Poorly chicken

[StephenW]

Hello

I live in Northern Ireland and I am hopeing to start beekeeping. I will be putting my bee hive at my Grandpaents house as they have a big garden and live near orchards. Could somebody please tell me how far I shold place the hive away from neighbours and house?

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Steve

[beesontoast]

It's more about layout than actual distance.

 

You want to arrange things so bees don't fly straight out of the entrance across a path, or a place where people frequently walk. You can redirect them upwards using a fence or hedge if this is a problem.

 

You have a couple of options with neighbours -

 

1. Don't tell them you have bees, and hope they don't mind/get used to them/appreciate the free pollination service, or

 

2. Tell them, and risk vociferous objections/fear/imagined allergies/real allergies and hope you can pacify them with free honey.

 

If possible, placing hives on a garage roof or other raised surface will do a great deal to minimize any 'nuisance'.

[StephenW]

Thank you

[v8landy]

A couple of things I would add, having had/caused problems for my neighbour once and we have a 1acre garden, so size is NOT important as bees fly 3miles.

 

Anyway

 

1 Just think before you open up your hive, and maybe just pop your head over the neighbours fence, are they having a BBQ or kids party outside or sun bathing O-naturel? If so might be best to hold of the inspect that day.

 

2 WATER, prover your bees with a source of water so they do not end up using your neighbours, pond/pool/kids paddling pool

 

3 AS Beensontoast suggest ignorance is bliss, so somtimes not saying is the best thing as if they dont like bees you will be blamed for every flying insect that flys past them as being your bees.

 

4 Learn about beekeeping and aim not to loose swarms that could land in your neigbours garden.

[StephenW]

Thanks for this. Is there a way you can prvent your bees from swarming?

 

 

Steve

[v8landy]

Thanks for this. Is there a way you can prvent your bees from swarming?

Steve

 

 

4 Learn about beekeeping

 

Maybe a simplistic reply, but quite a complex subject with may factors to consider. May of which revlove around the type of hive or beekeeping method you will use, for which you have not informed us.

[StephenW]

I have not started beekeeping yet as I mention in first comment but will be obtaining a National Hive.

 

 

Thanks

 

Steve

[Olly]

Some very good advice above - positioning your hive near a hedge (if there is one) should mean the bees fly up and over it, so they are above head-height. If it's an orchard and not too near any footpaths or gates however, it should be ok - in normal conditions I can go within a foot or so of my hive without any problem, as long as I don't stand in the flight path.

 

I told the neighbour on one side, and he was fine about it and very pleased to have a free jar of honey in July. The neighbours on the other side have young children and are not interested in gardening, and I was afraid their perception would be that bees were dangerous. I still don't know if they have noticed the hive, but now I can truthfully say 'oh, it's been there for years' (well, 18 months!) if they say anything.

 

There are steps you can take to control swarming, Steve, and you'll find out about this if you're doing a beekeeping course. There are no guarantees however, and even experienced beekeepers can get caught out. Just remember, if someone knocks on the door and says 'have your bees swarmed, because there's a swarm in my garden?' the correct answer is always 'No, no, mine are still in the hive - but I'll come and collect the swarm to get it out of your way'.

[StephenW]

Thanks olly for great help. I am hopeing to do any evening beekeeping course if I can work other things around it. Good to hear about being able to go within a foot of hive without anybother. I am just trying to learn as much as I can they are very interesting and I want to make a good stab at looking afterthem as best I can so thats why I have been asking questions. I have arranged to get a second hand hive, i have suit and smoker. So will wait to new year to get bees.

 

 

 

Steve

[Lesley]

Definitely go to the beekeeping course - the information will be invaluable! They're usually held before the beekeeping season starts again in Spring and will usually include a visit to the local apiary. The apiary visits are very helpful and will give information about what is happening in your area at any given time - and that's not something you will find in books.

 

Keep planning and look forward to next year

[StephenW]

Yeah. I am hoping to attend a beginners eveniong course which I think begins around Febuary of next year. Should be good

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Steve

[Daphne]

Just to third what the others have said - a course is definitely the way to go, there's so much to know and in my case very little of it stuck until I was faced with real bees and my first hive! But going on apiary visits beforehand and meeting experienced beeks means that I've had a local support network when necessary.

[StephenW]

Very good. I am the type of person aswell who likes learning by doing and getting out there and trying it.

 

 

 

Steve

[StephenW]

I was wondering if there is an orchard near by will the farmer spraying his apple trees affect the bees?

 

 

Steve

[Guest]

I have received one complaint in the eight years bees have been kept in my garden.

 

The complaint? They are so noisy! There was a reason for this. I could not remove even smaller colonies from my garden this year, so numbers increased (to eight at one point!). I normally have two or three docile colonies in the garden and the rest at out-apiaries, moving out any that are at all likely (in the normal run of things) to be any nuisance beyond the boundary. To this end, the bees have behaved marvellously for the eight years until the neighbour could hear them. I am sure the decibel levels were within permitted limits!

 

I have worked through my colonies while she was sitting outside in her garden, reading, under a parasol, without her even noticing I was there. These bees are very quiet on the frames, stay on the frames and do not follow more than a few paces at most. I like them; more than I can say for a couple of colonies at my other sites.

 

She has no other complaint apart from them buzzing a lot. Due to the inabitity to move colonies around, and check them as often as I would have prefered, I did, unfortunately, lose a couple of swarms - the recipient neighbour simply knocked on my door and enquired if I would like my bees back, which, of course, was of great benefit, as I could move a smaller colony without so much trouble. He has received a substantial reward in honey.

 

So, a lot of things to take into consideration. The first thing I would say is don't keep bees in your own garden, if you have neighbours, until you are more experienced (I was into my third season before I had any in my garden) as initially one does not know how to handle them in all likely scenarios, how to recognise the signs of possible interference with others nearby, and often, what to do if they do change temperament, or even recognise any subtle changes. Swarming can cause alarm also, so experience in swarm avoidance is also important.

 

As far as I know, "Ooops, word censored!"ody has been stung near my garden in all the time they have been in residence. There are high fences, trees etc as screens and nearly all my bees use the garage roof for extra lift when leaving the hives. I regularly walk between these hives (only a couple of metres or less between them) and have not been stung at all this last summer. The previous year, only when a bee flew into and got stuck in my ear as I was passing - ouch! but not an unexpected outcome. In past years I have worn only shorts and socks/shoes with the same results. They bash into me on the way out or in, but sort themselves out and carry on.

 

So know your bees, treat them with expertise (yes, I am much better now, than at first) and expect them to change temperament (especially when/after superceding). Have a back-up plan to put into action immediately any changes for the worse are noted in the bees' temperament. Tomorrow may be too late to prevent complaints from your neighbours.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Regards, RAB

[StephenW]

Thanks for talking the time RAB to write out this long reply.

 

 

Steve