If you’re reading this article, you must be considering either a hobby or even a career in beekeeping in the city. Aside from fresh golden honey and beeswax at your disposal, beekeeping has myriad benefits, including the increased pollination in your urban farm as well as the overall boost to the endangered bee population.
There are, however, downsides to beekeeping that you must consider before venturing the new project: you ought to consider the price of the equipment and possibly courses, the steep learning curve, and of course, stings. If these all sound like fair game for the endeavour of beekeeping, then you’re fit to be a steward of an apiary.
Honeybees have been an enduring symbol of hard work and industry: take the expression “worker bee,” for example. The worker bee is even a mascot for the city of Manchester, and, like the bees themselves, you will have to put in a lot of diligence and patience into your beekeeping. Let’s take a look at the FAQs new and aspiring beekeepers often ask.
🐝 Is it legal to keep bees in a residential area?
In some cities, beehives are restricted in areas near hospitals and schools. It’s important to check with your city’s bylaws and connect with local beekeepers in the community.
🐝 Do you need a license to keep bees?
Here in Ontario, anyone in possession of bees or beekeeping materials is required to apply annually for and hold a certificate of registration, which can be done for free. You can find out more information about the certificate here. According to the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association (OBA), unregistered beekeepers are ineligible for liability insurance and government assistance programs. Moreover, bee breeders often refuse to sell to unregistered beekeeprs.
🐝 Can I have honey bees in my backyard?
Yes, ideally you want you to give your hive ample space and comfort, and avoid disturbing them with too much noise. Be sure the beehive is not vulnerable to any predators, such as in a spot raccoons could reach. Ensure that you situate the hive in a location with lots of sunlight and water to ensure survival.
🐝 Can I sell honey without a license?
In most cases yes, in general, if you are the farmer and vendouring where your farm is located, you can sell what you grow. This does change a lot when you go into livestock. The OBA warns that most beekeepers do not make a profit in the first few years and only manage to break even, advising folks to check local farmer’s markets for average rates.
🐝 How much honey will my hive produce?
Each hive of bees can produce anywhere from 20 to 60 pounds of honey annually, depending on a variety of factors such as geographic location, weather, temperature, pests, and local flora. Some hives can produce much greater amounts under ideal, controlled conditions.
🐝 How much does hobby beekeeping cost?
Housing and care of bees-includes hive bodies, frames, inner and outer covers, supers; all these can last for years with regular care, such as repainting and maintenance. Cost for hive equipment averages around $200 for each hive.
🐝 Should I take a beekeeping course before starting?
It’s always a good idea to be fully knowledgable in a topic before trying it hands on. You can always consult free online resources, such as on Barnyard Bees and Flow Hive YouTube. If you are keen to take classes and have it in yuor budget, you can sign up for this paid online course to know more.
🐝 Will I get stung?
In a word, yes. But it is preventable. Honeybees have the ability to sting but are much more docile than people generally imagine. Honeybees die when they sting and therefore only sting when they feel that the hive is being threatened, or when they are protecting their queen. You’re only likely to get stung by a bee when entering a hive or standing directly in front of the hive, thus blocking the entrances. Be sure to wear protective gear before handling the hive.
Be mindful if you have family members who are allergic to bee stings because it is likely that you are allergic as well. If you experience hives or difficulty swallowing or breathing after getting stung, chances are you are allergic. Beekeeping is not for you.
🐝 Will the bees bother people on patios or eating outside, like wasps do?
No, even though bees may fly around you during a picnic, they do not take an interest in human food, such as BBQ, slurpees, and poutine. Bees are vegetarian and rely exclusively on local vegetation whereas wasps are omnivorous and opportunistic. This means that wasps often gather at garbage cans or school entrances where food accumulates from students.
Wasps are interested in both sugars and proteins that they find in these areas. They therefore come into contact with people more often and also benefit from the fact do not die when they sting. This is the reason for so many negative experiences between people and wasps.
🐝 What can I do with beeswax?
Beeswax can be converted into different products, including candles, soap, and lip balm. You’ve probably heard of Burt’s Bees, a highly successful company that began with the creation of beeswax based candles and lip balms. Beeswax prices can vary widely based on the quality and color of the wax. Handmade beeswax based products have been particularly popular in recent years, both in retail stores and online craft markets such as Etsy.
🐝 Why is urban beekeeping good for the planet?
Many of the reasons for the decline in pollinator populations are caused by humans. By connecting with people here in the city, we can educate them on the various ways we can address environmental and climate change issues, and motivate them to implement policies and use their purchasing power to support sustainable initiatives.
Beehives in your neighbourhood will pollinate local gardens, fruit trees, as well as wild flowers, thus increasing the food and seed production of these plants. Beekeeping beautifies not just your own garden but the entire community!
🐝 What is a bee hotel?
If beekeeping is not for you, you can always DIY or purchase a bee hotel as an alternative. A bee hotel is a place where bees rest and recharge. In a way, it is really like a hotel for bees as the structure is for solitary bees to come and go as they please. It’s a stopover before they continue on their journey or head back to their main hive. This is a great way to get some of the benefits of native bees in and around your home without the regular maintenance that beekeeping demands.