photo by lunaranja
I was finally able to set up a meeting with the property owner with the two abandoned beehives in his backyard early December. I wasn’t able to go, but my beekeeping partner kept the appointment. This is what she found:
- I had suspected that a certain beekeeper in the area had been the one who abandoned the hives, and surprise, surprise, I was right.
- The bees had survived last winter without any winter preparations.
- The hives had swarmed three times last spring.
We will see if the bees survive the winter as it has been a cold one, but frankly, I am not willing to take these 2 hives on as the homeowner is a 30 minute drive away. If we lived in the country, I don’t think I’d mind a 30 minute drive on less-traveled streets, but I don’t like driving and hauling equipment through an urban area. I was hoping he would let us manage the bees in our backyard, but he wants to keep these hives on his property which is understandable.
Would you manage these hives? What do you think? I welcome your input as I am still of two minds about this issue. Please let me know your opinion by leaving a comment below. Thank you.
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If the owner is able, I’d encourage him to manage the hives himself. It sounds like the bees are doing fine with minimal interference, so there won’t be much for him to do other than expand the hive in the summer and contract it in the fall…if he’s interested in getting honey. If all he wants is to support some bees and enjoy the pollination service they provide then he doesn’t even have to do that much.
If the swarming is generating complaints from the neighbors then maybe he shouldn’t have bees on his property. Even properly managed hives can swarm regardless of how much a beekeeper might try to suppress it.
Hi Bill,
The owner wanted to pay us to manage the hives; he wasn’t interested in learning how to keep the bees as he is busy caring for two young kids. He had expected the other beekeeper to manage the hives, and wasn’t prepared to take them on.
No complaints from neighbors as far as I’ve heard. The bees landed in the neighbor’s property too, and no one seemed to mind.
I have enjoyed seeing some of your videos.
Mil