Question about neighbors bees

mom2bret · April 26, 2014, 09:26:37 AM

Hi

I'm not a beekeeper, and neither is my neighbor, which is why I needed to get information else where instead of asking them, but they decided to till up their whole backyard for a garden and put a beehive there. Which is all well and good, we have lots of bees around during the summer (Illinois) anyway. But they did it so they don't have to mow around it too. Well they have it sitting about 10 feet from my yard where we DO have to mow. I have been reading up on it and I hear mixed opinions of beehives and mowing. Any thoughts? How safe to mow that near a hive? Some say to wear a bee suit to be on the safe side but that's not an option. Also my 14 year old will be mowing for the first time this year, any advise on what to do if they do get cranky and come after him? I mean I would say run for the house, but, anything else?

I want to educate myself before getting worked up over nothing but also to make sure my son is safe too.

Thanks in advance for any information!

10framer · April 26, 2014, 10:00:19 AM

it depends on the bees and also their flight path. if i was concerned i'd put up an obstacle on the property line that the bee would have to fly over. if should also stop the lawn mower from throwing anything toward the hive and upsetting them. if the bees are working they come and go at a high rate of speed and if you stand in their flight path they won't expect you to be there and fly into you. i have 15 hives that sit right by my main road on my place and i pass by on my tractor all the time. lately if i walk between the hives i do have one hive where the guard bees do come out and buzz me. i haven't figured out which hive it is for sure yet but if it keeps up i'll be getting rid of that queen. a hive like that could cause you some trouble. on the other hand i have several hives that i can take the top off and pull a frame and the bees really don't pay much attention to me. this is a long winded way of saying it depends on the bees more than anything. good luck.

Kathyp · April 26, 2014, 12:12:19 PM

the easiest thing would be to talk to your neighbor and let him know your concern. if he has room, he'd problaby be good with moving them a little farther away.

you can also ask him to make sure the entrance to his hive is pointed away from your property. that way the bees should be well up in the air before they come your way. the sooner you talk to him, the better it will be for you and him.

you can also send him this way and we can help him figure it out, if he's not sure what to do.

iddee · April 26, 2014, 01:20:39 PM

What Kathy said, especially the entrance.

Insist that he face the hive away from your property, in a friendly way, of course.

flyboy · April 26, 2014, 01:26:52 PM

Personally I would get a rototiller and join them, but that's just me. To me a lawn is a complete waste of time.

mom2bret · April 26, 2014, 01:54:20 PM

Thanks for the information!! I will speak with them about it!

As for tilling up the yard, I would love to but I rent and the front yard is the only area we can put the garden, and I tilled mine up last weekend and it's planted!! Most of it anyway. Still have to find the ghost peppers for my husband, the place that had them last year doesn't sell them this year!

Thanks for the tips!

flyboy · April 26, 2014, 02:00:28 PM

Quote from: mom2bret on April 26, 2014, 01:54:20 PM
Thanks for the information!! I will speak with them about it!

As for tilling up the yard, I would love to but I rent and the front yard is the only area we can put the garden, and I tilled mine up last weekend and it's planted!! Most of it anyway. Still have to find the ghost peppers for my husband, the place that had them last year doesn't sell them this year!

Thanks for the tips!

I hear you. Just being a bit tongue in cheek. My wife would shoot me if I rototilled the yard. ;) We do have a garden and lots of different fruit trees.

I was a bit concerned when I was planning to get bees till I found out a neighbour a couple of houses away has beehives.

Just a wild unsubstantiated guess but I would think that the mower would scare them away, unless they were in the grass, but not sure why they would want to bee.

Michael Bush · April 26, 2014, 03:13:51 PM

If the entrance faces the opposite direction it probably won't be an issue. But in the end every colony has it's own temperament. What a typical colony does is no guarantee. Dogs don't usually bite, but sometimes one does... bees are kind of like that. Most European bees are quite gentle and easy to get along with. But occasionally, they are not. When in doubt a veil is nice insurance. Bug Baffler has one that fits in your pocket and you could pull it out and put it on if a bee started to bother you.

flyboy · April 26, 2014, 03:17:04 PM

http://www.bugbaffler.com/

gailmo · April 26, 2014, 04:54:26 PM

I have my hives in the backyard and are located about 5 feet from my neighbor's yard. We have a 4ft picket fence on the property line between the hive and their yard. Just today I took over my monthly allocation of honey to the neighbors. I give them a jar every two months or so--and typically pick up the "giving" when the bees are active in spring/summer. So you might request honey to keep you happy!

I also mow around my hives. I don't wear a veil or anything other than the Tshirt and pants I typically have on mowing. I have learned to do quick passes around the hive. I recommend you circle your yard while cutting - passing close to them once every couple of minutes or more. Don't stand there and mow back and forth for any extended period of time - especially if you are kicking up grass and stuff and throwing it their way. Just walk on by pushing your mower -- and if any start flying around you, don't swing or swat at them. Just keep on mowing and they typically lose interest.

Interesting, the only time my neighbor got wounded around my bees was when he was watering his bushes by the fence. The bees started flying round his head and he started swinging his arms and the hose. The hose nozzle got airborn in his swinging and smacked him right on his eye -- blackened it and bruised his face pretty badly. It looked like he was in a real brawl. He blamed my bees and I laughed and passed more honey over the fence! Basically I have trained the neighbors to be aware of how the bees are behaving. If a big weather change or something is moving our way, they know to stay clear. Likewise if they see them zooming all around the hive, they stay away-- just as I would.

I recommend you talk with them -- hopefully you will be offered honey-- and you both will win. Plus your flowers and vegetables will be much more productive with those girls working them every day! Good Luck

mom2bret · April 26, 2014, 05:10:58 PM

Thanks, I will look in to that. I showed my son the hive so that he and his friends were aware of it being there. We were in our house looking out the window and the busy were thick and flying around and sitting on the out side of the hive box. My son was like :shock: "mom there are tons!" I'm hoping talking them and talking to a person at church that keeps bees and we can work something out so no one gets hurt and the bees are safe.

Lol note to self then, don't swing water hose around or injury could occurs!!

I'm actually kind of excited about it, bees around more and I'm not the one having to take care of them! Will they actually help my garden since we are so close since they can travel so far? We live right next to a State park so we have a large amount of wildlife area.

HomeSteadDreamer · April 28, 2014, 09:48:24 AM

They will still increase pollination in your garden.

flyboy · April 28, 2014, 12:46:58 PM

Quote from: HomeSteadDreamer on April 28, 2014, 09:48:24 AM
They will still increase pollination in your garden.

If you have fruit trees for instance expect 3 - 4 times as much harvest

mom2bret · April 28, 2014, 12:49:07 PM

I wish we had fruit trees!! But I do have a vegetable garden every year.

HomeSteadDreamer · April 28, 2014, 01:27:46 PM

I noticed with my eggplant increased pollination. While eggplant is 'self-fertile' in the past out of every 4 blooms 1 might fall off without making an eggplant. Once I got bee's the pollination increased to almost 100%. Of course we also have some native bees that like to molest the eggplant. I haven't see 3 and 4 times the pollination but I have noticed an increase.

biggraham610 · April 29, 2014, 12:54:29 AM

Like Mr. Bush said, every hive is a little different as far as temperment. I mow with the riding mower 3 ft in front of mine, throwing the grass the other way of course. Hope its not a problem. Good Luck.

Edgy · April 29, 2014, 01:24:12 AM

How about using on of those old fashioned push mowers that don't have an engine, if your yard is a small one.

BeeMaster2 · April 29, 2014, 01:27:09 PM

Mom,
10 feet is a long way to bother a hive with a mower. I cut right up to my hives with a riding mower. I am carefull not to let the exhaust ht the front of the hives. Did that once with a different mower and they let me have it. That was right against the entrance. My wife usually cuts the grass and stays about 4 feet from the hives and never has a problem.
They do not like the flying material and they do not like the CO2 exhaust hitting the hive.
Again, 10' is a long way away. If you were in south Florida it might be a problem. Africanized bee, South of I-4, could be a lot more defensive.
Also ask him to turn the hive away from your house. Not much chance of hitting it with debris.
Jim

jredburn · April 30, 2014, 02:28:41 PM

I live in SW Florida and I deal with aggressive bees on a daily basis and i presently have a hive in the back yard that is anything but nice. They will go to the bee yard in another week or two.
I have two 4' x 7" frames that are covered with fiberglass netting from an old nursery. These sit directly in front of the hive and the bees are forced to fly up to 7 foot before they can fly horizontal. The lawn personnel run a weed whacker by the front of the frames and so does the guy on the big commercial mower. They have never had a problem.
Never swat at a bee! Turn around and walk away, if you hear an angry BUZZZ run. Pull your shirt or blouse over your head and get inside as quickly as possible. Nothing hurts as bad as a sting on the face.
Regards
Joe