I have served as president of the Long Island Beekeepers which seems to cover New York City and east. We have had beekeepers keeping bees in Manhatten on the top of a five story building. ( I understand harvesting honey was a chore because his apartment was on the first floor and there was no elevator. And I think some of my yards are difficult to get to.....) Other beekeepers in Queens county (a part of New York) keep them on the roofs of their house - flat roof row houses. I have seen special decks on garage roofs. The most unusual setup I have seen was about twenty colonies in the middle of town on the second floor of a garage. They were inside with runways out. The room had open windows and cracks in the wall for stray bees to get out when working them and they would go back in the runways. They were ringed around the room so that the whole periphery of the garage had bees coming and going. There was no problem from the bees and neighbors. People two houses away didn't even know they were there unless told. (the Ford dealer nearby complained once about yellow spots on his new cars) Relative to kids... I take the stand that an educated neighbor is the best neighbor. I show the bees to the neighbors on a nice day. The adults find it interesting. The kids are fascinated! I get repeat visits to "help" with the bees. I demonstrate the proper removal method for stings by picking up a bee and forcing it to sting my hand. I then show them that when the bee is ripped away the stinger keeps digging in and pumping. I then scrape it out and explain that Yes it hurts, and will continue for a while, but it is something our bodies can deal with. I them warn them of the anaphalactic reaction of an allergic person. I then have a full public relations team on my side. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Raymond J. Lackey + + Beekeeper 10 years with 25 colonies on Long Island, NY+ + INTERNET: [log in to unmask] + + Mail: 1260 Walnut Avenue, Bohemia NY 11617 + + Home Phone: 516-567-1936 FAX: 516-262-8053 + ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++