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Author Topic: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?  (Read 12875 times)

Offline Bee Curious

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Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« on: August 18, 2013, 04:53:24 pm »
My city is trying to ban backyard beekeeping and is suggesting a community bee yard.  The only trouble is they will not put it on any land in the city, because all the property is too near schools and parks (I know, I'm rolling my eyes too.)  That only leaves the local sewage treatment plant  :lau:

My question is: Would there be any disadvantage to housing bees in an area that reeks a good deal of the time?  Would it affect the bees?  Would it affect the honey?  

Thanks for any insight.  

« Last Edit: August 18, 2013, 07:22:04 pm by Bee Curious »

Offline alfred

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2013, 07:35:28 pm »
I don't see anything in the Skokie, IL City Code that says that you can't keep bees in the City. On what basis is the "city" banning Beekeeping? Who in the city is truing to ban it? I say keep your bees as you like and make them show you the law that says that you can't.

Alfred

Offline millipede

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2013, 07:45:28 pm »
Unfortunately strong smells tend to drive bees off. You may end up with a lot of hives absconding.

Offline Bee Curious

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2013, 08:07:31 pm »
I don't see anything in the Skokie, IL City Code that says that you can't keep bees in the City. On what basis is the "city" banning Beekeeping? Who in the city is truing to ban it? I say keep your bees as you like and make them show you the law that says that you can't.

Alfred

Tomorrow the Board of Trustees is voting on a revised ordinance saying:

Under Prohibited Species (in the Animal Ordinances):
"No person shall keep, harbor or maintain any species which may endanger the safety of persons or property.  This includes species, other than commonly recognized domestic pets, which may harm or injure humans by injection of toxins, by stinging, by constriction or suffocation,  or by vicious biting or mauling, it is no defense to of this subsection that the keeper of such species prohibited herin has attempted to domesticate such species.  This subsection does not apply to species displayed or harbored under the auspices of a government agency. "

Pretty unbelievable, in this day and age, isn't it?


Offline Bee Curious

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2013, 08:09:15 pm »
Unfortunately strong smells tend to drive bees off. You may end up with a lot of hives absconding.

That's what I was thinking might be the case.  I'd love to have a few more people confirm this, so I can use it when we speak before the Board of Trustees tomorrow.

Offline sc-bee

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2013, 08:34:46 pm »
I honestly do not think the smell from a typical city sewage plant would cause bees to abscond.

And they already have a name for the honey --- "Honey Dew"  :-D
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Offline RudyT

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2013, 09:54:45 pm »
This is just sad and ignorant of them.  While beekeepers are collecting swarms and selecting for gentleness, I would think that they make the community safer from stinging bees.

Offline sc-bee

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2013, 10:01:00 pm »
This is just sad and ignorant of them.  While beekeepers are collecting swarms and selecting for gentleness, I would think that they make the community safer from stinging bees.

Folks are scared of stinging inscets... of course not in Il. but add the threat of AHB where it is present and......................
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Offline millipede

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2013, 11:28:54 pm »
It has been noted in several studies that keeping bees rarely affects the total amount of bees active in a given area. Simply put, there are too may feral colonies out there as well as bees flying in from up to five miles away to get at the nectar and pollen.
While the number of bees in the immediate area might be greater, it dilutes very quickly outside of the bee hive. Providing a fence or hedge for them to fly over keeps them above head level until they actually start collecting or scouting.
I just don't understand it. It has been proven over and over again that having bees in an area improves the local gardens and rarely causes an increase in insect stings.

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2013, 12:06:27 am »
Gather your info and speak against the proposed ordinance.
1. The USDA classified honey bees as plants due to the close symbiotic relationship between them and as such are not subject to animal ordinances.
2. Fruit and vegetable crops from individual orchards and gardens of city residents will decrease if bees are removed from the city limits.
3. Fears of bee sting come from fear of wasps and hornets which have not been domesticated and most people confuse with honey bees.
4. Passing such an ordinance without investigating the issue demonstrates the ignorance and prejudice of the city officials (No politician likes to be called ignorant or prejudice).
5. You will openly and aggressively campaign against any councilmember to votes for such an ordinance if they take action upon said ordinance without performing the due diligence of researching the ordinances of surrounding communities that beekeeping within city limits.
6. Propose an alternative ordinance that would restrict bee hives to 2 hives on city lots of less than 100x100 feet graduating upward on lot size to 4 hives for a lot 150x150 feet, 4 hives for a lot of 200x200 feet, 6 hives per acre lot, and 10 hives for lots larger than one acre.  That is a fairly standard language in ordinances restricting beekeeping.  Also found is language restricting placement of hives or mitigation so that pedestrians would not be accosted by flying bees.   
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Offline RHBee

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2013, 07:19:01 am »
It has been noted in several studies that keeping bees rarely affects the total amount of bees active in a given area.
I just don't understand it. It has been proven over and over again that having bees in an area improves the local gardens and rarely causes an increase in insect stings.

Would you mind posting a link to the study saying that keeping bees doesn't affect the local bee population. My neighborhood has noted a dramatic increase in honeybee activity. Most if not all of the feral bee colonies around here have been wiped out by Varroa and SHB.
Later,
Ray

Offline millipede

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2013, 09:38:24 am »
I will see if I can find it. Most feral bee colonies usually make it through the first year and swarm at least once. And even if there are not very many I your area, if there is a commercial keeper in your county, he will lose swarms as well.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2013, 11:16:50 am »
"No person shall keep, harbor or maintain any species which may endanger the safety of persons or property. "... that would include dogs and cats both of which can bite people...

Bees have been kept as domestic animals for millennia as have dogs and cats...
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Offline MsCarol

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2013, 11:24:33 am »
"No person shall keep, harbor or maintain any species which may endanger the safety of persons or property. "... that would include dogs and cats both of which can bite people...

Bees have been kept as domestic animals for millennia as have dogs and cats...


Teenagers?????  :-D

Offline Bee Curious

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #14 on: August 19, 2013, 12:14:18 pm »
Gather your info and speak against the proposed ordinance.
1. The USDA classified honey bees as plants due to the close symbiotic relationship between them and as such are not subject to animal ordinances.
 

All great points, Brian.  Could you give me somewhere to find info on this first point? 


Offline millipede

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #15 on: August 19, 2013, 12:48:28 pm »
I can't seem to fins the article for my above statement though I did recall something about it. I am pretty sure it said the number of stinging insects not bees. Sorry for the misinformation. I will keep searching though.

Offline Bee Curious

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2013, 02:24:51 pm »
Back to the subject of bad smells and beehives--does anyone have any experience with this?

Offline danno

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #17 on: August 19, 2013, 04:45:02 pm »
I keep at least a doz colonies next to my hog barn.  Cant imagine a municipal sewage plant would smell worse.  The bee's actually love the muddy water in the wallow.

Offline Bee Curious

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #18 on: August 19, 2013, 06:20:22 pm »
I keep at least a doz colonies next to my hog barn.  Cant imagine a municipal sewage plant would smell worse.  The bee's actually love the muddy water in the wallow.

Now that's exactly what I wanted to know.

No problem with the honey?

Offline MsCarol

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Re: Keep bees near sewage treatment plant?
« Reply #19 on: August 19, 2013, 06:25:41 pm »
I am curious about the odor/honey connection as well.

Observation is the bees do like manure piles as well as the damp areas around salt blocks/licks. Has made me wonder if they too need more extra minerals/salts then we think they do. Maybe don't get enough in pollen/nectar alone.