Author Topic: Talk of the town (Read 13513 times)

Shawn · « **on:** April 28, 2009, 10:22:10 pm »

I was just informed by a city council man there have have been record number of complaints about bees in the town. The other beek in town has 33 hives (commercially zoned and had an established of selling honey) and I only have 3 (hobby and not selling). The complaints are the bees are going to dog water dishes and buzzing the yards "where the kids are playing." I have not heard of anyone complaining of being stung yet. The word is they are thinking about saying that "bees" are a "farm animal" or Agricultural thing therefore have to be outside the city limits. When I went to the city zoning board they told me if it was a hobby there was nothing that can be done, as I posted over a year ago, unless the bees become a nuisance. Ill have to do some research tonight at work to see what exactly the complaints are so I can start to work on our argument.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2009, 11:03:34 pm »

Providing a reliable source of water will help keep down the complaints that are actually your bees, but odds are there are other bees in town.

indypartridge · « **Reply #2 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:42:55 am »

The question that won't be asked and won't be answered is "Are they honeybees?"

This spring I have a record number of wasps, bumbles, hornets and yellow jackets around my house. Wife keeps telling me to "do something with the bees". The fact that they aren't MY bees isn't relevant, the bottom line is it's MY problem!

Shawn · « **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2009, 08:57:44 am »

We both have lots of water source close to the hives. Swarm season has not even hit here yet and I have been hearing about people finding "hives" in trees they are cutting down. I guess they can try to prove whos bees they are :-D. I looked things over and I have not seen any calls to the "police" about bees stinging people. I think maybe it is a neighbor propblem with the other beek. :roll:

MustbeeNuts · « **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:10:07 am »

The town won't specify HIS bees, they will lump it all together. Good luck with it.

SgtMaj · « **Reply #5 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:35:37 am »

Also it's worth finding out where the complaints are coming from geographically speaking. They may not even be comming from people who live close enough to either of you to have been visited by your bees.

mtbe · « **Reply #6 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:31:16 am »

A lot of towns have ordinances against livestock and consider bees as livestock.

It's amazing people are complaining of too many bees.

Every time I tell someone I'm keeping bees, they comment on how they haven't seen any bees around.

Shawn · « **Reply #7 on:** May 04, 2009, 09:30:08 pm »

Just talked to 1 of the city council men today. He did say there have been a "couple" of complaints and one was because the guy cant go into his yard without there being bees. No one has complained baout being stung as of today. I was told the City Administrator is to look into wether the City can do anything about persons having bees inside the city limits. I will go talk with the administrator and give him my position on this topic. I did ask the council man if the two of us could be grandfathered in and he said "YES!"

Bee Happy · « **Reply #8 on:** May 04, 2009, 10:16:34 pm »

Quote from: Shawn on April 28, 2009, 10:22:10 pm

I was just informed by a city council man there have have been record number of complaints about bees in the town. The other beek in town has 33 hives (commercially zoned and had an established of selling honey) and I only have 3 (hobby and not selling). The complaints are the bees are going to dog water dishes and buzzing the yards "where the kids are playing." ...

(They always hide behind the kids)
offer to give a talk on honeybees at the local schools and brainwas... er. educate the little br... darlings (bring honey) - this is how I fell in love with bees - my landlord had about 8 hives in the yard and lived on the same property - he sat me down with some honeycomb and evaporated any trepidation I had about the bees (I even made other kids foaming mad at me and stood in the middle of the hives where they couldn't [find the courage to] get me.)

Shawn · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2009, 07:33:38 am »

Ok its now official. The guy complaining has made his first "police report" saying the bees are so numerous he is affraid to let hsi grandchildren out of the house. I was given an email to go speak to the guy to see what his options are. Anyone know of any way to detour the bees from a yard? I have to call him at 8:00 a.m. right before I get off of duty. Whats funny is one of my neghbors was talking to me and he said there are lots and lots of bees buzzing right over the ground at his house, no flowers or grass just dirt. He said it was no big deal because his two girls have not been stung. Why are the bees sticking to the ground? I had posted in another post that the bees were doing this at my house. Seems they are wanting somethig from the ground or dirt. Any suggetions on what to tell the guy would be appreciated!

Bee Happy · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:18:46 am »

a swarm in his porchlight - desensitization by immersion might be a great way.
(this guy sounds like a 'harass through legislation' type if I ever heard of one)
maybe 'bee quick' (which one is the unoffensive one - tell him to get the other one) sprayed on his yard?

MustbeeNuts · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:31:46 am »

Just out of curiosity, whats the guy with the 23 hives doing about it, When my bees cruise like that ,, I usually have to refill the water.

kdm · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2009, 09:16:29 am »

Yellow Jackets & bumble bees nest in the ground. See what he has if they are not honey bees show him the difference.

Scadsobees · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2009, 09:37:31 am »

Quote from: Shawn on May 08, 2009, 07:33:38 am

Whats funny is one of my neghbors was talking to me and he said there are lots and lots of bees buzzing right over the ground at his house, no flowers or grass just dirt. He said it was no big deal because his two girls have not been stung. Why are the bees sticking to the ground?Any suggetions on what to tell the guy would be appreciated!

Unless that dirt is wet, those bees are NOT of the honeybee persuasion. Ground bees, digger bees, cicada killers, yellow jackets....most people consider anything that buzzes to be a honeybee and they are too cowardly to get close enough to really check.

Sadly you could get you hives deep-6'd over digger bees.

hankdog1 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 08, 2009, 03:36:53 pm »

From what i understand bees are considered wild animals by the court system. So they can pass this and that but unlike cattle you can't pin them up or ever get rid of all of them. Getting rid of beekeepers isn't a solution only a punishment to the beekeeper as there are going to be feral hives around. It's amazing how dumb local government can be in the light of a dark time for honey bees.

Natalie · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:25:52 pm »

Keep us posted on what happens, but like others said, those don't sound like honeybees and you need to prove it to them.

G3farms · « **Reply #16 on:** May 08, 2009, 10:20:01 pm »

If you were down south I would say it was yellow jackets, they will find a big crack or hole in the ground and make their nest there. Not sure what kind of bees or wasp you might have out west. Catch a couple of them, then you will have somthing to show him and can identify what they are. I'm with scadsobees, dry dirt does not sound like honey bees. Keep us posted.

G3

Shawn · « **Reply #17 on:** May 09, 2009, 10:15:51 am »

Ok I had to edit because the first thing I typed was fast. The beek and the animal control officer went over to the guys house in attempt to work things out. The beek does have plenty of water source and keeps them clean. The guy was told things he could do to help reduce the bees but he is not wanting to do them. He believes its his yard and he should not have to do. He is now complaining of bee stings and says he'll keep call us, the police, until somethign is done. Now that he knows I also keep bees he does not call for "me" but a different officer.

Still no word from the city administrator. I feel the city will say no "commercial" beekeeping which will mean no hobby beeks either. Only bees that will be allowed are the "wild" bees. Ill keep everyone up to date.

The thing I said about the bees on the ground Im not sure what they are. I did not go to the guys house because he siad it was no big deal. I know my bees have been going into our grass and laying on the dirt, I assume getting water because the sprinklers come on every night.

Bee Happy · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2009, 10:57:28 pm »

who is betting that the whin... complainer got stung swatting them in frustration. I've been stung by other things but I can tell they're not honeybees; I'm just not the provoking type. The stings I've taken were from opening outdoor panels to find small wasps residing inside - I've even been stung by a wasp for occupying its flight path. - I'm sure I have a honey bee sting or fifty in store for me, and it will probably be my fault.

I honestly believe that when (hopefully never) the city council sits to discuss the banishment of honeybees you are permitted to present some testimony in their behalf (did this guy buy the place knowing [after] the commercial yard was already established? - can present 'why didn't it bother him when he purchased?').
seriously - I wish you the best of luck - this guy sounds like he's being controlled by a paranoid fear of a relatively benign insect (never-mind vastly beneficial) and I'd like to feel confident that a group of politicians will make the most intelligent decision; I'd also like to feel confident that if you can stand on a cloud you could use a rainbow for a slide.

G3farms · « **Reply #19 on:** May 11, 2009, 12:02:21 am »

Quote from: Bee Happy on May 10, 2009, 10:57:28 pm

I'd like to feel confident that a group of politicians will make the most intelligent decision;

oh well, that kind of sums things up, I will not get political here.

G3