Keeping honey bees on your property

Honey beekeeping myths

While honey beekeeping in an urban setting can be a powerful way to connect to the natural environment and our food system, misinformation about the benefits and impacts of urban honey beekeeping is common.

If you are interested in becoming an urban honey beekeeper, review the myths and facts before deciding if this is the right activity for you.

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  Myth 1: urban honey beekeeping is a great way to enhance urban biodiversity and pollination, and help “save” declining bee populations

  Hundreds of species of native bees and other pollinators such as mason bees, butterflies, wasps, bats, and birds play an integral role in pollinating ornamental, medicinal, and food-producing plants. The European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is a non-native, introduced species to North America. 

  Due to the extensive paved and developed surfaces and lack of landscape diversity in urban settings, there can be limited forage (nectar and pollen) for pollinators. Unfortunately, the European Honey Bee competes with native pollinators for these scarce resources needed for survival. A lack of forage can lead to reduced reproductive rates and starvation of wild pollinators – reducing biodiversity and pollination in the long term. 
   
  The best way to support bee populations and enhance pollination and biodiversity in an urban setting is to cultivate a diversity of plants that will help them thrive.

  Resources on supporting bees

  • Support bees and butterflies
  • Government of BC: Food for Bees Initiative External website, opens in new tab
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  Myth 2: honey beekeeping is a low-investment hobby that can easily complement urban gardening or other DIY hobbies

  Honeybees should be viewed as livestock that demand attention and regular management.

  Even at a small scale, honey beekeeping is a complex practice requiring significant training, mentorship, and experience, as well as investment of time, energy and financial resources from the honey beekeeper.
   
  Urban honey beekeeping is discouraged before completing a recognized course in beekeeping and seeking membership in a local bee club.

  The Provincial Ministry of Agriculture offers free introductory courses External website, opens in new tab, and many other educational resources are available.

  • Review suggested resources

Steps to keeping honey bees in Vancouver

If you are ready to start keeping honey bees in Vancouver, you need to follow three steps before setting up your apiary (bee yard):

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  Step 1: review our guidelines

  Our Urban Honey Beekeeping Guidelines PDF file (212 KB) include regulations to help keep honey beekeeping safe for other residents and explain your responsibilities as a honey beekeeper.

  Review the guidelines and ensure:

  • The location you are considering for your apiary meets the site requirements
  • You understand and are prepared to follow the general requirements for hive management, including:
    • Requirements for locating the hives relative to property lines and fencing
    • The maximum number of hives permitted per property, community garden, or rooftop
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  Step 2: review and understand provincial regulations

  In addition to the our guidelines, urban honey beekeepers are also responsible for following provincial laws, such as BC’s Bee Regulation, which supports the honey beekeeping industry in controlling pests and diseases.

  Review provincial beekeeping regulations External website, opens in new tab

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  Step 3: register your hives with the Province of BC

  Anyone keeping honeybees in BC is legally required to register with the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.

  This registration process is in place to help the honey beekeeping community to control honey bee diseases and pests, and mitigate their impact.

  Complete registration online for free External website, opens in new tab

Honey bee health and safety

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  Reporting health concerns in your honey bee colony

  Any concerns regarding the health of your honey bee colony such as pest and disease management should be reported to a Provincial Apiary Inspector, who can provide guidance on management and arrange for a hive inspection if necessary.  

  Review a list of inspectors External website, opens in new tab

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  Honey bee swarming

  Swarming is the natural process by which one honey bee colony splits into two (a form of reproduction). It typically takes place in the spring, so if you see a swarm of insects later in the summer it is unlikely to be a honey bee swarm.

  When honey bee swarming occurs, a large number of honey bees leave their hive in a close formation (the swarm), which typically stops at a branch or other perch while scout bees fly further afield to search for a new home.

  Urban honey beekeepers do their best to manage hives to prevent swarming, but sometimes swarms still occur. 

  What to do if you come across a honey bee swarm

  If you come across a honey bee swarm, you may be alarmed by the number of honey bees in your proximity.

  Remain calm and remember that in most circumstances, a swarm of honey bees is not dangerous.

  Swarming honey bees are generally docile and not likely to sting as they have fed prior to swarming and are not defending their nest.

  You may wish to report a honey bee swarm to the Richmond Beekeepers Association External website, opens in new tab at swarm@richmondbeekeepers.ca.They will contact a honey beekeeper who may be available to safely remove the swarm.

  Before doing so, do your best to confirm that the swarm is a honey bee swarm: a moving cloud of honey bees that stops to rest in a tree, on a building, or fence. Refer to the links in the resources section for tips on identifying bees, wasps, flies, and other flying insects.

  The Richmond Beekeepers Association members only work with honey bees and will not address swarms of other insects such as wasps or bumblebees. For other types of insects you may wish to contact a pest control company. 

  When you contact the Richmond Beekeepers Association to report the honey bee swarm, include any details you have about the honey bee swarm, such as:

  • Location, including height and any challenges with access
  • Time of day
  • How long the honey bee swarm has been at this location