Tom Barrett asks about keeping bees with a neighbor mowing his lawn as close
as 5 meters (or yards).
I have had several hives at home, in a reasonably dense neighborhood, for
more than 30 years. And that's two different houses in two totally
different neighborhoods. Initially, that was at a time when lot's of little
kids were in our yard, playing with our little kids. I've never had a
complaint, even when one of the little kids got stung! (I'm really amazed
at no complaints.) Certainly I've had neighbors mowing lawn as close as 5
meters.
If you can do it, I think the best thing would be to have a fence at least 5
feet (1 3/4 meters?) high that the bees had to fly over to and from the
hive. That would prevent the occasional "bump", and make the activity
nearly invisible. I've never been able to have a fence.
It is important to buy gentle queens, even at the sacrifice of some honey
production, and re-queen every year. Don't dress like a space walker...and
don't wear gloves. I just wear jeans, and old white shirt, and a veil. If
you look like a space walker, how will your neighbors feel unprotected? Be
generous with your honey...neighbors come first, at no charge.
Talk about your bees. Tell them you get gentle queens every year, how
fascinating they are, how wild bees are being killed by mites, etc.
When someone gets stung, ask about the circumstances. Emphasize that a
honey bee will fly away before stinging. Find a bee on a flower, disturb
it, and demonstrate that it will not attack. See if you can determine that
it was a wasp rather than a bee. I always start by saying (jokingly)
"anyone who gets stung around here just knows it was by one of my bees".
Don't do hive inspections during times of dearth. I've had neighbors (and
family) chased into their house by doing hive inspections in August...when
there are huge populations, and no flora. Two weeks later, when the
goldenrod and asters bloom, everything is quiet again.
I don't know of any books on the subject.
I hope this helps.
Lloyd
[log in to unmask]
|
