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Can I keep bees in a small garden?
Space. Bees can be kept anywhere from country orchards to urban gardens to small city balconies. It is a common misconception that you need a large garden or countryside nearby. Although this can make siting your bees easier, urban gardens are arguably better.
Do I need permission to keep bees in my garden?
“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”. It is a beekeeper’s responsibility to avoid their bees becoming a nuisance and to take appropriate steps if they so become.
Do you need permission to keep bees UK?
You don’t need a licence to keep bees but Camilla says it is good to belong to a local association to keep you in touch with local expertise, local problems and conditions. In the UK, most associations with the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) gives you third party and honey insurance.
Can you keep bees anywhere?
You can keep beehives just about anywhere: in the countryside, in the city, in a corner of the garden, by the back door, in a field, on the terrace, or even on an urban rooftop. You don’t need a great deal of space or flowers on your property; bees happily travel for miles to forage for what they need.
Will an empty beehive attract bees?
Yes, an empty beehive will attract bees. Even if it isn’t positioned up in a tree or converted to a bait hive, the scout bees can smell residual beeswax in the wood. If you have an empty hive and want to make it more attractive to bees, you can add a swarm lure.
How far should beehives be from a house?
It is equally as important to think about how your neighbors use their yard, so it is not a good idea to put a hive directly on a property line. Instead, place your hives ten feet or more from the property line.
How far away should bee hive be from house?
What is needed to keep bees UK?
In addition to your bees, you’ll need a beekeeping suit, plus gloves, smoker and a hive tool. When it comes to clothing, go for a maximum protection to avoid stings. An all-in-one suit with veil, together with a good pair of gloves and stout wellies will cost less than £150.
Should a beehive be in sun or shade?
The hive should be placed in early morning sun. This gets the bees out of their hive earlier in the day to forage. In the Northeast, hives can remain in the full sun for the entire season. However in places with warmer climates, hives should receive some afternoon shade.
How far should a beehive be from a house?
What can I do to help bees in my garden?
The easiest way to help bees is to help preserve their natural habitat, and to create new ones for them. Any seeds you can get hold of will be of use, but there are some that have been proven to attract bees further than others. There’s a really useful illustration of this below.
How does a beekeeper take care of the Bees?
Bees feed from the honey they make so they can only fly as far as they have the energy. The beekeeper can trick the bees into thinking they have swarmed by splitting the hive. The beekeeper will check the hives to ensure they contain enough food (keepers often provide sugar syrup) and that they are free from disease.
What do I need to get started in beekeeping?
You may be able to borrow a hive and bees from your local association, during which time you will be mentored by an experienced keeper to check that all goes well. You’ll need to buy a beekeeping suit plus gloves, smoker and a hive tool. At the end of the first year, if you’re still interested, you can pay for the bees and hive too.
Is it okay to have ground bees in your yard?
Ground bees are common in lawns and backyards. Unless provoked, they do not tend to hurt humans or pets around. If you know how to identify them and how to repel them naturally, they can be considered harmless pests for us humans. In fact, many times ground bees have been found to aerate the soil in your yard and hence prove helpful.