Assisting urban beekeepers and providing beekeeping supplies in Auckland
Senta's father was a beekeeper in South Africa, so beekeeping runs in the family.
Our interest in bees started in 2009 / 2010 when we innocently purchased a beehive which we kept in our garden in Mellons Bay. Our learning curve was steep and our bees made, despite our inexperience, some honey.
We then started looking deeper into beekeeping as a hobby and found that beekeepers are the most helpful people. And so we learned and learned about bees, diseases, AFB, DECA, Varroa, Tutin, water content, types of sugars and all that it takes to be a beekeeper. We learned also that this dedication is probably not shared by everyone who wants to have bees in their garden. Bees need to be "kept"; they don't keep themselves anymore. Here is a hobby that requires some critical guidelines to be followed and if we want councils to keep allowing bees in urban areas, then we best band together and do things as well as we can.
So we realize that perhaps some want help with their bees so that we're not inadvertantly destroying more than we create.
Soon we spent more time with our bees and also on our new web design and development business Hello Web (www.helloweb.co.nz). By then passionate hobby beekeepers, we got involved with other beekeepers in the area, and hope to assist others to start off with bees.
(Uli completed his DECA qualification, just because he likes to to things properly.) ...and so the business Urban Hive was created.
Senta working one of our hives at 16 Montressor Place.
We realized quickly that the needs of the urban beekeeper are unique and learned that mistakes can be costly, not only for single beehives, but for beehives in the surrounding area. We started giving intoductory sessions and lessons to assist and educate.
This site is dedicated to those that want to keep bees as a hobby and those who are interested in supporting beekeeping in our communities.
The website is made up from our experiences and includes stories - our own as well as the stories told to us by fellow beekeepers. We have included information that will get you started and we offer support either directly or that which is avaialble on the website. Call us if your have a question. We're still learning like all other beekeepers.
New Zealand has strict bio security rules regarding the keeping of bees and we strongly encourage following these rules - in fact, if you use our services, we insist that the rules are followed. The amount of information can be quite overwhelming and therefore we offer services that support you through the maze of rules.
Our shop is limited to products that are typically required by the hobby beekeeper.
You'll find us in east Auckland at 16 Montressor Place, Mellons Bay, Auckland.
Urban Hive Limited is New Zealand Owed and Operated.