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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • To: MarilynMark Clark <wazazi.wa.binti AT gmail.com>, Orange County Beekeepers <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] bees in suburbia
  • Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:50:14 -0400

Mark,

The Bailey Bee Supply newsletter for April has an article that touches on this topic (http://www.baileybeesupply.com/docs/april_2013_newsletter.pdf). I think you've got 99% of the problem solved because you've got the right attitude. Common sense and consideration for others goes a long way.

Randall

On 4/15/2013 9:25 PM, MarilynMark Clark wrote:
CAMaQ7+A07zeNfmbwwoTPq2FBZPLem7aUDC9OWwSpvZy4ZRo09g AT mail.gmail.com" type="cite">
I would like to hear a little discussion of keeping bees in less remote sites, well, actually in populated areas.

A little background:   I have been beekeeping for about 10 years.  Everything I might have learned has been from books, I have had almost no opportunities to watch knowledgable keepers at work.  Where I kept bees was rural and very remote in West Virginia on five acres.  Nobody could care in the least what their "neighbors" did on their land.  Now I find myself in suburbia in a new development with an HOA(!).  Though I must say as HOAs go, it seems to be less meddling; a situation I would like to preserve as far as my beekeeping is concerned.  I now live on only a quarter acre.  I do have a lot that backs up to a large, deep-set retaining pond and will be able to point my girls out over the pond to disperse for their foraging, so their flight path should not be a problem.  Since the neighborhood is a new development the lots are pretty open; I am currently planting some trees and bushes to "shield" the hives.

I offer this article: http://www.midsussex.gov.uk/8183.htm  (I don't know if the British are more polite or their bees more docile, but it is a start.)

My comments on the article:

Stings:  I must say, I did not like the recent posts about members' colonies being more aggressive this year.  Something I need to avoid at all costs, especially the first year. (I hope you come through for me Bailey Bee Supply.)

Drinking Bees:  Does the pot full of water and peat work?  I could never get my bees to go to water I put out for them, they always seem to prefer our birdbaths and chase the birds away!?

Overflying:  I think this will not be a problem for me because of the pond described above.

Cleansing Flight:  Is this really a problem?  Here the HOA helps, no hanging out of laundry.

Swarms: Obviously this becomes even more important.  My management in the past has not been ideal.

Number:  I run 1 to 4 hives.  I have ordered two packages for my first year here.

Rights:  I do not think I really have any regarding this issue, only well-behaved bees and my hat-in-hand approach.

Avoiding confrontation:  I have already spoken to my immediate neighbors and have gotten only positive replies.  I would REALLY like to keep it that way if I can.

After robbing, how should I clean out the supers?  I always just stuck them out in a field and let the bees (and their friends) clean them out, but this does create a bit of a cloud of buzzing insects that may make people nervous (even if I do bribe them later with free honey).

Thank you,

Mark




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