Advice about Beekeeping
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Advice about Beekeeping
I rent an apartment in north Oakland and live next door to
beekeepers. My problem is that I don't have screens on the
windows and at night when they are open and the lights are on,
bees fly into my home. This is very annoying because it impedes
my full enjoyment of living in my apartment. My landlord is
unwilling to install screens and suggested contacting the state
vector control. Even if my neighbors are in violation of the
law, I don't feel comfortable reporting them, yet I am also
resentful of the inconvenience that they are causing me. I would
like to know how to handle this and would be grateful for any
Do you feel you can approach the neighbors with the problem? Perhaps
beekeepers to install screens could solve the problem. Let them know they
in your house and you want to be supportive (of their business), but the
bees are a
hardship for you. There are removable screens that you can use when the
open - I'm sure you can find them at Home Depot. Maybe not the most
things, but will keep them out and you can relax. Good luck.
As a new beekeeper in Richmond I am acutely aware of the
sensitivity issues around bees. I think if someone had an issue
with my bees I would want them to come and talk to me and engage
me in finding a solution. Perhaps they would be willing to share
the cost of screens with you or your landlord (can't believe you
landlord won't give you screens!) or some other alternative? As
is, there is the issue of allergies to bee stings, but there is
also the huge and devastating issue that bees are disappearing
and we are losing our pollinators. I started bees this year
because, for the first time, I saw there were no bees pollinating
my veggie garden and I wanted to help the wider issue. So, I feel
like I am doing a community service in a way by having my bees,
taking on the strenuous work, large expense, and the bodily risks
( I haven't had my first harvest yet).
I would bet your neighbors might feel the same and would be
willing to work this out. You might also get some delicious honey
out of the bargain.
While your landlord is being cheap about not installing screens,
for just $5-10 each, you can buy perfectly effective adjustable
screens yourself. I use them all over my house. You just open the
window, put these in the opening, and voila. You can buy them at
places like Orchard Hardware and Home Depot, or online:
Maybe if you explain the problem to your beekeeping neighbors,
they will pony up for the screens, or at least give you some nice
jars of honey, and everyone goes away happy.
I appreciate your searching for a solution that protects you
while also proteting the bees and your neighborliness. Most
hardware stores have inexpensive adjustable window screens that
you fit into the open window. You can also make screens that
would work to keep out bees from inexpensive net fabric,
perhaps held in place with adhesive velcro attached to the
window frame. You can find the net & velcro at any sewing
store. Best wishes. Ann
I don't have any legal expertise to offer, but I would suggest
talking to your beekeeping neighbors about the issue prior to
calling vector control. Perhaps your neighbors would be
willing to purchase screens for your windows or split the cost
I don't think that garden variety bees are considered vectors.
Well...since you don't want to go to vector control, and I
applaud you for that, I would approach the neighbors,tell them
your landperson won't spring for the screens and ask if they are
willing to...or at least contribute something $$. If they won't,
then I would go to someplace like Home Depot, purchase some of
the rolled up screen (it's fairly cheap) cut off what you need
for each window and tape, tack it, whatever...it may not be
pretty, but it will serve the purpose. Also,Home Depot actually
makes small screens that expand to the size of your window. I
have 2 of them and they work quite well. They cause about 10
I think the focus should be on getting your landlord to install
screens....either that or you may have to go to the expense of
doing it yourself.
An old boyfriend used to keep bees in Berkeley a long time ago.
It is perfectly legal and actually a good thing to keep bees as
it helps pollination, produces honey, keeps them in
reasonable ''housing'' so they don't build hives in the eaves of
our homes, etc. (fascinating critters, really!)
I agree it's very annoying to have honey bees flying into your
home. You might talk to your neighbor and see if he/she has a
suggestion or if this has been an issue ever before.
Honey bees fly out of their hives in a particular pattern so if
they were coming in during the day it MIGHT be possible for him
to turn the hive in a different direction...however, you said
they are coming in at night. Bees don't tend to fly at night.
They stay close to home and are more docile. They are likely
drawn to the light (since they fly when it's warmer and light)
in the window.
I'd go for getting screens at any cost. Good luck.
fan of honey bees
Maybe you should just buy a couple of the insert screens that go
into the window temporarily while it's open (URL to sample
product below). They are inexpensive and available at most big
stores like Longs or Walgreens and you can take them with you if
you ever move. You might also want to check with the beekeeper
next door about what he/she would suggest to keep bees out of
your living space.
-Allergic to bee stings
Adjustable screens can be purchased at Home Depot. They are
inexpensive and will keep the bees out. That's the route I
would go as I think it will avoid conflict and provide the
A in Alameda
How about go buy your own screens? I realize this may cost you
all of fifty dollars, but it'll solve the problem.
Hi. You have a couple of options, actually. 1), You can talk
to your bee-keeping neighbors and explain your situation and
emphasize that you don't want to wake up the bees, sort-to-
speak, by reporting them as your landlord had suggested, and see
if you all can come up to some kind of compromise. Who knows,
they may have some screens for your windows?!! You won't know,
if you don't ask.
2) It's really your landlord's responsibility to make sure you
live in a habitable and comfortable unit. If he chooses not to
cooperate, you can take him to the Renter's Board in your area,
and take it from there.
3) You can always purchase some screens for your windows.
Something is bound to work. Speak up and see how your neighbors
can help you. Good luck!!
You sound like such a respectful person. That is kind of you to
respect your neighbors. I had an apartment with no screens and I
found these adjustable screens at Home Depot. You just slide them
open to mount them in the window. They aren't permanent so your
landlord cannot object and they are pretty cheap ~$10. Here is a
link so you can see what I am talking about:
Try OSH or Home Depot.
Hoping you will be Bee-Free!
Get a quote from screen mobile (see yellow pages) and/or a
couple of other broadly accepted screen vendors or installers.
Photocopy the quote(s). Speak (before you write a note) with
your neighbor and tell them simply and calmly of your concern.
Propose a solution (they re-imburse you for the screen and
installation). Hopefully that discussion will go well. Try to
keep it non-confrontational. You could bring it to a
neighborhood - city-sponsored mediator. Try to keep it civil.
Have you considered asking the beekeepers to pay for the screens?
Seems friendlier than reporting them to vector control. We have
those adjustable slider screens from the hardware store. They're
not insect tight, but they would probably keep out curious bees.
I was immediately drawn to your email because my father is a
beekeeper and I've worked with him for many years. I
understand how disconcerting it is to have bees flying into
your home (although it seems very strange that they would do
that unless the beehive is EXTREMELY close to your window).
Also, it is completely impossible for bees to fly at night
because they can not see - they can only crawl. I know this
because beekeepers move bee hives only at night because they
can not fly then, only crawl. This is an indisputable fact of
nature. Based on your post, here are two suggestions:
1) get the screens installed because if there are bees getting
in, it is more than likely that numerous other pesky bugs are
getting in too - your landlord should probably have screens on
2) you might want to consider the possibility (again, I don't
know how close the hive is to your window or the exact living
situation there) that you have an unrelated nest around the
eves or windows of your own house (this may or may not be
actual bees - it is extremely common for people to think wasps
are bees. I just recently had an argument with my husband
about the critters in our backyard, which look much like honey
bees, but are actually wasps) - this would explain why they are
3) naturally, I feel some sympathy for your beekeeper
neighbours and I'd tend to say not to report them, but what you
definately should do is talk to them about the problem. If the
hive is too close to the windows of the apartment it is their
duty to move the hive so as not to burden other people with
rogue bees. Other people in your apartment may be having the
same problem. If they are polite and understanding about it, I
don't think you should report them. At least give them the
chance to solve the problem. Also, once you have screens, it
shouldn't matter at all.
You should really look into the possibility that these are not
your neighbour's rogue bees. This is another reason for not
reporting them - they may be doing no harm at all! If bees
really are flying in at night when it is dark outside, they are
coming from somewhere much too close to your window to be your
neighbour's bees. It is more than likely that there is
actually a nest around your window and they are coming from
there. In which case they may or may not be honey bees.
You can get adjustable window screens at most hardware stores-I
found them at Bolfings Elmwood on College Ave. The screen
material is set into a wooden ''slider'' frame that expands to
fit the window width, and comes in several heights. The weight
of the window sash resting on the top of the wooden frame holds
them in place. They are not expensive and easy to take in and
out as the seasons change, and you can take them with you to
your next home!
Unless you have casement windows, it's pretty easy to pick up an
expand-to-fit window screen at a hardware store.
I bought screens when I had bug problems to my apartment.
According to the law, the tenant is responsible for screens, not
the landlord. I could have not bought them and continued to be
unhappy but they provided the safety and peace I was looking for.
while i truly believe that your landlord should provide you with window
would ask the beekeepers to buy and install screens for your windows. i'm
comply if you explain that you are asking in lieu of reporting them to
I can imagine having bees flying around your living room is a
distraction, to say the least. However, I also thinks it's really
cool that your neighbors are keeping bees.
There are window screens that are removable, as in they just rest
in the window when it's open, and are removed when the window is
closed. They are framed w/ metal or wood. I don't where you can
get them, but I have seen them. That would be way less expensive
than having custom screens built. Heck, you could easily make
screens yourself by making properly sized wood frames and tacking
mesh to it.
I do hope you don't end up calling vector control. Bees are good!
It seems to me that your landlord is not being responsible in not putting
into your windows. You could start with the Oakland Rent Board
If they cannot help you they can probably refer you to how to get help
screens. Good luck with getting screens for your windows.
Also, I wanted to let you know that bees are not vectors, and in fact, bee
populations are declining around the U.S. (and probably the world) and
this is cause
for worry about the stability of some plant populations and specific plant
(since bees are pollinators). So I say: Hurray for the beekeepers!
First, I would suggest you get the East Bay Express (maybe online?)
article that came
out this summer about backyard beekeeping... for the most part it is not
but a valuable service for the general community (and their plants).
they are within their rights. And if they're not-- vector control is for
insects that carry disease), which would not include bees.
So-- here is the least problematic solution to your problem, MAKE some
your windows. My husband just did this for our house since our windows
being maufactured in the 50's. It cost about $30 for the screen material
and the rim
stuff from the hardware store, and he built 2 in about 25 minutes. He's
handy, but not a contractor or anything-- I think he needed a jigsaw or
like that to cut the rim material. And, you'd learn a valuable skill that
might come in
handy when you are a homeowner yourself.
You could ask your landlord to pay for the materials-- but either way it's
not a big
investment, and would make you happy. WAY happier than arguing with your
landlords and or neighbors about a situation that is not likely to change
You can do it!
Home Depot has screens you can buy that are very cheap and they
are made to adjust to any window. We have used them in rentals
that didn't come with screens.
Good for you for not wanting to report your neighbors- the
honeybee population worldwide is in steep decline, and scientists
have yet to figure out why that is. Because Honeybees are
critically important pollinators for much agriculture as well as
for home gardens and ornamental plants, it's very important that
all of us do everything possible to keep the bees that are left
But are you positive that it's your neighbor's bees that are
coming inside your apartment at night? That is actually extremely
unlikely since Honeybees are diurinal insects and are active only
during the daylight hours- they return to their hive at dusk and
don't go out again until dawn. They innately know the difference
between natural and artificial light, and also are attracted only
to flowering plants (their only food source), not to human food
or anything to be found in a human being's apartment!
There are some species of bees that are nocturnal, but not
Honeybees, and HBs are the only kind that beekeepers are
interested in. It's also possible that what you're thinking are
your neighbor's bees are actually yellow jackets, which are wasps
but many people mistakenly call them bees, or some other kind of
Yellow Jackets are officially diurnal, but they stay active later
into the evening than do Honey Bees, are attracted to artificial
light, and are attracted to human food (every barbecuer knows
that!). Take a good look at your invaders- wasps are
distinguished from bees by their ''wasp waist'', which is a an
effect of their two body segments being tightly and narrowly
connected to each other.
Links to pics:
Have you spoken to your neighbors?
Whatever flying insect is bothering you, you can buy inexpensive
little screens at larger hardware stores that fit right into your
The bees likely constitutes a public nuissance, as they likely
impeed the ''comfortable enjoyment of life or property'' to
a ''considerable number of persons'' in your neighborhood. Your
neighbor's landlord is legally responsible for any public
nuissance by his or tenant(s). The Oakland City Attorney is
responsible for determining if the activity is a public
nuisance, and will communicate with your neighbor's landlord
as necessary. The City Administrator Nuisance Abatament office
ph no is 238-7542.
Also, tell them to buzz off!
this page was last updated: Feb 15, 2014
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