Bees in a neighbourhood

flyboy · March 28, 2015, 10:53:09 PM

My daughter wants to set up a hive or two her back yard.

She has two young boys (rambunctious) 2.5 yo and 4 yo. There is a daycare next door, but lots of forage with a corn field and permaculture orchard less than a KM away. (agricultural area)

Any words of wisdom?

Garlicyoda · March 28, 2015, 11:26:55 PM

I have two hives in a small residential lot. neighbors on either side of me have kids young to 13 years of age. So far now issues, no complaints, no stings. Do look into the allergen concerns with people exposed to bee proteins and bee venom but not receiving stings. . . contact via clothing contact and the like. As for nectar and pollen for the bees in going for walks I see lots of flowers people have planted for aesthetics that keep some nectar flow going when native / natural ones would be absent.

I am new, and my info is some personal some regurgitated, but take from it what you want :0)

My 7 year old son loves our bees and watching me work them enough he has no qualms with the concept of being stung while helping out.

texanbelchers · March 28, 2015, 11:51:06 PM

Considering the litigious world we are in, I would be really hesitant to have them next to a daycare facility. But that is me...

kingd · March 29, 2015, 09:25:11 AM

Quote from: texanbelchers on March 28, 2015, 11:51:06 PM
Considering the litigious world we are in, I would be really hesitant to have them next to a daycare facility. But that is me...

And and if they know about them,any bruise,scrape,bite,bad day, and even the outside chance of a sting,it WILL be your fault.

flyboy · March 29, 2015, 02:24:08 PM

Canada tends to be not as litigious as the US, but I get what you are saying.

I have three hives in my yard and the neighbours are thrilled because they all have fruit trees and veg gardens. I get the neighbours telling me to send the bees over to their yard..please! lol

Old Blue · March 29, 2015, 03:10:39 PM

Mothers of young children are extremely cautious and protective. I don't know how the mothers in Canada are but around here if they found out that there were beehives next to their childs daycare they would take their kids out of it.

If the fields are less than a Km away maybe permission to put them on the farmers land could be obtained.

Old Blue

flyboy · March 29, 2015, 03:12:15 PM

Quote from: Old Blue on March 29, 2015, 03:10:39 PM
Mothers of young children are extremely cautious and protective. I don't know how the mothers in Canada are but around here if they found out that there were beehives next to their childs daycare they would take their kids out of it.

If the fields are less than a Km away maybe permission to put them on the farmers land could be obtained.

Old Blue

Excellent thought. I will suggest that.

Hops Brewster · March 29, 2015, 06:04:45 PM

How close is 'next door'? Is it possible to place the colonies at the far end of the yard, facing away rom the day care? Does the DC have much flowering plants, including trees such as birch or maple?

I have a 1/4 acre yard, with the nearest toddlers living about 100 meters away. But because older kids walk by the fence at one end of the yard daily on the way to school, I put my hives at the opposite end, and not visible from the sidewalk end. I see few bees near the sidewalk. They have to fly up and over a 6ft fence, and so don't bother the neighbor nearest the hives.

sc-bee · March 29, 2015, 08:13:13 PM

Quote from: kingd on March 29, 2015, 09:25:11 AM
Quote from: texanbelchers on March 28, 2015, 11:51:06 PM
Considering the litigious world we are in, I would be really hesitant to have them next to a daycare facility. But that is me...

And and if they know about them,any bruise,scrape,bite,bad day, and even the outside chance of a sting,it WILL be your fault.

I would not even consider it next to a day care. And don't expect anything from a corn field.

BeeMaster2 · March 29, 2015, 11:08:22 PM

I have had 10 hives in my back yard, next to a pool, for 6 years now. I have 2 grand daughters, one 6 and one 9. Both have played in the back yard and in the pool all of these years. Only the youngest has been stung, once, last year. I was working in the observation, I had taken it out to the gazebo, she moved very fast to see inside of the open hive, right next to the open door. She could not get any closer. A bee came out and stung her on the neck. I am constantly telling her to put shoes on to protect her from getting stung by the hundreds of bees that are on the ground around the pool. Never did happen.
My dad had bees on his roof for 5 years when a neighbor asked him whether he was still thinking about getting bees. He didn't know after all that time.
If she does get one, place it on the opposite side of the property and place a 6' wooden fence around it to force them up in the air on take off.
Jim

sc-bee · March 29, 2015, 11:25:47 PM

The grandkids are yours.... the day care kids are not hers. Big difference IMHO. It won't take but once and you will find out

flyboy · March 30, 2015, 01:02:58 AM

I found out that there is only a couple of kids at the daycare. Her yard is fenced and there is an addition fenced area where they would likely go which is at the far end away from the daycare.

She has an opportunity to rent a hive for a year which sounds like a deal.

jredburn · March 31, 2015, 09:05:39 PM

Put a 7' high screen in front of the hive so the bees have to fly up and over before they can fly horizontal. Once they get that high they are looking for food and will leave people alone. Once the bees find out there is no food at the daycare they will leave it alone.
There are no 100% guarantees tho.