the floor and when they realise the hives cannot be pushed over easily the bees will make sure that they don’t try it a third time.

Also a fine mesh screen fixed to the fence will help two fold, the first the bees will go up over the top of it and over the heads of any innocent people on the other side of the fence and will make it awkward for sticks and stones to be thrown at the hives.

 

[Onge]

"Doesn't matter where you put your hives."

Umm............ I cannot at all in any way size shape or form agree.

It matters TOTALLY.

Next to a honey packing plant. UMM.... no... AFB.

Middle of the agri desert... um no... no honey.

Non managed moor for heather honey... err no.

Manley said it took five years to prove a site. I fully agree.



PH

Umm... you forgot the moon.

Sorry I was assuming a modicum of sense.

I also fully agree with Manley. He was making money from honey I was referring to general forage.

Oh well

 

[moby]

I've been reading some of the old posts on here and I came across an article by Hedgerow Pete, he of the parrot headed son.
The article dealt with different options for apiary sites, in particular industrial estates.
I work on one such estate in the Medway towns, and as I'm the boss I don't have to follow Pete's tips on sweet talking your way in.
What makes me think it's not suitable though is the close proximity of a refuse centre, I'd be worried the bee's could be picking up all sorts of problematic material from the rubbish.
What's your opinion?

I cant seem to find the original thread for this can somebody please send me a link

 

[moby]

I cant seem to find the original thread for this can somebody please send me a link

I mean the original thread of Hedgerow Pete

 

[hughjamton]

It's in this forum, about page 390ish from memory, same title as this "Urban Beekeeping"
It has a link to an article "Wot he wrote"