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Original poster

Beehives in neighbours garden

205 replies

Hdpsbfb · 20/05/2022 06:03

Moved into a new house. I am unable to see the neighbours garden due to the layout. I discovered a few weeks after moving in they have two beehives. Already I have seen two massive swarms of bees. Thousands of them for two days. Had to close all the windows and doors. If you've never seen a swarm before it can be terrifying when it's right by your house.

The small pond has around fifty around it at any given time. Already I'm thinking having a medium sized padding pool up for the kids is going to be a no-no as I'd rather not have dozens of bees hovering about using it as a water source.

Also, the woman told my DH that they get irritated by noise and that on one occasion when their son shouted something, her husband was stung a dozen noise. Where the beehives are is metres away from a children's play area to was insitu when we moved in. Already although my child is a baby I'd be terrified of letting her play down that area where the swings are as all young children can make loud unpredictable noises from time to time. Oh she also told me that we would need to get rid of a tree as it attracts bees.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hdpsbfb · 20/05/2022 06:55

Lemons1571 · 20/05/2022 06:50

This would terrify me. Yes, bees are good for the ecosystem. But would all of you really be happy with your toddler playing in a padding pool with hundreds of bees hovering above the water around them. I mean, really? Wouldn’t the garden become unusable?

I think there’s a place for bee hives and a small suburban garden one metre from children's play equipment isn’t it.

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking this

OP posts:
Delinathe · 20/05/2022 06:56

People's honeybees kept in hives in their garden are NOT good for the environment! They edge out wild bees, and are less efficient pollinators than them. If people want to help the environment, a wild bee-friendly garden with the right plants is much better. The crisis in the bee population is not a honey bee crisis and they are not the bees we need!

theconversation.com/keeping-honeybees-doesnt-save-bees-or-the-environment-102931

Choufleurfromage · 20/05/2022 06:57

Lemons1571 · 20/05/2022 06:50

This would terrify me. Yes, bees are good for the ecosystem. But would all of you really be happy with your toddler playing in a padding pool with hundreds of bees hovering above the water around them. I mean, really? Wouldn’t the garden become unusable?

I think there’s a place for bee hives and a small suburban garden one metre from children's play equipment isn’t it.

Hundreds of bees hovering above the water?!!!!!!? 😂

Read up on how bees behave

Original poster
Hdpsbfb · 20/05/2022 07:02

Choufleurfromage · 20/05/2022 06:54

You only discovered the bees 'a few weeks after moving in', so clearly were not bothered by them until you knew they existed. Stop being melodramatic; a kids pool is hatdly likely to be their go-to drinking hole, especially if there are screaming kids playing in it.

I don't think wanting you baby and children to play without fear in the garden is melodramatic. The swings are only a few metres from the beehive. When my autistic son sees a swarm already I am worried he will be terrified.

I have had two days of not being able to use my garden already due to thousands of swarming bees right outside my house and garden. I am aware the family have more hives in a allotment type place but that wasn't enough so they decided to have another two in the small garden they have.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hdpsbfb · 20/05/2022 07:03

Delinathe · 20/05/2022 06:56

People's honeybees kept in hives in their garden are NOT good for the environment! They edge out wild bees, and are less efficient pollinators than them. If people want to help the environment, a wild bee-friendly garden with the right plants is much better. The crisis in the bee population is not a honey bee crisis and they are not the bees we need!

theconversation.com/keeping-honeybees-doesnt-save-bees-or-the-environment-102931

Thanks for that Smile

OP posts:
Cluckycluck · 20/05/2022 07:03

We had 17 beehives in our old garden at one point. The only person who was ever stung by the bees was my DH while doing inspections.

Me and DD happily enjoyed our garden and paddling pool with no bother at all from the bees.

Although swarms look and sound scary the bees in the swarm are actually very docile. They're looking for a new home and have no babies to protect so are unlikely to sting unless you chose to bother them.

Gliblet · 20/05/2022 07:04

None of our neighbours keep bees and we have dozens around our pond at any given time - ponds attract insects of all kinds. And some of our local beekeepers have put up PSAs recently saying that the weather at the moment is going to encourage bees to swarm so if you're seeing swarms at the moment. They don't just pop outside their hives to do this so the swarms you're seeing could be wild bees, could be domestic bees from some distance away, and don't necessarily have anything to do with the hives next door.

Original poster
Hdpsbfb · 20/05/2022 07:05

Choufleurfromage · 20/05/2022 06:57

Hundreds of bees hovering above the water?!!!!!!? 😂

Read up on how bees behave

Show quote history

Well that is what's happening on the very small pond, dozens that just hover above the water!

OP posts:
Zelda93 · 20/05/2022 07:05

I had a similar situation and we had a pond and it attracted hundreds of them.. I also saw them swarm and in fact they swarmed into My loft for the night and then left the next day it was terrifying as they were everywhere. I removed my pond and I haven't seen them since but also the neighbour has moved them to different part of his garden so no longer come over our way. But it was all terrifying as I had a 1yr old dd and it made out garden inaccessible as it is it very small.

Original poster
Hdpsbfb · 20/05/2022 07:06

Gliblet · 20/05/2022 07:04

None of our neighbours keep bees and we have dozens around our pond at any given time - ponds attract insects of all kinds. And some of our local beekeepers have put up PSAs recently saying that the weather at the moment is going to encourage bees to swarm so if you're seeing swarms at the moment. They don't just pop outside their hives to do this so the swarms you're seeing could be wild bees, could be domestic bees from some distance away, and don't necessarily have anything to do with the hives next door.

That's some coincidence in 41 years I've never seen a swarm of bees and a few weeks later next to two beehives, now I have.

OP posts:
IntricateRhyme · 20/05/2022 07:07

Our NDNs when I was growing up kept bees. They had several hives in their garden and were experienced beekeepers.

They only ever swarmed once into our garden and my mum rang them to let them know. The bees were never a problem to us. We had several apple trees and fruit bushes in a good sized garden and the bees just left us alone. None of us ever got stung.

MumThatsNotFair · 20/05/2022 07:07

I'd be concerned too. But the best thing is to be practical and learn about them. Talk to the neighbour to find out about bees.

For your son, maybe see if the gp can do a test to see if he's allergic. Keep an epipen in the house just in case for guests.

Then enjoy all the pollinated plants around you and the honey they will surely give you.

I'd rather have bees than all night partying neighbours!

Cluckycluck · 20/05/2022 07:10

Hdpsbfb · 20/05/2022 07:06

That's some coincidence in 41 years I've never seen a swarm of bees and a few weeks later next to two beehives, now I have.

Show quote history

If they're swarming near their hives it means they'll be leaving as they're looking for a new home. Bees don't swarm then go back to the current home they will leave untirely.

It might be worth checking if your neighbours have bait hives in their garden as that would mean they are trying to lure local swarms to come and set up home in new hives.

SkankingWombat · 20/05/2022 07:11

We have a number of bee keepers in our village, including in nearby properties. We've have no issue, although as others have said it is the time for swarming. Certain local beekeepers always share their phone number on the village Facebook page at this time of year for anyone who spots a swarm. They will happily come and collect it (quickly!) for free to start another hive with. We had a large deep paddling pool set up all of last Summer and we have a pond, but have never had an issue with either regarding the bees. As a PP said, the only thing we have to be careful of is if we've been a little lax mowing the lawn to wear shoes outside, as they love the clover flowers. This only tends to be an issue if we've been on holiday though, as it's usually cut long before that point!

JudgeRindersMinder · 20/05/2022 07:11

So these hives were there before you moved in. You didn’t know about them till a while after you moved in.

Tell me why the neighbour should change anything when you didn’t do any due diligence before you moved in

KangarooKenny · 20/05/2022 07:11

MumThatsNotFair · 20/05/2022 07:07

I'd be concerned too. But the best thing is to be practical and learn about them. Talk to the neighbour to find out about bees.

For your son, maybe see if the gp can do a test to see if he's allergic. Keep an epipen in the house just in case for guests.

Then enjoy all the pollinated plants around you and the honey they will surely give you.

I'd rather have bees than all night partying neighbours!

Epipens are prescribed. You can’t just buy them.

Clymene · 20/05/2022 07:13

You have a baby and a toddler and a pond?!

BananaShrimp · 20/05/2022 07:15

Report to the council. There is undoubtedly a policy against keeping non-pet animals in domestic back gardens.

ASimpleLampoon · 20/05/2022 07:16

My son would love this. He'd be pestering the neighbours to let him look at the hives.

Having Bess around can be a great learning opportunity for your children as well as being great for the envioronment.

Shamplade · 20/05/2022 07:16

Are you sure they are bees ‘hovering’ over the pond. Could they be hover flies?

MintyMoocow · 20/05/2022 07:17

How lovely, aren’t you lucky?
I suggest you educate yourself about bees and then plant some tomatoes and fruit trees.

HalfGerman · 20/05/2022 07:23

Grew up with bees - my mum always had a couple of hives.

Your neighbour is using her bees as an excuse to get rid of a tree (is it casting shade on her garden, perchance?) and to stop your children playing out because she doesn’t like the noise. Clever woman - but totally fibbing about the bees!

Original poster
Hdpsbfb · 20/05/2022 07:27

HalfGerman · 20/05/2022 07:23

Grew up with bees - my mum always had a couple of hives.

Your neighbour is using her bees as an excuse to get rid of a tree (is it casting shade on her garden, perchance?) and to stop your children playing out because she doesn’t like the noise. Clever woman - but totally fibbing about the bees!

Thanks for the heads up on that. She claimed it was the type of tree that attracts them. I don't believe it's due to light issues.

So if a young child shrieks 2-3 metres from a beehive they will not come from the beehive out of fear? The woman claimed that her husband was stung a dozen times when her son once shouted across the garden. Confused

OP posts:
elizabethdraper · 20/05/2022 07:30

Never seen a bee in our paddling pool, hundreds or flies and wasps, but no bees.

We have a very bee friendly garden, something we could have a hundred bees buzzing around. The whole garden sounds like it is buzzing

I love it reminds me of grandparents garden and hot sunny days of my youth

Newfluff · 20/05/2022 07:31

Very interesting to read from the pp that honey bees at best do nothing, at worse are detrimental to the bee crisis. Having honeybees 'is like farming chickens to save will birds'