To Bee or Not to Bee

By Miss Cellania in Animals & Pets on Jun 1, 2009 at 12:18 pm

Keeping bees is illegal in New York City. That doesn’t mean there are no beekeepers in the city; they just keep their bees hidden on rooftops. Now a resolution to legalize beekeeping is on the table, and many are interested in starting a new hobby.

Beekeeping classes in New York City were brimming with students this spring, partly because of publicity after a city council bill was introduced to legalize beekeeping.

On one Sunday in April the student beekeepers gathered for a live demonstration of hiving.

Afterwards they got two boxes; one with about 20,000 live bees, and another smaller one with the queen bee inside.

National Geographic has a video report, including an appearance by an underground beekeeper who is allergic to bee stings! Link -via Digg

Tags: bees, honeybees

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andiscandis
Jun 1st, 2009 at 12:32 pm
It’s now legal to keep bees and chickens in Cleveland, too.
Mr. Jones
Jun 1st, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Don’t you need lots of open land to raise bees, with plenty of flowering plants for them to feed?

And is it a good idea to raise masses of swarming insects in such a densly populated area? Bees can get pretty pissed off, especially if they’re cross-contaminated with Africanized bees. And there are people who are deadly allergic to bee stings.

But we’re talking about New York here. Forget it. I think its a great idea.
felixthecat
Jun 1st, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Bah! If the neighbors are afraid of bees, they can stay inside and peer through the drapes.
youevolve
Jun 1st, 2009 at 2:40 pm
@Mr. Jones
Cities have proven to be very successful homes for honeybee colonies. Food is plentiful with fruit trees, window boxes, flower beds, as well as waste area wildflowers.

The “mass of swarming insects” is generally not even noticed by passers-by even a few feet away. I have two hives in my back yard and my kids play in a sandbox a few feet away. Most of my neighbors don’t even know I have bees, despite the hives being in plain sight.

Africanized bees are not really an issue in northern States. They are not cold tolerant and their spread has been limited to southern States.

Only ~2% of the population is truly allergic to bees. Those that are are likely allergic to most insect stings. It is far better to have honeybees (bred to be calm and handled by humans) than wild colonies of wasps or more aggressive bees which are far more likely to actually sting. Given enough honeybees, they will out compete the more aggressive insects.

I’m not saying NOBODY will get stung, but the fear of bees is greater than the danger from bees.
Mr. Jones
Jun 2nd, 2009 at 7:19 am
youevolve:

Thanks

I’ve only read a few things about beekeeping, but I find it fascinating. I understand its a true artform to keep those bees happy and not abandon the hive.

I hope you’re right about the Africanized bees. Every once in awhile we hear about them coming farther up north. Its really a shame that we screwed with thousands of years of domestic bee breeding.
Skipweasel
Jun 2nd, 2009 at 10:29 am
One of the other advantages for bees is that cities generally have lower pesticide levels than arable land.
Mr. Eric Praline
Jun 2nd, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Is it legal to raise half-a-bee? I have this half-a-bee named Eric that I was trying to get a license for…
Skipweasel
Jun 2nd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
That’s not a bee license, it’s a Gerald Nabarro license with the word Nabarro crossed out and the word bee written in, in crayon.
atheists eat fish
Jun 8th, 2009 at 2:43 am
@Skipweasel and Eric: Very funny. I’d almost forgotten that skit.

I think it’s a great idea. I have read that bees are decreasing in number rapidly and scientists do not know why. This could have devastating effects on our food production. I’d rather get stung by a bee than starve. Yeah bees!!

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