That'll give you...er...bees

[multipurposegoddess]

So, while I was still just worried that Henry wasn't answering his phone, I found a swarm of bees in the tree in my front yard. From what I've learned since then, it must have been there for a few days at least - I found it because an empty honeycomb had fallen onto my lawn.

I decided to try to keep it. Partially just the synchronicity of it all, when I found them. Partially just, you know, yay bees. They're disappearing all over the place and here some show up in my yard, I'd like to try to take care of them as best I can.  And partially because Henry had a real fascination for emergent phenomena and bees have that in spades - individuals with a limited number of instinctive actions that as a collective can carry out crazy complex things. Also, honey is good.

Of course, I couldn't do much about that right away. My mom and sister went up to Sacramento and found a beekeeping supply house that set me up with a beginning beekeeping kit including a hive and frames and whatnot. We got it all set up with a feeder full of sugar water hoping the swarm would just move in, but that didn't happen. I finally called a swarm removing volunteer from a local list and told him I didn't want them removed but I did want help getting them into the hive and he is on his way.

Sweet.

Drat, someone just called from the city and said that looking at my property it doesn't seem as if I can place a hive so it will comply with the ordinance (50 ft from everyone else, basically). I had assumed that putting it in the middle of my backyard would work. Oh well, still going to try and capture it and then we'll see what we shall see. Kinda wish I hadn't bothered to ask for a permit, but I do like to be legal. If I can't comply, maybe I can apply for a variance, or maybe I will have outlaw bees.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Outlaw bees...I LOVE it!!

-Alex

[daisycat421.livejournal.com]

I have a friend in Denver who has 3 "outlaw" bee colonies - he loves them. They're partially hidden on his property, but he lives in fear that neighbors will find out.

[minim_calibre]

Bees! I like the idea of you having sneaky outlaw bees.

[fiorituranotte.livejournal.com]

I would definitely apply for a variance. Find out what the requirements are for the variance, and how liberal your local zoning board is wrt to these types of things. Also find out if you can if anyone else in your area keeps bees, which may help your case. Figure out where you would place the bee hive and just how much of a variance you would require (i.e. how many feet under the 50 ft required). Your neighbors will be notified if you apply for a variance, so if you can get them on your side ahead of time, that would be extremely helpful. This is all advice from TCG, who works in zoning. Also, have an answer for the question, how will you mitigate the risk of the bees invading your neighbors' yards.

[trudybooth.livejournal.com]

RENEGADE BEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[sail-aweigh.livejournal.com]

While I'm all up in the thought of renegade bees, I think sj has some great advice. I just think that owning bees would be awesome. Make it so!

[(Anonymous)]

Bees are so cool. Go variance! Yeah variance!!!!!

[libkitty.livejournal.com]

oops. that was me!

[zenkitty-714.livejournal.com]

Outlaw bees! They don't need no stinkin' variance!

[windsparrow.livejournal.com]

The A-Team remake too... full of Liam Neeson for your sanity? Try the Bee Team, now appearing in Tamara's back yard.