Urban Beekeeping
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Urban beekeeping is the practice of keeping
bee colonies A beehive is an enclosed structure which houses honey bees, subgenus '' Apis.'' Honey bees live in the beehive, raising their young and producing honey as part of their seasonal cycle. Though the word ''beehive'' is used to describe the nest of ...
(hives) in towns and cities. It is also referred to as hobby beekeeping or backyard beekeeping. Bees from city apiaries are said to be "healthier and more productive than their country cousins". As
pollinators A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains. Insects are the ma ...
, bees also provide environmental and economic benefits to cities. They are essential in the growth of crops and flowers. This action helps to fertilize plants through the transfer of
pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by most types of flowers of seed plants for the purpose of sexual reproduction. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced Gametophyte#Heterospory, microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm ...
. This not only supports urban agriculture and green spaces but also enhances the overall
biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
of city environments. Urban beekeeping can lead to higher yields in community gardens and boost the health of local flora. Additionally, bees in urban settings often have access to a wide variety of plants and flowers, which helps produce unique, high-quality honey. While urban beekeeping requires careful management to address challenges like limited space and ensuring the bees do not become a nuisance, it has become an important part of urban sustainability efforts and a popular hobby that connects city dwellers with nature.


History

Most cities in North America once prohibited the keeping of bees, but in recent years, beekeepers have succeeded in overturning these bans. Many urban areas now attempt to regulate the activity; while registering
beehives A beehive is an enclosed structure which houses honey bees, subgenus '' Apis.'' Honey bees live in the beehive, raising their young and producing honey as part of their seasonal cycle. Though the word ''beehive'' is used to describe the nest of ...
is often mandatory, a high proportion of urban beekeepers do not inform the city. The popularity of urban beekeeping was growing rapidly perhaps due to its inclusion in the
local food movement Local food is food that is produced within a short distance of where it is consumed, often accompanied by a social structure and supply chain different from the large-scale supermarket system. Local food (or locavore) movements aim to conne ...
. Between 1999 and 2012, London saw a 220% increase in beekeepers.This statement is supported by multiple sources: *For 1,000 London beekeepers in 1999, see *For 3,200 London beekeepers in 2012, see


Challenges and concerns

A Threat to Biodiversity:due to the increase in artificial beehives in London notably,There's mounting evidence that honey bees are greatly outnumbering wild pollinators. The actions of private companies adding more hives are upsetting the preventive actions of pollinator conservation groups. See research by London Bee Keeping assosciation ( LBKA), Professor Phil Stevenson and Dave Goulson, in his book "Gardening for Bumblebees" (2021).
Swarming Swarm behaviour, or swarming, is a collective animal behaviour, collective behaviour exhibited by entities, particularly animals, of similar size which aggregate together, perhaps milling about the same spot or perhaps moving ''en masse'' or a ...
is a common occurrence in beekeeping. While harmless, the sight of a swarming colony in urban areas can make people fearful. Limited resources are another concern for urban beekeeping. As cities have limited greenspaces, the increasing popularity of the hobby may lead to lower honey yields as has been reported in London and New York City. According to a 2015 research study, urban environments have also been shown to favor viability and transmission of some disease agents that affect
honey bees A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to mainland Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the ...
.


Benefits

Using managed honeybee colonies to fill the
ecological niche In ecology, a niche is the match of a species to a specific environmental condition. Three variants of ecological niche are described by It describes how an organism or population responds to the distribution of Resource (biology), resources an ...
of pollinators in urban environments is thought to be crucial to preventing the formation of feral colonies by more destructive species like the
Africanized honeybee The Africanized bee, also known as the Africanized honey bee (AHB) and colloquially as the "killer bee", is a hybrid of the western honey bee (''Apis mellifera''), produced originally by crossbreeding of the East African lowland honey bee (''A ...
(AHB). Managed urban honeybee colonies can also provide pollination for urban green spaces, and allows apiarists to collect critical information about the ecological conditions of an urban environment based on the condition of the bee colony. Due to the urbanized setting, harvesting from hives is more convenient for beekeepers. The collected honey from the harvest can later be sold to the community, aiding the market.


Urban beekeeping cities

Some cities have active beekeeping communities, while others offer plentiful parks and gardens but have few apiaries.


North America


Detroit

Detroit is home to a flourishing population of native bees and variety of greenspaces. The city has several urban farms (not all of which maintain hives), including the
Michigan Urban Farming Initiative The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI, ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Detroit, Michigan, dedicated to urban agriculture and social justice. MUFI is based in the North End district of central Detroit, where it operates a large m ...
. the Hantz Farm, D-Town Farm, and Earthworks Urban Farms. In 2017, the Detroit Hives nonprofit was founded with the mission to improve communities for people and pollinators, especially for underserved populations, by transforming vacant lots into urban bee farms. Detroit Hives is the first to create an educational apiary in the City of Detroit. In 2019, Detroit Hives founded National Urban Beekeeping Day, celebrated annually on July 19 as a day of education and awareness to support urban beekeepers and the ethical treatment of pollinators living within the urban landscape.


Chicago

In 2003,
Richard M. Daley Richard Michael Daley (born April 24, 1942) is an American politician who served as the 54th mayor of Chicago, Illinois, from 1989 to 2011. Daley was elected mayor in 1989 and was reelected five times until declining to run for a seventh ter ...
, then
Mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the Chief executive officer, chief executive of city Government of Chicago, government in Chicago, Illinois, the List of United States cities by population, third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsib ...
, had two beehives placed atop City Hall. Michael S. Thompson was put in charge of their care. Subsequently, the bee population in the city has grown. In 2013, a ban on beekeeping was defeated in the suburb of Skokie. The town may regulate backyard beekeeping in the future.


Milwaukee

In 2010, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed a beekeeping ordinance allowing individuals to practice beekeeping in the urban center of the city. Urban beekeepers take part in Milwaukee's Community Pollinator Initiative.


Montreal

Montreal's beehives are regulated by the governmental agency MAPQ. This agency enforces a set of regulations surrounding the installation of a beehive in order to protect the health of colonies, but these rules are rarely restrictive enough to deter committed hobbyists. Since 2014, the
Westmount Public Library Westmount Public Library (French: ''Bibliothèque publique de Westmount'') (WPL) is located at 4574 Sherbrooke Street West, Westmount, Quebec, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, in the northwest corner of Westmount Park. Designed by Robert Findlay (archit ...
has had a public honeybee hive on its roof featuring live inspections every two weeks during the summer months for the general public. As part of their 135th anniversary,
Birks Group Birks Group Inc. (formerly Birks & Mayors Inc.) is a designer, manufacturer, and retailer of jewellery, timepieces, silverware and gifts, with stores and manufacturing facilities located in Canada and the United States. The Group was created in N ...
installed three honeybee hives on the roof of their downtown headquarters. In the summer of 2014, the Accueil Bonneau homeless facility launched a pilot project introducing their itinerant community to the art of beekeeping as a means of re-engaging them in a fulfilling and meaningful hobby. Most of the public beekeeping initiatives stem from companies offering beekeeping services that make it more accessible to urban dwellers, such as Alveole, Apiguru, or Miel Montreal. The movement towards generating local produce is part of the reason beekeeping is becoming increasingly popular in this metropolitan city.


New York

Until 2010, beekeeping was illegal in New York City, but this had little effect on the many New Yorkers who built and maintained hives. Prior to being recognized by the city, urban beekeeping had become an established hobby, and a support network of organizations, blogs, and supply stores were already in place. When the ban was lifted, only the non-aggressive ''Apis Mellifera'' species was allowed to be kept. While registering beehives is required, as of 2012 only half of the 400 bee colonies thought to be situated on New York rooftops had been reported to the city. In New York, there are beehives at InterContinental The Barclay Hotel, the
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel The Waldorf Astoria New York is a luxury hotel and condominium residence in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York. The structure, at 301 Park Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets, is a 47-story, Art Deco landmark des ...
, the
York Prep School York Preparatory School, commonly referred to as York Prep School, is an independent, university-preparatory school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City, near Lincoln Square. The coeducational school provides instruction to approx ...
, the
Brooklyn Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York (state), New York, U.S. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a se ...
, the
Bank of America Tower (New York City) The Bank of America Tower, also known as 1 Bryant Park, is a 55-story skyscraper in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. It is located at 1111 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue) between 42nd and 43rd Streets, ...
and the
Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story, Art Deco-style supertall skyscraper in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its n ...
.


Toronto

Hives have been kept discreetly in
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
for many years. Several beekeepers kept around fifty hives each along the
Don River The Don () is the fifth-longest river in Europe. Flowing from Central Russia to the Sea of Azov in Southern Russia, it is one of Russia's largest rivers and played an important role for traders from the Byzantine Empire. Its basin is betwee ...
in the beginning of the 20th century. There was also a beekeeping co-op near the
Don Valley Brick Works The Don Valley Brick Works (often referred to as the Evergreen Brick Works) is a former quarry and industrial site located in the Don River Valley in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Don Valley Brick Works operated for nearly 100 years and provide ...
into the late 1950s. Mayor William Dennison kept nineteen colonies in his
Jarvis Street Jarvis Street is a north-south thoroughfare in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, passing through some of the oldest developed areas in the city. Its alignment extends from Queens Quay East in the south to Bloor Street in the north. The segment ...
backyard during the 1970s. During this time, beekeeping equipment could be bought in the downtown
Little Italy Little Italy is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an Urban area, urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian cul ...
and Little Portugal neighbourhoods As of 2015, Toronto does not have any bylaws governing beekeeping, so the Ontario Bees Act applies. The Act does not address urban beekeeping but contains a set back requirement for property lines, and a set back requirement for highways. However, the rule has gone largely unenforced as few urban lots are spacious enough to meet requirements concerning proximity to property lines, dwellings, and highways. In 2011, there were 107 registered hives in Toronto. Some of the many Toronto landmarks that host honey bee hives include: the
Fort York Fort York is an early 19th-century military fortification in the Fort York neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The fort housed members of the British and Canadian militaries and defended the entrance to Toronto Harbour. The fort featu ...
historic site, the
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts is a 2,071-seat theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located at the southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street West, across from Osgoode Hall. The land on which it is located was a gift ...
rooftop, the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...
, the Amsterdam Brewing Company rooftop, and the
Fairmont Royal York The Fairmont Royal York, formerly and still commonly known as the Royal York, is a large historic luxury hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West, the hotel is situated at the southern end of the ...
hotel.


Vancouver

Often regarded as a green and sustainable city, the
City of Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The Met ...
has recognized hobby beekeeping in residential areas by issuing guidelines and requiring hives to be registered. Bees are kept at
Vancouver Convention Centre The Vancouver Convention Centre (formerly known as the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre, or VCEC) is a convention centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; it is one of Canada's largest convention centres. With the opening of the n ...
and
Vancouver City Hall Vancouver City Hall is home to Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Located at 453 West 12th Avenue, the building was ordered by the Vancouver Civic Building Committee, designed by architect Fred Townley and Matheson, and ...
.


Los Angeles

Los Angeles has a long history of beekeeping. The first two honey bee colonies arrived in California by way of the
Isthmus of Panama The Isthmus of Panama, historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North America, North and South America. The country of Panama is located on the i ...
, in 1853. Imported by Christopher H. Shelton, they were the only survivors of the long trip from New York to San Francisco. Bees were purchased on the docks of San Francisco for $150 then brought south to Los Angeles. The bees arrived in Los Angeles on September 4, 1854. In April 1855, the colonies cast out two swarms which were sold for another $150. At this time, the honey generated by the bees was sold for $1.50 per pound. Italian bees ("
Apis mellifera ligustica Apis or APIS may refer to: *Apis (deity), an ancient Egyptian god *Apis (Greek mythology), several different figures in Greek mythology *Apis (city), an ancient seaport town on the northern coast of Africa * ''Apis'' (genus), the genus of the hone ...
"), considered superior to the German variety ("
Apis mellifera mellifera The ''Apis mellifera mellifera'' ( commonly known as the European dark bee) is a subspecies of the western honey bee, evolving in central Asia, with a proposed origin of the Tien Shan Mountains and later migrating into eastern and then northern E ...
"), were introduced in January 1855. By the 1860s, beekeeping was common in Los Angeles with some individuals owning 25 hives. Wild honey was collected in significant quantities throughout the foothills. The honey was sent to San Francisco for sale. A large colony was found in the
San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the Municipal corpo ...
, some estimate it contained 8 to 10 tons of honey:
The hive is located in a rift which penetrates the rock to a depth of approximately 160 feet. The orifice is 30 feet long and 17 feet wide with four passages. This rift was discovered to be the nesting place of a swarm of bees that was seen to come out in a nearly solid column, one foot in diameter. Certain parties have endeavored to descend to the immense store of honey collected by the bees, but were invariably driven back, and one man lost his life in the effort.
In 1873, the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association was founded. In 1879, Los Angeles lawmakers banned beekeeping within city limits based on the false belief that honey bees damaged the citrus crop (one of the largest industries in the Los Angeles area). By 1917, there were calls to repeal the "ancient ordinance"; many were illegally keeping hives anyway, but lawmakers did not act. It was not until 2015 that the 136 year old ordinance was repealed by the city council.


Kansas City (Kansas)

Kansas City and its surrounding suburban areas are home to a number of urban apiaries and backyard beekeepers. While many cities and towns have specific ordinances regarding the practice of keeping bees, the
Wyandotte County Wyandotte County () is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Kansas City, with which it shares a unified government. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,245, making it Kansas's fourth-m ...
(Kansas City, Kansas) municipal code makes no mention of honey bees, beekeeping, bee hives, or any related terminology. Hobbyists often learn best from one another's experiences in the field, and Kansas City has a robust community of urban beekeepers who communicate, educate, and gather with one another throughout the year. The Northeastern Kansas Beekeeping Association is one such organization whose territory includes Kansas City, Kansas. Johnson County, which is considered a part of the Kansas City metro area, is home to a growing number of suburban cities allowing their residents to keep bees within city limits.


Europe


London

Beekeeping in London has become increasingly popular. The number of beekeepers rose 220% between 1999 and 2012 with other figures showing a 200% increase between 2008 and 2013. As of 2012, an estimated 3,200 apiaries exist in London. The density of hives in London is much greater than in other areas of the UK, and this has led to concerns that city green spaces may not provide sufficient forage to sustain growing bee populations. The UK government has aided the rise of beekeeping in cities by releasing a plastic beehive purpose-built for urban beekeeping. Called Beehaus, it is supported by quango
Natural England Natural England is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, ...
. Organizations supporting urban beekeeping in London include The London Beekeeper's Association, which holds monthly meetings, provides mentoring to new beekeepers, and lends out beekeeping supplies. Bees are kept at significant locations such as the department store
Fortnum & Mason Fortnum & Mason plc (colloquially often shortened to just Fortnum's) is an Luxury goods, upmarket department store in London, England. The main store is located at 181 Piccadilly in the St James's area of London, where it was established in 1707 ...
,
Lambeth Palace Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is situated in north Lambeth, London, on the south bank of the River Thames, south-east of the Palace of Westminster, which houses Parliament of the United King ...
,
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
, the
London Stock Exchange The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange based in London, England. the total market value of all companies trading on the LSE stood at US$3.42 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Paul's Cath ...
, the
Natural History Museum A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history scientific collection, collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, Fungus, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleo ...
, the
Tate Modern Tate Modern is an art gallery in London, housing the United Kingdom's national collection of international Modern art, modern and contemporary art (created from or after 1900). It forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Live ...
, and at the Royal Lancaster Hotel. Hives once stood atop the
Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the Kingdom of England, English Government's banker and debt manager, and still one ...
.


Istanbul

Urban beekeeping is a growing hobby and industry in
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
. Beehives can be found from city parks to high rise building terraces. Beekeeping in the city, especially in its outer districts, is supported by the municipal government, İBB. Hotels like
The Ritz-Carlton The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC is an American multinational company that operates the luxury hotel chain known as The Ritz-Carlton. The company has 108 luxury hotels and resorts in 30 countries and territories with 29,158 rooms, in addit ...
in Istanbul also reportedly have urban beehives for their restaurant's honey needs. Urban beekeeping has been described as difficult hobby in İstanbul, which has fewer green spaces compared to other cities in Turkey. Unregistered beehives can be spotted in some parks in downtown districts of İstanbul. Hasan Efe from the Apiculture Research Institute stated that beekeeping in İstanbul's city center could harm the insects’ physiology, adding that gas from vehicles and environmental conditions can contaminate urban honey with
heavy metals upright=1.2, Crystals of lead.html" ;"title="osmium, a heavy metal nearly twice as dense as lead">osmium, a heavy metal nearly twice as dense as lead Heavy metals is a controversial and ambiguous term for metallic elements with relatively h ...
. These claims were challenged by some research centers that did not find significantly elevated levels of heavy metals in urban honey samples. Local and international conferences and seminars about urban beekeeping are being held in the city. İstanbul has also hosted the 45th edition of
Apimondia Apimondia or International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations promotes scientific, ecological, social and economic apicultural development in all countries and the cooperation of beekeepers` associations, scientific bodies and of individuals ...
, the International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations, in 2017 and again in 2022.


Africa


Johannesburg

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
has over six million trees. This environment is ideal for urban beekeepers, who often have higher honey yields per hive than other
Highveld The Highveld (Afrikaans: ''Hoëveld,'' , ) is the portion of the South African inland plateau which has an altitude above roughly , but below , thus excluding the Lesotho mountain regions to the south-east of the Highveld. It is home to some of t ...
beekeepers. In South Africa, anyone who handles bees must be registered as a beekeeper with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.


Asia


Seoul

Beekeeping in Seoul began to gain widespread recognition in 2012 with the installation of five beehives on the rooftop of Seoul City Hall. Despite initial challenges such as public fear of swarming bees and concerns over urban honey safety, the practice has expanded steadily due to a shared belief in its benefits for urban ecosystem conservation. Beehives are maintained at many sites such as Seoul National University, Porsche Korea, Hilton Seoul Pangyo, the National Assembly Library. Urban Bees Seoul, as a pioneer in the urban beekeeping movement, provides educations for beginners and participates social activities related to bees. In a move to protect bees and promote a healthier urban environment, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has banned the use of neonicotinoid pesticides in parks and on roadside trees, replacing them with eco-friendly pest control methods.


Other cities

Urban beekeeping exists in many major cities and has been reported in: Berlin, Hamburg, Hong Kong,
Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
(Bangalore), Melbourne, Sydney, and Tokyo.


See also

* I Have a Bee


References

{{reflist Beekeeping Culture of New York City Culture in London Urban agriculture Localism (politics) Sustainable food system de:Imker#Stadtimkerei