Moving to a new house in a neighborhood soon... Advice?

[gilligan]

Going to be moving smack dab in the middle of a nice neighborhood in the middle of town.  It's recently legal to keep bees in the city (I will likely have more than legal).  Everyone around me has swimming pools, I'll have a pond/fountain in my yard.

I still fear neighbors will not be pleased and complain, especially with us being new to the hood, and not as stuffy as they likely are.

Any advice?

[KeyLargoBees]

Honey as house warming gifts for all your neighbors ? :-)

[iddee]

You stick a stick in a hornet's nest, you expect to be stung.
Yes, you can expect trouble.

[Roborep1]

Going to be moving smack dab in the middle of a nice neighborhood in the middle of town.  It's recently legal to keep bees in the city (I will likely have more than legal).  Everyone around me has swimming pools, I'll have a pond/fountain in my yard.

I still fear neighbors will not be pleased and complain, especially with us being new to the hood, and not as stuffy as they likely are.

Any advice?

I am in same situation. I moved from the country McMansion Ville. I had a neighbor rip out this huge catmint from his pool area because they bees loved it. No one says anything to me but I know it makes them uncomfortable. My bees are out in the open if I had to do it over I might put them in a garden.


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[Michael Bush]

See how long you can keep them from noticing...

[mikecva]

Can you put up a chicken wire fence and direct them away from the neighbors? That way you can say you tried to direct the bees from them.  -Mike

[Kathyp]

If you have a place to put there where the neighbors can't see them, I would not say a word.  Let them wonder about the miraculous recovery of honeybees in their area.   

[gilligan]

I have wooden fences around the entire back yard so they will be up and away when they leave the property.  I will have them in the back yard but some people have two story houses and the fences aren't really that tall to start with.

Thought maybe a "brochure" on why honey bees are important and what they do for us as well and maybe how gentle they are and maybe the difference of a honey bee and wasps and such.  Maybe offer free swarm catches in the neighborhood (they will probably be my bees anyway right? ;) ).

[Colobee]

I'd agree with most of the above - keep as low a profile as possible. Have the info ready for those who ask, but don't drop the bomb on everyone, right off the bat. My neighbor's love honey bribes.

A couple lines that seem to have worked for me:

"My bees are bred (like livestock) for gentleness, wild bees are just wild (and often mean)".

"Bees are bred  just like cattle and horses. Gentleness is a highly sought after trait." " My bees are like Derby winners, and wild bees are like wild mustangs"

"Domestic bees compete with feral bees, which are often much  meaner."

[gilligan]

I'd agree with most of the above - keep as low a profile as possible. Have the info ready for those who ask, but don't drop the bomb on everyone, right off the bat. My neighbor's love honey bribes.

A couple lines that seem to have worked for me:

"My bees are bred (like livestock) for gentleness, wild bees are just wild (and often mean)".

"Bees are bred  just like cattle and horses. Gentleness is a highly sought after trait." " My bees are like Derby winners, and wild bees are like wild mustangs"

"Domestic bees compete with feral bees, which are often much  meaner."

Good stuff!

[KeyLargoBees]

"My bees are bred (like livestock) for gentleness, wild bees are just wild (and often mean)".

"Bees are bred  just like cattle and horses. Gentleness is a highly sought after trait." " My bees are like Derby winners, and wild bees are like wild mustangs"

"Domestic bees compete with feral bees, which are often much  meaner."

Not sure I would use any of these statements...misleading and not really true and the last thing we need is more misinformation about bees. If you ever do swarm captures how do you justify the wild bee statements....you have just shot yourself in the foot if you have these statements out there and then install a captured swarm even though we all know "wild bees" aren't necessarily untamed.

I think you are better off installing the bees, doing what you can to provide water close by and directing flight paths up and over the adjacent properties and dealing with inquiries as people ask.

[GLOCK]

There's going to be problems  with neighbors that close.  Good luck.
How many hives do you have?

[ziffabeek]

Gilligan,

I would say, don't judge lest ye be judged (or something like that, I don't actually read that book.)  In other words, give your neighbors the benefit of the doubt.

I live in the city, and while the demographics of my neighborhood sound more urban than yours, I was also a little apprehensive about my neighbors' reactions.  Our yards are less than 1/3 of an acre, the houses are close, and my yard is bordered by a sidewalk, a busy sidewalk. 

I didn't ask permission or advertise the fact that I had them (and I wouldn't again), but the first Christmas after our first harvest, I left small honey jars on all my neighbors' porches with a bee themed Christmas card.  For the first couple of years, everybody crossed the street to walk by our yard.  Gradually they stopped and now no one really avoids them, from the most gentrifying neighbors to the oldest ones.  Many, if not most, now stop to ask how the bees are doing.  Some bring their visiting families by to show off "the neighborhood's" bees.  Before we built the pond, several came by concerned that we weren't watering our bees because they were drinking from puddles and containers in their yards.  Not one was complaining, they just wanted to be sure we were taking care of them!  One neighbor even scolded another for spraying bug spray in their front yard on behalf of my bees!! lol.  One older man who has lived in the neighborhood for years and years walks down to my house nearly everyday to "check on his buddies."

With all of the media and publicity about the plight of the bees, there are more and more people who are sympathetic and curious about beekeeping.  Don't get me wrong, there are plenty who want nothing to do with them, but a lot seem to think it is ok if you do.  As long as you are conscientious, vigilant against hot hives, and positive, friendly and communicative to those who inquire, you may just be surprised by the reaction. 

My friend says that "Worrying about something is like praying for it to happen."  Try to think positive, react positively and be happy!

My 2 cents.

love,
ziffa

[derekm]

add a "heated" pool for your bees, then they wont be off to the neighbours.
with a  bit of ingenuity you can get the sun to heat the water for the bees

[gilligan]

There's going to be problems  with neighbors that close.  Good luck.
How many hives do you have?

Currently 4 at the house, but I'm limited in (hiding) space.

With the new yard I could see easily going to 10 or 12 as I could just line them up along the back fence.

Here is the property and where I'd put the bees, I also have a small fish pond to clean up and get going.

[gilligan]

Gilligan,

I would say, don't judge lest ye be judged (or something like that, I don't actually read that book.)  In other words, give your neighbors the benefit of the doubt.

I live in the city, and while the demographics of my neighborhood sound more urban than yours, I was also a little apprehensive about my neighbors' reactions.  Our yards are less than 1/3 of an acre, the houses are close, and my yard is bordered by a sidewalk, a busy sidewalk. 

I didn't ask permission or advertise the fact that I had them (and I wouldn't again), but the first Christmas after our first harvest, I left small honey jars on all my neighbors' porches with a bee themed Christmas card.  For the first couple of years, everybody crossed the street to walk by our yard.  Gradually they stopped and now no one really avoids them, from the most gentrifying neighbors to the oldest ones.  Many, if not most, now stop to ask how the bees are doing.  Some bring their visiting families by to show off "the neighborhood's" bees.  Before we built the pond, several came by concerned that we weren't watering our bees because they were drinking from puddles and containers in their yards.  Not one was complaining, they just wanted to be sure we were taking care of them!  One neighbor even scolded another for spraying bug spray in their front yard on behalf of my bees!! lol.  One older man who has lived in the neighborhood for years and years walks down to my house nearly everyday to "check on his buddies."

With all of the media and publicity about the plight of the bees, there are more and more people who are sympathetic and curious about beekeeping.  Don't get me wrong, there are plenty who want nothing to do with them, but a lot seem to think it is ok if you do.  As long as you are conscientious, vigilant against hot hives, and positive, friendly and communicative to those who inquire, you may just be surprised by the reaction. 

My friend says that "Worrying about something is like praying for it to happen."  Try to think positive, react positively and be happy!

My 2 cents.

love,
ziffa

That's awesome!

[gilligan]

add a "heated" pool for your bees, then they wont be off to the neighbours.
with a  bit of ingenuity you can get the sun to heat the water for the bees

Like this?

[sc-bee]

No flyers... no comments on bees being livestock and bred gentle etc. No moving in and saying look everyone I have bees in your backyard...take it as it comes and if you stay within the law then you should be ok. But I think you already stated above you intend on not following the restrictions. It's recently legal to keep bees in the city (I will likely have more than legal).   Did I get that right  So you may get what you give if it hits the fan IMHO.....

[Kathyp]

another option is to look for a place near you to host your bees.  someones field or something.

[Hops Brewster]

+1 keep it low key.  Do not announce your apiary!  Maybe put a hedge around the apiary to restrict the view from neighbors' 2nd floor windows and help the bees get up and away.  Your fish pond may help keep them away from the neighboring pools, or it might do nothing.  The bees will choose their water source.

Keep it legal.  Obtain whatever state, county and/or town permits that are required.  Be sure you stay within the maximum number of colonies.  Perhaps find a friend, neighbor or local farmer would be willing to host any surplus colonies. 

If you go in to a new neighborhood, especially an upscale one, and announce that you keep thousands stinging insects, you are setting yourself up to be blamed for every wasp, hornet, red ant, spider and mosquito bite in the neighborhood.

OTH, if you go in quietly and a couple years from now someone says "gee, I never noticed any bees in the neighborhood", you might not ever have a problem.  (that's when I might sneak in an extra hive  )