I have the urge to go right out to my tiny backyard and install a hive despite my HOA. I like the idea of saying that I'm providing a public service by providing housing for homeless bees who would otherwise end up in the neighbor's storage shed or in someone's attic and providing pollinators for fruit and vegetables. I'll probably not do such a thing but I'd like to hear your ideas and other good reasons to keep a hive in a small space.
I have two fountains, a good location sheltered from the prevailing winds, gets morning sun, late afternoon shade and there's lots of woods within two square miles for forage. We have six foot wooden fences between each neighbor and there are many retention ponds in the area and none of my close neighbors have swimming pools. The bees would have to fly up and over my roof to get near any dirveways and cars. Let's hear your ideas, as a thought experiment.
Thanks!
A strong full sized hive has LOTs of bees coming and going. It's pretty noticeable once they get strong. They also tend to get more defensive when they build up to large numbers. In a small space with a HOA, I might go with a nuc sized hive or something a shade bigger. Less bees, less conspicuous, less defensive, easier to work, easier to learn from.
If your goal is to produce a whole bunch of honey, then you need a full sized hive. If you goal is to enjoy nature, pollination, and just enough honey for yourself, then a smaller hive or nuc would be a good option in my mind. A nuc is likely to swarm on you, but that is also a wonder of nature and keeps the number of bees down (which might be good in your situation).
There are NOT enough bees in a nuc or a smaller hive that people are even going to notice an increase in the amount of bees flying around. What the HOA can't see, they can't complain about can they.
My goal is not to produce honey, I just want to enjoy learning and watching the bees. I bought nuc and 8 frame boxes and plan to work out some way of beekeeping by spring 2012 but in the meantime I want to learn as much as possible. Thanks :)
If the neighbors can see over your fence, I would paint the hive the same color as the bushes or fence; make it blend in. You can also camouflage a hive in many ways so it doesn't look like a hive. Maybe make it look like a garden bench :)
So it sounds like you have the wooden ware now, just no bees yet? You can learn a lot reading all the posts on the bee forums, or pick up a book or two. Book learning is good, but dealing with real bees helps cement what the books and forums teach you. I would bet there are beeks down your way selling nucs of bees right now if you wanted to get going before 2012. Isn't the world suppose to end in 2012 anyways?
what happens if and when you suit up in your bee gear and check on that hive your hiding outside? if you can see your neighbors can't they see you? I'd say find another location first. it would save some possible grief. or as mentioned an observation hive inside. bushes to obstruct the view and raise the flight path would help. They'll swarm one day and or out grow what you have or die.
If you are just wanting to watch the bees and learn, sounds like you need an indoor observation hive.
I am a very very bad person, as neither neighbor even knows there are bees here. :-D
Two years w/ this situation.
Once the foraging bees are about 12 feet from the entrance you can't even see 'em. They exit, head for my dwelling for about 2 feet, then zoom sort of sideways to the houses and the colony structures are very well camoflaged from ANYBODY seeing them except for ME.
Part of my situation is I live in a semi-rural area, but the neighbor dwellings are about 130 and 75 feet away.
So it sounds like folks can coexist in many many places!
I'll bet the bees are already in the area. I don't see them like I used to, but they live in whatever hollow they can find. You probably don't see them because they'll be up in the trees somewhere. I always thought they loved that white clover you see in the lawns, but watching them now I notice they don't seem to get on that until there's nothing else to forage.
I'm with 2 full sized hives and a small one, on a farm, now. I notice no more bees than I usually do, and the only way I know they're my bees, is they like to land on me and lick my sweat.
A small nuc hive would be good for you, starting a swarm this year I had problems with Small Hive Beetles when I put them in a full sized deep. Too much space to defend. I used to live in North Florida so I can imagine the winter you might have; day temps in the 60's, the occasional freezing temperatures, and one hard freeze.
Your best bet would be to look up the local beekeeping association and pick their brains. People get crazy about bees. They don't worry about a half wild cat, but a half inch vegetarian insect makes big burly men afraid...
Top-bar hives are low-profile, quiet little hives. They practically disappear in a garden. Especially if you put a flower pot on top. To my mind, it's the answer for small lots or low-key urban beekeeping.
-Liz
the neighbors are enthusiastic supporters of having hives in the neighborhood?
It would be interesting to hear about the process of building positive relationships with the neighbors.
Prior to becoming a beek myself, hives at a neighbor's place would have been no concern, and probably sped my journey to becoming a beek. But I am just wierd that way.
I've got three hives currently (up to 8 at one point) in my backyard. It's a dense older millhouse neighborhood with most lots 1/6 acre. Mine is a double lot, but the bees are right out in the open and visible from the road and my nearest neighbor's back porch.
Maybe I'm just lucky with my neighbors, but I've had nothing but support and curiosity about the bees. They would be within their rights according to city guidelines to ask me to put up a 6-foot fence, but no one has bothered. The folks without gardens say they haven't noticed the bees - the folks with say they're getting better pollination on their vegetables. I bribe the closest folks with a pound of cut comb once a year and all is well.
I'd say neighbors and bees can absolutely coexist, BUT bees and HOAs don't mix so well. If you have an HOA you are likely also to have at least a couple of neighbors who believe upholding the rules is their highest goal in life. I don't mesh well with that attitude, so I looked extra hard to find a place with no HOA.
What is at HOA :? :?
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
home owners association. they make rules about what you can and can't do with YOUR OWN property. people think they are a good idea because they keep people from doing things like parking junk cars on the lawn, thus keeping property values up. they can also regulate the color of your house, the type of roof, the height of your hedges, fences, type and color of sheds you can put up....and tell you when to mow your lawn...etc.
Quote from: Jim 134 on July 18, 2011, 01:17:34 PM
What is at HOA :? :?
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Home Owners Association
Depending on the size of the area, the location of the hive, trees, surrounding vegetation, there shouldn't be a problem.
I've got 8 hives in my backyard, <1/2 acre, lots of trees, lots of pools in the area, no HOA. The neighbors are all aware, but nobody has complained ever.
I've helped an acquaintance with his hive, he has a HOA, but the area that it is in is fairly conducive to a hive.
That being said, the benefits of area pollination is probably negligible. And you won't be giving any homeless bees a place to live, on the contrary you may very well be creating some homeless bees who will take up shelter in a neighbor's house, shed, backyard, etc. (swarming!!)
If you enjoy them nearby, it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission. However, if you do choose to do so, and if you have a picky HOA, then just make sure you have an option somewhere else to move them too if somebody complains.
I have a theory that some people will complain about anything and those people tend to be very miserable and unhappy about everything. Others complain out of fear and ignorance. If we as bee keepers can invite neighbors to experience the thing that we have such passion for then we can at least win a great many of them over.
Often this can be very simply done by a generous gift of honey, feeding curiosity by answering questions about bees, or even inviting them to experience the wonder of bees up close.
I guess what I'm saying is if your neighbors have a problem with your bees either they are miserable and close minded or we just haven't won them over yet.
Quote from: kathyp on July 18, 2011, 01:29:56 PM
home owners association. they make rules about what you can and can't do with YOUR OWN property. people think they are a good idea because they keep people from doing things like parking junk cars on the lawn, thus keeping property values up. they can also regulate the color of your house, the type of roof, the height of your hedges, fences, type and color of sheds you can put up....and tell you when to mow your lawn...etc.
kathyp
You all so got about 90 No Buzz Zones in the USA
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/bees/illegal-urban-beekeeping-0602 (http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/bees/illegal-urban-beekeeping-0602)
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Quote from: caticind on July 18, 2011, 11:56:42 AM
I'd say neighbors and bees can absolutely coexist, BUT bees and HOAs don't mix so well. If you have an HOA you are likely also to have at least a couple of neighbors who believe upholding the rules is their highest goal in life.
That is the unfortunate truth. I only lived a short time in a place with an HOA, but there are those few who walk the neighborhood daily, checking for a front-door painted the wrong color, a non-standard mailbox, an illegal swing-set, etc. And since you signed the HOA agreement when you bought your home, in most cases you're fighting a losing battle if you violate any parts of the agreement.
I say go for it. If it becomes a problem, move them to a family/friends house. Or sell them. If neighbors can see the hive, be sure to sweeten their stance with a lil honey.
Disclaimer: I lived in a neighborhood with a HOA. Within a year, the President of the HOA resigned... because of me! :-P
I've notice in my neighborhood that most of my bordering neighbors have some size of garden. So I figure that my bees are helping their bountiful harvests. I would like to get a couple more hives. If I have to I will build a fence to contain them in, but I don't see any reason I would receive a complaint.