Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: duryeafarms on November 20, 2014, 11:15:37 AM

Title: Fire pits and bees
Post by: duryeafarms on November 20, 2014, 11:15:37 AM
I'm considering putting a fire pit in my back yard to sit around when the weather is cool. My yard isn't real big and the pit would be about 30 feet from my TBH. I've had a bee or two buzz around my deck flood lights at night and keep them off as much as possible for that reason. Does anyone out there have any experience with bees being attracted (or not) to fire at night? I don't want any of my girls incinerated or guests pestered.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Fire pits and bees
Post by: Michael Bush on November 20, 2014, 12:48:17 PM
They will not care at night.  It's not a problem.  I've had fires in my backyard with bees there many times.  I've had a sweat lodge and bees in the backyard for decades including when I lived in town.
Title: Re: Fire pits and bees
Post by: duryeafarms on November 21, 2014, 11:07:38 AM
Thanks Michael. There's nothing quite like sitting around a fire in the cold :-)
Title: Re: Fire pits and bees
Post by: hilltophermit on November 21, 2014, 01:16:24 PM
my fire pit is  ,give or take, 20 ft from the closest hive. there is a hedge between the two. never had a problem, day or night.
Title: Re: Fire pits and bees
Post by: Hops Brewster on November 22, 2014, 09:01:47 PM
My fire bowl is about 20 feet from the apiary.  The flood lights might attract some late home-bound flyers, but the fire won't.
I don't run the floods while the fire is burning anyway.  Spoils the effect.
Title: Re: Fire pits and bees
Post by: ApisM on November 22, 2014, 10:08:37 PM
No problem.  I have a small backyard and a fireplace, with nothing inbetween the hives and the fire pit.  Never had a problem.  Only problem I've had is when my daughter leaves her toys out and they fill with water and the bees drown in them.