Do neighbors notice more bees?

[A37]

If my neighbors don't have bee friendly yards will they ever notice if I increase the number of hives I have?  I'd like to increase my number to 4 hives next year from two. I have some distance between my neighbors and I plan on doing it.  Did anyone ever have a problem once they hit a certain amount of hives?

[tycrnp]

I have 4 hives, and most of my neighbors don't even know. I was at the fence talking with 1 of my neighbors recently and I was shocked she didn't know. I was certain we had discussed the bees before I got them last year.

[illuminateddan]

If you put the hives facing a barrier such as a fence or hedge, the bees will gain altitude quickly on exit and not fly across the neighbours yard. Also, make sure that the hive entrances don't get hit by neighbour's lights or they'll fly to them and be a pest... I also bribe my neighbours with honey to sweeten the deal :)

[BeeMaster2]

My father mentioned to one of his neighbors that he was planning on getting bees. He quickly built to 5 hives.  3 years later this same neighbor asked him if he was ever going to get bees.
Jim

[Fishing-Nut]

If you put the hives facing a barrier such as a fence or hedge, the bees will gain altitude quickly on exit and not fly across the neighbours yard. Also, make sure that the hive entrances don't get hit by neighbour's lights or they'll fly to them and be a pest... I also bribe my neighbours with honey to sweeten the deal :)

I will second this post. I don't have neighbor's, and actually live on a big farm. Most of my hives are way down at the bottom of the pasture next to the river. But I have 3 in my yard. I got tired of the bees zipping across the yard and sometimes running in to people so I let the grass and weeds grow up real high in front of there hives, and now they have to be way above head level before taking out like a bat out of hell. It has worked real well for me. People come over here all the time and don't even know that they are 20 feet from some bee hives. Also most people don't even know what a hive box looks like.

[cao]

They may notice more bees when you first get bees but I don't think they will notice any difference in bees with an increase in hives.  In 5 years I've gone from 3 hives to 36 at my house(+6 at my parent's property about a mile away) and even I don't notice any difference in my yard with the increase.  Only near the front of the hives themselves.   

[bwallace23350]

If my neighbors don't have bee friendly yards will they ever notice if I increase the number of hives I have?  I'd like to increase my number to 4 hives next year from two. I have some distance between my neighbors and I plan on doing it.  Did anyone ever have a problem once they hit a certain amount of hives?

Not sure. I have one close neighbor to my hive. Great guy. He once noticed the cows in my garden and chased them out on his on. I like to pay him back with a surprise paying off of his water bill. That way I pay him for his not complaining about bees and watching out for my garden. 

[GSF]

My neighbors did, and boy were they glad to see them.

[Hops Brewster]

If the bees have a barrier they must fly over when exiting your yard, they tend to not come back down until they find something that interests them.  If your neighbor's yard is not 'bee friendly' (assuming that means no nectar/pollen-bearing flowers, nor water features or hummingbird feeders) the bees will not be seen there.  NOt much, anyway.

MOst of my neighbors forget that I have bees until Christmas, when I bring them a small jar of honey.  Even the 'bee friendly' ones don't notice them much.

[Michael Bush]

Most people won't notice.  The ones that do aren't usually upset by it and often thank you for having bees when they figure it out.