Maybe you local beekeeping club could help out as this is a problem that could make problems for more beekeepers down the road.Here are the Swedish guidelines , Not laws for keeping bees in urban areas.
Beekeeping in an urbanized area - permissible or not ...
There are no detailed rules governing how to have bees or not, nor any authorization procedure. According to the Environmental Code is the beekeeper must take preventive measures to reduce the risk of harm to human health.There are several measures that the beekeeper can do to reduce the inconvenience and risk of nuisance to those living nearby. It may therefore be appropriate to talk to their neighbors before setting up colonies in an urbanized area, including the difference in behavior between bees and wasps.
Apiary site location
- Is important to minimize the risk that the bees come in contact with neighbors or passersby. Colonies should be placed as far as possible from a busy street, road or neighboring plot. If possible, beekeeper take preventive measures so that the bees get up altitude. Using a 1.5-2 m high fence, hedge or similar standing a few feet in front of hive hive bees get a steeper ascent and approach can be above head height and the risk of collision between the bees and neighbors, pedestrians, cyclists, etc. decreases.
It is also good to colonies placed so children are not tempted to get into the apiary. The location of the apiary should be done where possible confidential.
Powerful spurts where tremors, vibrations and "noise" in the apiary site may worry the bees and trigger aggression. While this is the reason for placing the colonies as far as possible from a road.
The enterance should be placed so that the prevailing air route, as much as possible over their own property, or out to an uninhabited area that is not the way.
Apiary site equipment
Among apiary site equipment should be an efficient watering devices exist. This means that bees collect water at the home of the beekeeper and not as the neighbor birdbath or pool.
A watering device is also good from an infection standpoint, the bees get this clean water that is not contaminated by either pesticides or bee excrement. Water device placed outside the main direction of flight.
Colony maintenance
The care is important, among other things. a beekeeper to do swarm prevention measures. Swarming in itself is not dangerous, bees are often the kindest when swarms but it is not fun for the neighbors to get a wild bee swarm the chimney, tree, attic, etc. The wild bee colonies can also be a cause of the spread of bee diseases.
During dearth poor periods and especially in the fall, it is important that the beekeeper manage their hives so that robbery did not occur in the apiary. Robbery involves a weak hive get their honey stolen by the other colonies in the apiary. Robbery may cause an uncontrollable arrival and departure of all apiary site hives which can be perceived as unpleasant by people nearby.
In urban areas, it is particularly important to have bees that are bred in controlled environments. The beekeeper should also strive to have young Queens to minimize the risk of swarming.
In conclusion we can say that beekeeping can sometimes be perceived as stressful by neighbors. Judicial decisions have often been to the beekeeper's favor. The various authorities have since highlighted the immense benefits which the bees are doing.
There are two judgments of the Supreme Administrative Court to show that bees are not a nuisance even though in one case was a person who was allergic to bee stings on the condition that there are too many hives and to follow the above advice.
The vast majority of cases where a beekeeper and one of his neighbors have different views on beekeeping in urban solved and beekeeping remain by the beekeeper takes the precautionary measures that can be done to minimize the discomfort that neighbors can feel.
Acceptable number of bee colonies
How many hives should be accepted on a normal sized property? This question must be assessed case by case. But up to 5-7 bee colonies should be accepted if the beekeeper has calm bees, manage bees, have screens that allow the bees make a steep departure and approach, the watering device as mentioned above.
mvh edward :-P