Man Ticketed Over Beehives

[Erik T]

I don't know if this has been posted before.  The following linked article really got me wrapped around the axle.   This country is going downhill quickly.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/13762670/detail.html

[Casimir]

Here is the link to the story.
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/13762670/detail.html

[BeeHopper]

Sad situation for the beekeeper, complainers tend to EXAGGERATE  :-x

[JP]

Complainers do exaggerate. I was called out to a ladys house who said the neighbor was complaining about the bees coming out of her tree. The bees were about 25' up. The neighbor said they saw HUNDREDS of bees every night at their light, right outside the door. I didn't believe that for a second. Found out this particular neighbor was resented by the entire neighborhood because they were continually nitpicking about anything and everything. I know this for a fact because my aunt is one of the neighbors.

[ooptec]

Too bad.

But the girls are a pest around swimming pools as the dead bodies tend to pile up putting mortals off.

Too bad he didn't try to supply them with a closer water source to try to keep them home.

I have mine at home so I know how nice it is, however no pools nearby so the neighbors never notice.

cheers

peter

[BeeHopper]

The neighbor said they saw HUNDREDS of bees every night at their light, right outside the door.


OH MY GOD !!!! IT'S THEM NOCTURNAL KILLERBEES AGAIN !!!!!!!.......................................... :roll:

[Moonshae]

Regarding this article, though, it sounds as if the beekeeper was not providing water, if a pool two houses down was their chosen water source. It also sounds like a good bit of an exaggeration...bees all over the pool, cover, railings, etc.

[Zoot]

First consider the source here: a newspaper. As person who has been the focus of "journalistic" attention in the past I can only say that the writers of these articles are rarely troubled by nagging little details like facts and truth, being concerned with far more important things like sensationalism and jacking a paper's ratings.

Based on the minimal detail here I can only observe that a beekeeper's (especially a suburban beekeeper) first consideration should always be adherence to the law and respect for the neighbors. While wanting to be a beekeeper is admirable it's not necessarily feasable for everyone. We have a member of our association who is in a similar plight - repeated confrontations with local officals and angry neighbors. He lives and keeps his bees in Washington DC which is illegal. In all honesty, this gentleman, our fellow member and really nice guy,  is an embarrassment. He contributes to and reinforces the worst perceptions of beekeeping, ultimately harming us all.

[MrILoveTheAnts]

When will those awful beekeepers learn that 60 feet away form someone's yard will make all the difference.

[Jerrymac]

The yard would have to be 120+ feet to get it 60 feet from the property line. Not many city folks have that big of a yard that I know of.

As far as water supply..... I have an above ground pool 100 plus yards from the bees and a small livestock tank just about as far from the bees, and the one neighbor has his tank for his horses about the same distance. I never see any bees at any of these three locations. I do not know where the next nearest water source would be. Perhaps over a mile away  :? So it doesn't matter if water is supplied closer to the hives. If they don't want it....... they go somewhere else. 

[KONASDAD]

The time to act was before they passed zoning ordinances against beekeeping. He should have had the neighbors over as soon as they objected, given them a tour, let'em taste a pinch of honey right out of the hive. It always amazes me the reaction of those afraid of bees and what their eyes see when i open the hive w/ nothing but smoke, grab a honey frame, knock the bees off, walk the few feet to my guest and let'em taste fresh sun warmed honey w/ the wax and all. If nothing else, they leave w/ a new found appreciation of how docile honeybees can bee and one less neighbor to seek gov't intervention. its our job to educate the public and avoid these circumstances. The guy was short sighted  and after the law was passed attempted to rub their nose in it.

[CWBees]

It's not right passing zoning ordinances against beekeeping. What ever happened to property rights?  :? Plain and simple many ordinances are pushed through by the nitpicking unhappy neighbors that most communities if not all always have. You know the lady down the street that complains when the kids play street hockey in front of her house and goes nuts if the kids hockey puck goes on her lawn. :shock: I think people can keep bees most anywhere as long as they are smart about it.

Here is a link to an article on Beekeeping in NYC: http://www.cityfarmer.org/beekeepNY.html

[knadai]

I'm pretty familiar with Garden City folks and they aren't very bright.