Bees and Neighbours

Beekeeping is a wonderful hobby. Bees are interesting creatures, with a fascinating life. Unfortunately, not every one appreciates this and, unless care is taken in keeping bees and siting colonies, trouble can result.




Stings



The only fact about bees that most people seem to know is that they sting. The closer a person is to an active colony, the more likely they are to be stung. The possibility of non-beekeepers being stung is reduced if:

• bees are not kept in small gardens or close to houses;

• the bees kept are known to be docile;

• manipulation of colonies is performed whilst neighbours are at work;

• colonies are kept in sheltered apiaries behind naturally high barriers



Drinking Bees



Bees need to drink like any other creature. Non-beekeepers can view this harmless activity with alarm since bees often choose to drink from places like the edges of ornamental ponds. The beekeeper can help by providing water for his bees. The simplest way to do this is by standing a large plant pot full of peat in a reservoir of water. Bees will drink from the wet surface, especially if this arrangement stands in a sunny spot. Do not let it dry up. It cannot be emphasised too strongly that drinking bees are harmless.



Overflying



Bees normally fly about 5m above the ground but problems can occur from bees flying out from their hives and returning to them. In windy weather over open ground, bees fly very low because it is less effort. They only rise to fly over obstacles in their path. The beekeeper can help by sheltering the apiary site with hedges or shrubs. It also helps if hives can be faced away from neighbouring properties. In addition, the height of the boundary fence can be raised by allowing hedges to grow to about two metres in height. A temporary barrier can be formed from sparrow-proof netting which bees will not readily fly through.



Cleansing Flights



After winter confinement in the cluster, bees’ early flights on sunny spring days can result in anything in the vicinity of the hives being spotted with faeces. If this includes neighbours’ laundry or cars, then their resentment is understandable. This nuisance can be reduced by making sure that the bulk of the winter stores is well-ripened sugar syrup. Feeding should be finished by mid-September. High barriers round the garden will also help to keep the bees on cleansing flights circling near their hives.



Swarms



Neighbours will not necessarily welcome swarms onto their property. No beekeeper can guarantee preventing all swarms. However, the chance of swarms can be reduced to a very small percentage indeed.



You need:



• to keep all queens clipped;

• to have adequate spare equipment;

• to use a simple, effective method of swarm control (see BBKALeaflet)

• to make sure hives are not over-heated by the summer sun;

• to seek help from a really experienced beekeeper if required.



Numbers of Hives or Colonies



There have been cases brought to court where the beekeeper kept an enormous number of colonies in his garden. Sheer numbers of colonies can worsen all the problems touched on so far. It is impossible to give any definitive figure. Modern suburban gardens are not suitable at all. Larger gardens, depending on their size, could safely house up to six colonies. Gardens which could house more are few and far between.



Rights



Beekeepers have the right to keep bees. Their neighbours have the right to enjoy their property in peace. Badly kept and positioned colonies can be a nuisance. Unfortunately, what the neighbour might see as a nuisance is likely to be given more consideration in a court than what the beekeeper sees as an interesting characteristic in his bees. Bees harmlessly drinking water from a pond may well, therefore, be deemed a real nuisance, even if all the beekeepers called to give evidence state the opposite. Also, the fact that the bees were there before the complaining neighbour will hold little importance in a court of law.



Avoiding Confrontation

Any beekeepers confronted with an angry neighbour should not meet aggression with more aggression.



Try to talk the problem through and take some positive action to attempt to allay the problem. It could well help to talk through with your neighbours the intention to keep bees. Share some of your honey with them and always emphasise the pollinating value of bees to the environment.



If the neighbour is the sort of person who is constantly worried about the bees, wants to grow plants to ‘repel’ them or remove plants that ‘attract’ them, and is worried if the bees will join him when he breakfasts al fresco, then it is likely that beekeeping next door will never be a pleasant experience. It would be simpler to keep your bees in out-apiaries and avoid any problems.



If all else has Failed



Through membership of a local Beekeeping Association which is an area member of the BBKA, the beekeeper gains protection of a third party insurance policy. This provides coverage against all third-party claims arising from his beekeeping activities involving injury to persons or damage to property.



If the situation between the neighbour and the beekeeper deteriorates to the point of legal action, then, assuming he is a member of a qualifying Association, he must inform the BBKA Treasurer, at once. This is very important. Any delay could result in a loss of compensation under this policy. BBKA has a legal adviser who can give help on the law in this area, but any beekeeper threatened with legal action must engage the services of a solicitor. BBKA will not engage in legal action on behalf of a beekeeper. Remember, weigh up the situation carefully. Litigation is always expensive. It is much better to avoid it.



This leaflet is one in a series of Advisory Leaflets produced by the British Beekeepers’ Association. They cover specialist subjects to which beekeepers may need handy reference. Each leaflet has

been written by recognised authorities in the field and published under the copyright of the BBKA, unless otherwise acknowledged. Beekeepers are strongly advised to obtain more information from the wide range of books giving information on the topics mentioned in this leaflet. Associations are free to copy this leaflet for beekeepers. ©BBKA 2006 (3rd Edition)

Bees and Neighbours

 Beekeeping is a wonderful hobby. Bees are interesting creatures, with a fascinating life. Unfortunately, not every one appreciates this and, unless care is taken in keeping bees and siting colonies, trouble can result.


Stings

The only fact about bees that most people seem to know is that they sting. The closer a person is to an active colony, the more likely they are to be stung. The possibility of non-beekeepers being stung is reduced if:

• bees are not kept in small gardens or close to houses;

• the bees kept are known to be docile;

• manipulation of colonies is performed whilst neighbours are at work;

• colonies are kept in sheltered apiaries behind naturally high barriers

Drinking Bees

Bees need to drink like any other creature. Non-beekeepers can view this harmless activity with alarm since bees often choose to drink from places like the edges of ornamental ponds. The beekeeper can help by providing water for his bees. The simplest way to do this is by standing a large plant pot full of peat in a reservoir of water. Bees will drink from the wet surface, especially if this arrangement stands in a sunny spot. Do not let it dry up. It cannot be emphasised too strongly that drinking bees are harmless.

Overflying

Bees normally fly about 5m above the ground but problems can occur from bees flying out from their hives and returning to them. In windy weather over open ground, bees fly very low because it is less effort. They only rise to fly over obstacles in their path. The beekeeper can help by sheltering the apiary site with hedges or shrubs. It also helps if hives can be faced away from neighbouring properties. In addition, the height of the boundary fence can be raised by allowing hedges to grow to about two metres in height. A temporary barrier can be formed from sparrow-proof netting which bees will not readily fly through.

Cleansing Flights

After winter confinement in the cluster, bees’ early flights on sunny spring days can result in anything in the vicinity of the hives being spotted with faeces. If this includes neighbours’ laundry or cars, then their resentment is understandable. This nuisance can be reduced by making sure that the bulk of the winter stores is well-ripened sugar syrup. Feeding should be finished by mid-September. High barriers round the garden will also help to keep the bees on cleansing flights circling near their hives.

Swarms

Neighbours will not necessarily welcome swarms onto their property. No beekeeper can guarantee preventing all swarms. However, the chance of swarms can be reduced to a very small percentage indeed.

You need:

• to keep all queens clipped;

• to have adequate spare equipment;

• to use a simple, effective method of swarm control (see BBKALeaflet)

• to make sure hives are not over-heated by the summer sun;

• to seek help from a really experienced beekeeper if required.

Numbers of Hives or Colonies

There have been cases brought to court where the beekeeper kept an enormous number of colonies in his garden. Sheer numbers of colonies can worsen all the problems touched on so far. It is impossible to give any definitive figure. Modern suburban gardens are not suitable at all. Larger gardens, depending on their size, could safely house up to six colonies. Gardens which could house more are few and far between.

Rights

Beekeepers have the right to keep bees. Their neighbours have the right to enjoy their property in peace. Badly kept and positioned colonies can be a nuisance. Unfortunately, what the neighbour might see as a nuisance is likely to be given more consideration in a court than what the beekeeper sees as an interesting characteristic in his bees. Bees harmlessly drinking water from a pond may well, therefore, be deemed a real nuisance, even if all the beekeepers called to give evidence state the opposite. Also, the fact that the bees were there before the complaining neighbour will hold little importance in a court of law.

Avoiding Confrontation

Any beekeepers confronted with an angry neighbour should not meet aggression with more aggression.

Try to talk the problem through and take some positive action to attempt to allay the problem. It could well help to talk through with your neighbours the intention to keep bees. Share some of your honey with them and always emphasise the pollinating value of bees to the environment.

If the neighbour is the sort of person who is constantly worried about the bees, wants to grow plants to ‘repel’ them or remove plants that ‘attract’ them, and is worried if the bees will join him when he breakfasts al fresco, then it is likely that beekeeping next door will never be a pleasant experience. It would be simpler to keep your bees in out-apiaries and avoid any problems.

If all else has Failed

Through membership of a local Beekeeping Association which is an area member of the BBKA, the beekeeper gains protection of a third party insurance policy. This provides coverage against all third-party claims arising from his beekeeping activities involving injury to persons or damage to property.

If the situation between the neighbour and the beekeeper deteriorates to the point of legal action, then, assuming he is a member of a qualifying Association, he must inform the BBKA Treasurer, at once. This is very important. Any delay could result in a loss of compensation under this policy. BBKA has a legal adviser who can give help on the law in this area, but any beekeeper threatened with legal action must engage the services of a solicitor. BBKA will not engage in legal action on behalf of a beekeeper. Remember, weigh up the situation carefully. Litigation is always expensive. It is much better to avoid it.

This leaflet is one in a series of Advisory Leaflets produced by the British Beekeepers’ Association. They cover specialist subjects to which beekeepers may need handy reference. Each leaflet has
been written by recognised authorities in the field and published under the copyright of the BBKA, unless otherwise acknowledged. Beekeepers are strongly advised to obtain more information from the wide range of books giving information on the topics mentioned in this leaflet. Associations are free to copy this leaflet for beekeepers. ©BBKA 2006 (3rd Edition)

apimondia-sensorik-2003

http://www.biavl.dk/images/stories/pdf/varroa-undersogelse2005.pdf

Carlie Mayes Sent from my iPod

Hives

Hives handmade by Thomas Bickerdike

The Beehive Workshop

The Danish Tradition of changing all beeswax brood combs every year

by David Ashton ©

This is a comment on the Danish Tradition of changing all beeswax brood combs in the hive every year. I have been prompted to write this after the article about the problem of remains of antibiotics, chemicals and medicines being found in honey imported into Denmark, but which are not found at all in Danish Honey. I intend pasting this article that I translated, at the bottom of this piece ( Danish Honey Retains its Quality ) you may already have read it. But I think you will understand the logic, scientific reasoning and practise, once you read both articles

But I am also using and translating from Danish to English, a paragraph from an article in the Danish beekeeping magazine ‘ Tidskrift for Biavl ‘ ( Journal of Beekeeping ) for February 2004, page 41 an article by Danish Beekeeper, Ejner Olsen.

Many of you who know some thing about Danish beekeeping, have expressed wonderment, as to why the Danish beekeepers as part of the legal requirement to prevent disease in the bees, and to preserve the hygiene and cleanliness of the honey as a pure food change their brood combs yearly. However in his article Ejner Olsen explains to reasoning and scientific logic of why Danes change every beeswax brood comb, each and every year.

The Brown Bees Inherited Characteristics

The German monk Brother Adam, who lived most of his life at Buckfast Abbey in England, worked most of his life with the genetic properties of bees. He travelled widely in Europe and Africa, and took bee brood back home with him. With this brood he tested the various races of bees for inherited bee diseases. Brother Adam made a chart of the inherited characteristics which actually did not cover very much space about 6 cm x 9 cm ( 2 ¼ “ x 3 ½ “ inches ) he carried this chart every were with him, and despite the fact it did not cover very much space it was in fact his life’s work which was written down here.

One of the conclusions that Brother Adam came to from this life’s work was that the brown bee ‘ Apis Mellifera Mellifera ‘ had extremely poor resistance against bee and brood diseases, and also had a propensity to swarm very often. Against which it had a top characteristic of + 6 for its long life, ability to fly in all conditions, resistance to weather, a good sense for orientating its self, and a very good sense of collecting together, and building new honey comb.

It is in fact very impressive that Brother Adam gave the Brown Bee a top character of ( + 6 ) on his own scale for eight characteristics. One of the explanations he gave for this was the wide spread of this race of honey bee.

One you consider that the brown bee has some extremely poor characteristics, and others which are at the very top of his range it is interesting to speculate as to why this is:

1)Why does the Brown bee swarm so much ?

2)Perhaps the answer to this question is that because most of Europe was once covered in forest, where bees made their homes in rotten trees, and later skep, and log beekeeping. These type of homes for the bees most probable stimulated the swarming nature, which in beekeeping skep, and log beekeeping period was thought to be an advantage that bees swarmed often !

3) Why then the very poor resistance to bee and brood disease’s ?

4) Perhaps the answer to this question is that in the thousands of years the brown bee Apis Mellifera Mellifera did not have the need to develop genes resistant against bee and brood disease. Because they had a great capacity to swarm, and build new comb, which in its self is a valuable protection against these diseases. By all the time building new clean combs in either hollow clean from bee disease trees, skeps or wooden logs they the brown bee were in a situation were they could “ Build them selves a new clean home “ . A factor which underlies the fact that in all those hundreds of thousands of years of bees living in the forest in trees, later in log bee hives and a skep. They were never troubled by bee diseases, and even the skep beekeeping literature mentions very little. It was first with the introduction by L.L. Langstroth in the U.S.A. in 1851 of the movable framed hive, that mention starts to be regularly made of foul brood diseases . and other bee diseases in literature.

A Relaxed attitude to Foul Brood disease .

Foul brood spores are often found in honey, and are often encapsulated in beeswax combs which bees build themselves, indeed bees have a certain resistance to these disease spores it is only when they build up too intolerant levels that disease moves in and takes over. As is well know with Danish beekeeping that by melting down the frames every year we find large concentration of foul brood spores, and other diseases which are destroyed in the beeswax melting refining and filtration process.

So taking the logic and scientific evidence of the above coupled with Brother Adams evidence it seems as if the Danish beekeeping policy of changing all combs on a yearly basis is not only a good strategy to overcome disease but is also very rational. So despite wide spread criticism of this method by beekeepers outside of Denmark. This policy of yearly comb changes since 1945, and renewal with clean foundation is now proving its worth, in an age when consumers, public health authorities, and trading standards are becoming more and more aware of the dangers that the wide spread use of antibiotics and chemicals used by food producers, and food processors, posses for the publics health. Coupled with the danger of bugs resistant to antibiotics , the problems with acid indigestion, and stomach upset, and asthma on the increase. It seems as if the quality and purity of Danish honey due to Danish beekeepers husbandry methods is some thing that beekeepers around the world could learn a lot from.

By David Ashton © using as source material ‘ Tidskrift for Biavl ‘ ( Journal of Beekeeping ) for February 2004, page 41 an article by Danish Beekeeper, Ejner Olsen

Danish Honey Retains its Quality

Translated by David Ashton from an Article by Benny Gade Journalist and Beekeeper

From www.honningbien.dk 24th February 2004

It is becoming more and more difficult to import honey into Denmark because of the sharpened demands by the Danish Trading Standards and Food Authority. Due to the demand that honey must not contain any remains of antibiotics. On the other hand it is not an problem for Danish honey to meet these demands, but it is beginning to become very difficult for foreign beekeepers to understand these demands of the Scandinavian market for honey.

This statement was made today by Knud Hvam of Jakobsen & Hvam, from Aulumgaard, Honey Farm, Denmark, who is Denmark’s largest buyer of honey. Besides buying Danish honey Jakobsen and Hvam import 3000 tons of honey for use in the Danish and Scandinavian market every year.

But the demands of the Scandinavian consumers and health authorities, has now become so sharp that it is almost impossible to import any foreign honey says Knud Hvam.

A couple of years ago we our selves enforced a ban on Chinese honey, followed by others around the world, due to the large concentration of remains of various medicines including antibiotics. We there for we started to import our honey from Argentina . Now however the problem of Argentina honey has become just as great as the problem we had with Chinese honey. The Argentina authorities have now stepped into the market realising that there is a problem, and have purchase large quantities of their own honey which they have destroyed due to the remains of medicine mostly antibiotics in their Argentina honey. The result of which is that Jakobsen & Hvam have not bought any Argentina honey this last year.

We are surviving on “ old honey “ which we have in our own store or buying in on the spot world market parcels of good quality honey says Knud Hvam.

The problem with remains of medicines, chemicals, and antibiotics in honey is first and foremost due to the foreign beekeepers methods they use to fight varroa mites, and both types of foul brood American and European, It has become not unusual for beekeepers to use a cocktail of antibiotics in countries outside of Denmark, to prevent diseases of various types in bees. These chemical, antibiotic or other medicines so called then remain in the honey. If these parcels of honey from outside of Denmark slip through the various countries veterinary food control system, then I can promise you the Danish food control authorities do not miss it. They pick it up off the super market, and shop, shelves, trace it back to its source and forbid its future sale in Scandinavia.

On the other hand there is no problem with Danish Honey. Which shows that Danish Beekeeping functions very effectively, due to Danish beekeepers not using antibiotics as preventative medicine, and also due to better hygiene in Danish beehives were all honey combs are changed and replaced every year by all Danish beekeepers.

There for it will become in future more and more attractive to produce Danish honey believes Knud Hvam. But he does not expect a price increase because of that. Danish honey needs to compete on the supermarket and shops shelves with marmalade, jam and other breakfast products, an increase in price will result in a reduction of sales of honey believes Knud Hvam.

© Translation David Ashton from article by Benny Gade.

 
 
 
 
 

Red Mason Bee

Masonry bees, Mason Bees Red Mason Bee or Mortar bees are so called because they sometimes burrow into the mortar joints in brick walls.

There are a number of different species of bee that do this, but the most common has the scientific name of Osmia rufa.

Appearance and Life History

In appearance these bees are similiar to an ordinary honey bees, and share the same soft brown and yellow colouration, as opposed to the bright yellow and black of the wasp, which mortar bees are often confused with. This can sometimes be reddy in colour hence one of their common names.

However, all Mason bees are solitary and do not form the distinct social colonies that we associate so much with the honeybee and common wasp, although they may be found close to each other since they exploit suitable nesting sites.

The natural habitat of Mason bees is earth banks and soft exposed rocks into which the female bee burrows. She builds a series of tunnels or galleries in the spring in which to lay her eggs from which the new adults emerge in the early summer.

Only one such brood is raised each year.

Mason bees cannot tell the difference between soft rock and soft mortar, especially if it is old and perished. However, the gallery constructed by a single bee should not cause any significant damage, although if a brood is raised in one year spends the winter in the galleries, when spring comes they may start to enlarge the existing galleries or build new ones in the same area of the wall.

The only effective way of preventing damage is to repoint areas of soft and perished mortar as the bees can only burrow into comparatively weak materials. The joints should be raked out to a depth of 15mm (0.58in), and re-pointed with a mortar that is not too strong for the bricks, but hard enough to discourage the bees.

This work is best done in late summer, after the bees have ceased their activities but before the possibility of frost damage.

Avoid the spring as costly special insecticide treatments are needed to stop damage occurring to the new mortar before it hardens properly and it should be emphasised that spraying or injecting insecticides do not have any lasting effect, and are only recommended in those rare cases where bricks or stonework have been entered.


 
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Red Tailed Bumble Bee

Bombus lapidarius, Red tailed Bumble Bee - this beautiful bee is part of the "Bumble" Bee family.
 
Commonly seen in gardens and hedgerows, the red-tailed bumble bee often nests under stones or slabs.
 
This species is unlikely to sting unless its nest is endangered. However, red-tailed bumble bees will often fly menacingly around the heads of intruders, in an attempt to prevent damage to their nests.
 
Only the young fertilised queen survives the winter, having hibernated in a protected place such as in a hole or under moss. She emerges in spring and starts up her own colony or takes over an existing one. The queen makes pots of wax and pollen into which the first eggs are laid. After about three weeks, the first infertile female workers emerge and take over the nectar and pollen gathering and cell building, while the queen concentrates on egg laying.
 
The larvae are reared on pollen and nectar.
 
Male bees appear in summer and towards the end of the season both male and female bumble bees fly out and mate. The males are not allowed to re-enter the nest after mating and soon die. The fertilised queen starts searching for a safe place to hibernate but both the workers and the old queen die with the first frosts or spell of cold weather.
 
Bumblebees are now much less common in the countryside and gardens are an important habitat for these species, where they reward us by pollinating plants such as apple trees.
 
You can encourage them by making artificial nest boxes.

1. Lie a large plastic plant pot on its side.
2. Line the inside with chicken wire, and then inside this place a layer of capoc - upholsterers' cotton. Don't use artificial fibre as bees get tangled up in it.
3. Fill the centre of the nest with hay and place an inverted plant-pot base over the top of the plant pot, securing it in place with wires fed through holes drilled in the side.
4. Finally, drill a hole about 2 centimetres wide into the centre of the plant-pot base and insert a short length of hollow pipe - which becomes the entrance hole.
5. Place the nest in a sunny border amongst vegetation and wait for the bees to find it.

If you have white clover in the lawn, give it a flowery break from mowing in the summer - this bee loves clover flowers.
 
Interesting fact:
 
Bombus lapidarius .....................lapidarius comes from the Latin meaning stone therefore common names include:

• Stone bumble bee (it commonly nests under stones)
• Red tailed bee (it is one of the bees that has an orangey red tail)
• Large red-tailed bumblebee

 
HERE'S WHERE THIS LOVELY BEE FITS INTO THE FIVE KINGDOMS
 
Kingdom Animalia This contains all the species of animals.
Phylum Arthropoda or Uniramia Animals without backbones, but with jointed legs.
Class Insecta or Hexapoda Insects, as the name hexapoda suggests, animals that have six legs, at least most of the adults have.
Order Hymenoptera Bees, wasps, ants and sawflies.
Superfamily Apoidea Bees and some wasps.
Family Apidae Bees.
Genus Bombus Bumblebees.

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