Well my ad in the C-ville paper was posted today. And because of a SNAFU with C-Ville last week they published it for free this week. So far one lady has called expressing interest in having some hives on her property and maybe learning some things about beekeeping. She has about 13 acres that are secluded and is about 15 minutes from downtown Charlottesville. This would be ideal. I was worried people in Nelson County might be the only people calling.
This Sunday I plan on taking a trip out to her property and give it a full evaluation for the suitability fore establishing a hive of bees. The things you need to look for when establishing a hive colony location has been articled and written about ad nauseam but I will go over it briefly again.
- An ideal site would be secluded from a honeybee hives most unnatural predator. The teenage punk down the road who happens to see your hive of bees and decides bee-tipping might be a fun thing to do. Yes these creatures are found everywhere. In the city, hanging out at the seven eleven, riding ATV’s on your property without permission, and talking during the movie. Since it is illegal to place kill bounties on them the next best thing would be to just hide your hives from plain sight. This can be done either by using your local flora as camouflage, placing them behind bales of hay, or just having a site in the middle of nowhere.
- Topography. Ideally your hives should be up on a hill facing the south. In this way they will get the benefit of constant air-flow, the warmth from not being placed in a shallow depression where cool air settles, and a clear view of the sun. If you can have some shade for them on the northern side of the hill that is an added bonus. It will act as a wind break from the cold north winds and also provide shade during the summer time.
- Water: Try to have a water source close by. Don’t place your bees near a tidal marsh or bog but maybe within 100 yards of a stream. If a water source is not easily available to them then provide them a source of water. A Frisbee full of water with a few pieces of balsa wood floating on it will work. Or even an inverted can with holes punched into it. Be sure to change it frequently and don’t let it stagnate. Remember standing water breeds mosquitoes so if you leave your Frisbee out too long you may have to start watching out for West Nile Virus. Change the water. Also don’t make your water source something the bees will drown in which is why I suggested placing balsa wood on top. It floats and allows the bees a perch to sit on while they take a cool drink.
- Neighbors: If you have to put your hive next to your neighbor’s house make sure he or she is cool with that. The last thing you want is your neighbor blasting your hives with his Benelli Nova Pump 12 gauge in a fit of rage after being stung while mowing the lawn. The neighbor may have children that are allergic to bees. I know bees are everywhere but your neighbor may not understand that or accept your carefully drawn risk analysis chart. In this case honey is mightier than the sword. Be sure to give them a few quarts or maybe even include them on how fun it is to keep bees. Who knows maybe you can start a honey-cooperative together.
- Try to find a site that is free of livestock. Cows, llamas, and especially horses. If there is one thing that drives honey-bees batty besides Whinnie The Poo ransacking their hive it is a sweaty horse. The sweat will drive them crazy and the horse too.
Sometimes it just is not feasible to put your hives on your property. Yes, yes your idea of building a platform on your roof seems like a good idea now but your spouse may think otherwise when it collapses down the roof into your swimming pool. The easiest solution is to do what I am doing. Put an ad in the local paper. There is bound to be a farmer, vineyard owner, naturalist, adventurer, or hippie who wants some bees on their property.
If you decide to go this route make sure you can get along with your prospective land owner. It is like going out on a date. Don’ t immediately fall in love with the first caller. Over the phone she may be sweet as your grand mothers honey-bran muffins but after a few months of bees on her property and a few swollen eyes they may become disenchanted with the folksy novelty of having a hive of bees on their property. Make sure you visit at least a few sites.
Be sure to tell them all of the good things about having bees on their property. Pollination, ecological diversity, increased garden yields, free candles, honey, and comb honey. Be sure to follow up with the darker side of beekeeping. Bee stings to the land owner, their children, their live stock and pets. Remind them that bee-keeping can be just as dangerous as driving a heard of cattle up to Montana. If after that they still want bees and if you are comfortable enough, pull out a waiver and ask them to sign it. It will state that said beekeeper, you, can not be held liable for any damage caused by the bees. I know this may be hard but it will be a lot harder for you when they sue the pants off of you for the death of their hyper-allergic pet Poodle. They have to assume the risk.
That about sums it up. If I can think of a few more items I will mention it in my next post. Until then remember. “Honey, its whats for dinner.”
