Keeping Bees in Populated Areas

Bees can be successfully kept in populated areas. Many people keep bees in their back yards. Rooftop beekeeping is becoming increasingly popular in some larger cities. However, keeping bees in urban or suburban areas requires slightly more vigilance than keeping bees in an isolated or rural setting. Most towns do not have laws forbidding honey bees within city limits, however, some communities may may have regulations that restrict the number or placement of hives you can maintain. Also, individual property owners association agreements may provide additional restrictions. Some communities have laws that ban the keeping of "dangerous animals" as pets. Depending on who is interpreting this language, the concept could be applied to honey bees. Bear in mind that you will likely be blamed in the event that a neighbor is stung, despite the burden of proof that a particular bee came from one of your hives. In the event of a problem, even communities without regulations may choose to deal with bees as a public nuisance, and you may lose you beekeeping privileges. Members of your local beekeepers association may be able to tell you if any restrictions are in place in your community.

Locating Colonies

Many people have an unnatural fear of honey bees and other insects. Keeping hives out of sight, keeps them out of mind. If your bees are not visible, many neighbors will remain unaware of their presence and your hives will be less obvious targets for vandalism or complaints. Hives should be kept away from sidewalks and other areas of high foot traffic. If possible, conceal your hives from view with vegetation or a privacy fence. By forcing bees to fly up and over a fence or hedge, they will be less likely to bother people as they forage for food and water.

Remember to register your hive locations. If a dispute with a neighbor does arise, you should not be found guilty or negligent of state apiary law. You are legally responsible for your bees, just as you would be for a dog or other animal you own.

Food and water

Urban and suburban trees, gardens and landscaping can provide superb nectar sources for honey bees. Even in the hot summer, normally a time of dearth for wild nectar sources in many parts of Arkansas, well-watered urban landscapes can be lush forage grounds for bees. Be aware that many urban and suburban homeowners use (and misuse) a great deal of chemical pesticides in their yards and gardens. This is a hazard of maintaining urban bees, and one for which you have little defense. Bees should always be provided with a source of fresh water near their hives. Otherwise they may be drawn to neighborhood pools, hot tubs, bird baths, and fountains. If you are using an open watering container, fill it with rocks or provide floating pieces of wood, bark, or mulch for the bees to land on while they drink..

Management and control

Be a courteous and informed beekeeper. Read up and know your honey bee biology and behaviors, so that you will know what to expect from your bees. Check your bees fairly often to be aware of their condition and temperament. It is imperative to maintain gentle bees when you live in close proximity to others who may not share your interest in apiculture. If you live in an area where Africanized honey bees have become established, or where you may be at risk due to their proximity, you should maintain your bee colonies with marked queens of a known genetic stock. If you find that your queen has swarmed or been superceded, you should re-queen your colony as soon as possible form a reliable source. Africanized bees may not appear aggressive or defensive when their populations are small, but as they increase, and have more brood and honey to protect, their disposition will change. The risk is not worth the few dollars you may save by not requeening.

Urban beekeepers should practice good swarm control and prevention practices. Make sure your bees have adequate space for brood and honey. Maintaining healthy young queen also reduces swarming. Beekeepers know that swarms of honey bees are usually very gentle and easy to collect. But, thanks to Hollywood, swarms can be a terrifying sight to those who are not familiar with honey bee behaviors. If your neighbors report a swarm of bees, take the time to explain the process to them, and show them how gently the bees can be collected and moved. Help them to understand that swarming is natural and normal, and that honey bees are a vital part of the natural environment.

Prevent robbing by maintaining strong colonies. Italian bees, while generally gentle and productive, can be particularly prone to this. If you have more than one hive, cover the supers you remove to check your colonies, preventing other bees from accessing them. Particularly when food is scarce, the sudden appearance of free honey can initiate a feeding frenzy among the bees, and stimulates an aggressive searching mood, which may bother your neighbors.

Be a good neighbor

Be considerate of your neighbors and their property. Don't open your hives during conditions that cause bees to be irritable. Also, avoid disturbing your bees when neighbors are working, relaxing, or entertaining in their back yards. Power equipment such as lawn mowers and edge trimmers can disturb bees and make act defensively. Locate your bee hives away from these potential situations with neighbors.

Take the time to educate your neighbors about the relatively gentle nature of honey bees. Remind them that foraging bees are only looking for potential food sources, and will not sting unless they feel threatened. Point our the the differences between honey bees and wasps, hornets and yellow jackets. And emphasize the tremendous value of honey bees as pollinators of urban ecosystems, particularly in the absence of feral bees. If you have extra protective gear, invite your curious neighbors to suit up and join you next time you open a hive. Once they have seen how calm and gentle your bees really are, up close and in large numbers, they will certainly be more comfortable seeing the occasional honey bee buzzing past them in their garden.

And of course, a jar or two of pure sweet honey will always go a long way toward good public relations with neighbors who are wary of your flying friends. A preemptive gift of honey is much more effective than an apology after someone is accidentally stung.