discussion is the opportune time to
educate them on the nature of honey
bees. And while you’re having this chat,
you need to find out if any of your
neighbors do have a serious reaction to
bee stings, as a potential anaphylactic
reaction is not worth the risk no matter
how appealing honey bees may seem.
A hive in the backyard can go
completely unnoticed (and some
people do keep bees for years
without their neighbor’s knowledge)
if it is properly screened with a fence
behind it and plenty of nectar sources
and water available, but not always.
Depending on the personality of the
hive, it can be obvious there are a
bunch of new neighbors on the block.
One of the first telltale signs in the
spring is when the honey bees are
awake and searching for a water
source. This might be your neighbor’s
hot tub, pet bowls, or damp laundry
hanging on the line. Having to shake
thirsty workers from the clothes
doesn’t win friends. If you have a
water source on your own property,
whether a bird bath, pond, or bowls set
out, at least some of them won’t take
advantage of other water options.
And the reality is, honey bees do sting
and it hurts like the dickens. Sometimes
aggressive behavior is simply the
personality of the hive. Typically, honey
bees are completely docile and go
about their work with little bother to
anyone else. Ninety-nine percent of
the time, the only chance you might be
stung is if you accidently squish one
while working on the garden. But there
are bad characters in the bee world
who seem to have little chips on their
wings. These are the ones that bounce
off of your head in a warning if you
seemingly look at the hive.
6