>>>A new beekeeper in an urban environment _has_ to take a bit more 
>>>responsibility than a new beekeeper in the country.

The critical point is that the new beekeeper needs to have both guidance and 
a method for dealing with swarms - especially in an urban environment.  As 
much as a beekeeper thinks a swarm (from someone else's colony) is cool and 
fun, the general public does not understand and over reacts.  The best I can 
do for my students is  (1) give them a means of discouraging inadvertant 
swarms and (2) a way allowing the bees to exercise their swarming urge in a 
neighbor friendly way.  I am thinking that could be (1) a slatted rack and 
(2) a Snelgrove board.  But I have never tried suggesting these to the 
beekeeping initiate.  Maybe this year.

I have talked with new but not first-year beekeepers about these techniques. 
I don't know of any beginner beekeeping books that do either.   Yet, they 
may work well in an urban environment.

I am a country beekeeper trying to help the urban guy.  Even though I do not 
have the urban experience, I can draw from the experience of others.  I base 
my urban bee thinking on an article written by Larry Connor a few years ago. 
I also suggest that aspiring beekeepers avoid starting a discussion with the 
city fathers, but very certainly confer with their neighbors.  If the 
neighbors are OK with bees at their bird bath or a swarm in the tree, the 
city will not want to be involved.

>>>So much in beekeeping is learned by making mistakes...

True.  We have all been there.  I would hope that a well developed beginner 
program would help to ease the learning curve.  The reason for my post is 
that I am a couple of weeks from setting the topics for my upcoming bee 
classes.  Each year improves a bit... I hope.

Larry Krengel

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