Beekeeping

This page contains notes about my attempt at indoor beekeeping, which is one of my Hobbies.

Apartment preparation

Before installing the hive:

Move furniture away from the hive.
Identify anything in the apartment that I do not want covered with bees.
Remove those items.
Close the bedroom door.
Search apartment rental contract for the word "apiary."
Practice saying, "That's strange. I've never seen those bees before."

Hive inspections

The hive should be inspected regularly.

Things to check:

Is the queen present?
Are there eggs and larvae?
Is the colony producing honey?
Are there signs of disease or pests?
Are the bees preparing to swarm?
Has the landlord discovered the bees?

The last two conditions require immediate attention.

Feeding the bees

Bees normally forage outdoors for nectar and pollen - this presents certain logistical difficulties on the 25th floor of an apartment building.

Possible solutions I have considered:

Opening a window.
Installing a very small revolving door.
Teaching the bees to use the elevator.
Planting wildflowers on the roof.

Further research is needed.

Swarm management

A honey bee colony may swarm when a large group of bees leaves with the old queen to establish a new colony. In conventional beekeeping, this is considered an important management issue.

In apartment beekeeping, it is considered a reason to move.

Honey harvest

My goal is to eventually harvest my own honey.

Projected annual honey production:

Item	Estimate
Honey produced	40 pounds
Honey given to friends	15 pounds
Honey I keep	10 pounds
Honey used to apologize to neighbors	15 pounds

These estimates may need to be revised depending on the number of neighbors.

Lessons learned

Bees require considerably more personal space than anticipated.
"Open floor plan" has a different meaning when you own bees.
A studio apartment is not improved by adding 50,000 roommates.
The phrase "indoor hive inspection" should probably not exist.
The security deposit should now be considered a sunk cost.
My neighbors have become surprisingly interested in moving.
The beekeeper controls the hive. The bees control everything else.

Long-term goals

Successfully overwinter the hive.
Find an apartment with a balcony.