the DC beehive count

[Eve B]

Hello everyone,
I'm new to this group, so first off, hi! Thanks for having me. I'm a
new beekeeper and about to receive my package of bees early next week
(they're coming from Georgia, and I'm buzzzzzzing with excitement!)
Their home will be on the rooftop of the building where I work, in
upper NW.

I'm wondering about the informal count of hives in DC... read on DC
Honeybees blog yesterday that there are around 30 hives in DC. Do we
have an exact count? Do we have any idea how DC might compare to other
US cities in terms of its beekeeping?

In my life outside of novice-beekeeping, I'm a professor at AU, and
I've been working on a very brief article about "Green DC" this week.
Getting a bit of a baseline together about the state of bees in the
District would be an interesting factoid, if we don't have it yet. I
do understand the issues of the legal grey-area into which we fall...
but still, a count could be helpful. Thoughts welcome - Thanks!
Eve

[Jeff Miller]

Eve,

Thanks for joining!
The 30 count is just hives we (DC Honeybees) have helped installed this
year. The true count is unknown as beekeeping remains a clandestine hobby
thanks to the conflicting laws in the District that encourage it to be
forced underground. That said, I know DCP&R has at least 8 in their
community gardens, There are a handful on federal buildings, and there are
numerous private owners.

Curious about how your building got involved if you know...I think it is
great that there are others out there drinking the Kool-Aid!

Jeff.

DCHoneybees.com
Jeff Miller
Je...@DCHoneybees.com
Georgetown, DC
703 201 7369