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Author Topic: Beehives in front of house in suburbia  (Read 1431 times)

Offline omnimirage

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Beehives in front of house in suburbia
« on: January 16, 2018, 11:11:52 pm »
Someone has asked me to place some hives in front of their house. It's somewhat shielded by folage, but the bees would be quite visible to people looking in at a number of angles.

I read some government brochure for a neighboring Australian state recommending not to place beehives at the front of properties. The neighbor seems fine with it, and it's not necessarily a bad neighbor, but I wonder if there's any risks involved with setting up bees at the front.

Should I avoid doing so? Does anyone have any experience with such?

Offline eltalia

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Re: Beehives in front of house in suburbia
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2018, 11:21:22 pm »
(edit)
 but I wonder if there's any risks involved with setting up bees at the front.


Aside from the Vandel Family and them lurking Beegul Boys...?.. naaah,
she'll be roight maaate ;-))))

Bill

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Beehives in front of house in suburbia
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2018, 11:34:59 pm »
People mostly don't even notice the hive.  I had my hive next to the front corner of my house and none of my neighbors were even aware of it.  I harvested 64 pounds of honey that year.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Beehives in front of house in suburbia
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2018, 05:23:56 am »
A fellow Beek has 70+ hives in his front yard. Has had them there for 30 years. Everyone in that area calls him when a swarm lands in their yard.
Didn't I read about a sudden rash of hive thiefts down under due to the high price of Manukau honey?
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline eltalia

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Re: Beehives in front of house in suburbia
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2018, 06:20:50 am »

A fellow Beek has 70+ hives in his front yard. Has had them there for 30 years. Everyone in that area calls him when a swarm lands in their yard.
Yep, plenty like that Jim. Thing is a single report gets a lot of airtime in media as a spinoff of the
rise in many a clean green debate including the topic of bees. Result is the thief thinking "if they
are that popular then they are worth a buck".
My scope is limited these days but from what I hear if you put boxes in sight of an open road in
average isolation then expect to lose them.

Quote
Didn't I read about a sudden rash of hive thiefts down under due to the high price of Manukau honey?
Jim
By my reckoning it all began in ernst around 2010 although the article I link to cites 2014. Prior to
2010 it was primarily beekeepers breaking that 10th Commandment that had some sitting on the
edge of their seats at meetings. The Tony Knight story being one of the saddest events in Aussie
b'keep history - in my view.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/bee-hives-stolen-as-price-of-honey-rises-20140430-37hqk.html

Manuka (sp?) makes a great sales story, yet again... it is big business establishing themselves in
 the global market. To the best of my knowledge the "magic" exists in pretty much every native
ecualypt, moreso what we know locally as "teatree". Tastes terrible and can be as thick as mud..
.. but each to their own.. hey :-)))

Bill
--
http://m.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2017-10-27/manuka-honey-stoush-anything-but-sweet-between-australia-and-new-zealand/1712338

Offline little john

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Re: Beehives in front of house in suburbia
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2018, 06:51:53 am »
Someone who wants beehives on display like this would presumably want 'good-looking' hives - but such hives do attract the attention of 2-legged foxes.  Ask me how I know this ...

How do your bees behave after an inspection ?  You may find that the postman/ meter reader/ visiting workmen or whoever may have concerns in this regard.
LJ
A Heretics Guide to Beekeeping - http://heretics-guide.atwebpages.com

Offline omnimirage

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Re: Beehives in front of house in suburbia
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2018, 08:40:52 am »
Well the bees were bloody aggressive the last time I opened them up.

Beehive stealing is a concern.

Offline Hops Brewster

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Re: Beehives in front of house in suburbia
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2018, 10:53:02 am »
'out of sight, out of mind' IMO.  Although my immediate neighbors know that I keep bees, most of them actually forget this fact until I deliver their Christmas gift of honey.  My hives are all in the back yard, out of sight.

If the neighbors are able to see the hives every day, all it takes is one sting from any stinging insect to have your friend's bees labeled 'problematic'.   Even if other neighbors have hives, it will be the visible hives that get the blame.
Winter is coming.

I can't say I hate the government, but I am proudly distrustful of them.

 

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