Bees in the garage

[Paul Olson]

Hi all. 

I am thinking of returning to the bee keeping hobby but am constrained by room for a hive. 

I’m living in a condo now. I want the bees by me not on someone’s farm. Is it possible to keep the bees in a garage with a passage way out? What are the pluses and minuses of keeping the bees this way. I have a nice patio between the condo and garage but no room out there for the hive. I would love your opinions.

Paul

[Scott Johnson]

Hi Paul,

I put mine in a shed: https://lowtechinstitute.org/2018/05/22/introducing-den-bienenstall/ You could do the same in a garage. I have a screen to split my shed in half and you could do the same to help contain any bees that get free. Make sure to have an escape hatch in the wall as well.

I really like it. I'd check your condo association regulations really carefully.

Good luck!

Scott

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Scott Johnson Ph.D.

Director
Low Technology Institute

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[H. Adam Steinberg]

I lived in a condo for 11 years. I highly doubt they are going to let you have bees in the condo or garage. It’s just not their mindset. However, what they might let you do is have them on the property. Get on the agenda for the next board meeting, outline the plight of bees and how everyone can help, from plantings to actually having a local hive. Talk about how honey production is higher in the city than it is in rural areas, how pesticides are hurting bees. Make the case that bees do better in the city. Then mention that you are knowledgeable on caring for bees. Depending on how the conversations goes… lead them to plantings, if you have green space, lead them to letting you keep a hive in the condo green space. Talk about producing local honey for the occupants of the building. And then, one of the best locations for bees in the city is on the flat roof of a condo. Nice and warm, and no interactions with the residents. And if all that fails, chat up people in your neighborhood who own their property, I’m sure you can find a willing neighbor to host the hive if you share the honey.

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[Scott Johnson]

Or a community garden or school. Lots of places near you would be open to bees.

Legal disclaimer: Any person(s) who use the bees-in-a-shed idea to evade local ordinances do so at their own risk (but please send me pics ;-) ).

Scott

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Scott Johnson Ph.D.

Director
Low Technology Institute

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[Tim Aure]

You might try an observation hive in the second Floor but I agree... seems improbable 🤨 

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On May 5, 2021, at 8:40 AM, Scott Johnson <sajjo...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Paul Zelenski]

Yeah, the entrance location is going to be more important than the actual location of the hive. Whether it is possible or not, I suspect that a condo won’t be real accommodating. I would think the roof would be the best bet.

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