[beesontoast]

I read that the best time to check the hive , (which apparently has to be done  a few times a week eps at 1st to check for queen cells) is on a fine evening, this is the time when most gardeners are at work on the allotment so there maybe a risk there.

Hives never need to be checked more than once per week, even in swarming season, and the best time to do it is when most of the flying bees are out foraging, which would be midday-mid afternoon on a warm, sunny day.

[SMD66]

sorry, just something I read in a beekeeper thing but maybe it was a bit out of date.  Still, best to check with the allotment holders.

[richyrich7]

sorry, just something I read in a beekeeper thing but maybe it was a bit out of date.  Still, best to check with the allotment holders.

No need to apologise SMD66 this is a forum where ideas can openly discussed 

And not a bad idea to ask about good manners if nothing else 

[beesontoast]

sorry, just something I read in a beekeeper thing but maybe it was a bit out of date.  Still, best to check with the allotment holders.

It is important that beekeeping on allotments should be based on education and agreement. There are many misconceptions about bees, and I am constantly surprised how many people - even experienced gardeners - cannot tell a bumblebee from a honeybee or even a wasp. Just the other day I was called out to collect a 'swarm' that turned out to be a couple of dozen bumblebees - and by a woman who had been gardening for 30 years and who had previously provided space on her land for a beekeeper to keep hives!

[Yorkie]

Why should experienced gardeners automatically know the difference between a honeybee and and a bumble bee?

I saw bees in a hive on my allotment site for the first time today.  They arrived only yesterday.  They are almost black and quite frankly look more like hornets than anything else.

[Ice]

We don't seem to be getting a lot of response on the original purpose of the thread.  Not many people have experience of keeping bees on allotments, which is what the thread is all about.  Might it be because allotments are inappropriate places to keep bees?

Don't know the answer as I don't have an allotment but they are places where plots are in close proximity to each other.  If my neighbour got a beehive I would be really worried about it.

All our local beehives are in large fields well away from habitation.

[Kate and her Ducks]

My mum keeps her bees on the grounds of a hospice. They are not directly close (about 30m away) to where people walk or work but there was a lot of anxiety when she first requested permission to keep them there. She had a lot of help from the local beekeeping association with regards to information and education to reassure the hospice management. All the people she works there with were really supportive and facinated to hear and see this little thriving example of the cycle of life which seems to be particularly poignient for those reaching the end of theirs.

A year down the line management are bragging about their holistic organisation that is trying to combat the loss of the British Honey Bee!

[Ice]

30m away is great, but on an allotment they could be on the plot next door.   Literally feet away.

[peapod]

What have you advised so far Bees? My site is setting up a bee keeping practise, and we have about 15%/20% of interested parties about keeping bees.  Do you recommend a course? Could that be written into the lotty contract? I personally have no problems with bees on a lotty site, but it would be interesting to know what results your research had garnered, and therefore can give informed advice.

I know several beekeepers, one of which of which is Offshoots (Towneley Hall I can give you a link if you need one) and would like to compare both opinions, and if there are any differences

[Aunt Sally]

30m away is great, but on an allotment they could be on the plot next door.   Literally feet away.

That's why my friend keeps his hives on farm land Ice - fruit farms mainly.  There's just not enough space to build a fence around them on the lottie to make them fly high (he says).  He moves them to new locations when the pickers come in though.

[richyrich7]

I think personally their would have to be a clause in your contract to say that you can only site hives central to the plot, we have similar clauses about sheds, tree's etc. only common sense I know, but a lot of people seem to lack it  

[Ice]

But what if your allotment was in the centre of the plot Richie?   Sheds and trees don't fly around and sting, sometimes fatally.

[Roughlee Handled]

Firstly if anyone is thinking of keeping bees join your local group.  
My local group have beginners classes for £35.  I can not rember what it is to join but you are covered by insurance.  My local group meets once a month and this month (today the 28th of June 2009) we had a talk and a practical demo by out local Bee inspector.

There are several varieties of bees.
Italian


and British Black


the Italian are yellow and as the name suggests the British are .....








I do not have bees but they are going to be arriving very very soon.

30m away is great, but on an allotment they could be on the plot next door.   Literally feet away.

****Edit*** I mucked up Ice's quote.
I meant to say.....
The guys on my course (bee) that had bees on (or getting them) on an allotment, had to build a six foot fence a round there bee hive.  This is because once a bee takes off it will fly horizontally -ish till it meets a object. At six feet up they is not going to a problem for you.  Today at bee club one other person was stung apart from me and it was because the club was demoing a shook swarm and other things.  This is not normal. Plus we where very close and it took 49 mins into the demo before the first person got stung and I was less that 8 inches from the bee hive entrance trying to get a good shot of the bees. (big style pushing my luck.) 
But this was the picture I got. It shows the British black and the Italian bee.

We as humans (well all animals have this instinct) are programmed to be afraid of bees. It is natural. But they do not want to hurt anyone.

[Ice]

Our OP knows all about keeping bees.   The question was about keeping them on allotments.

[richyrich7]

But what if your allotment was in the centre of the plot Richie?   Sheds and trees don't fly around and sting, sometimes fatally.

They do in very high winds    


But it goes back to having good manners and asking about, we live in a high risk society. I expect I have a higher chance of getting knocked off & killed on my bike on the way to work tomorrow morning than of being stung by a bee.
 We can't expect bees just to live out in the country, without bees I don't think the planet would survive long. Without us humans it'll last a lot longer than with us.