22 Jan Bringing Bees to the City Part 1
Urban Bees
What’s it all about?
It’s about keeping bees in an urban setting. This may mean a small garden, roof terrace, or an allotment. Beekeeping doesn’t need to be the reserve of the country folk and you don’t need a huge amount of space to keep them.
It is possible to have bees in the city and you know what… the honey is gorgeous because our urban honeybees have such a variety of plants and flowers to choose from. Each of the city gardens are as unique as their owners and the bees just love the variety.
Why should I keep bees I the city?
Honeybees have been having a hard time. Their numbers are falling and yet they play a vital role in our eco system, pollinating flowering plants and crops. Bees seem to do well in an urban environment where there is a rich diversity of plants, flowers and trees in our gardens, railway sidings, roads and disused pieces of land.
They are also a great way to reconnect urban dwellers with nature. Many of us are suffering from what has been termed “nature-deficit disorder” and there is nothing better to cure this than to come home after a hard day in the office and watch your honeybees bringing nectar and pollen into their hive.
We need more green spaces in our cities and becoming a beekeeper is part of a growing movement to green our cities. If you love honey, then you’ll be glad to hear that honey from cities is thought to be more flavoursome than honey from the countryside because of the diversity of nectar on offer. Although not scientifically proven, local honey is also said to cure hay fever.
Source: Urban Bees