Honeybees are incredibly gentle; they go about their daily work, pollinating plants and trees, collecting nectar and pollen. The last thing they want to do is sting us! In fact, when they do, they die. However, honeybees do sting when defending themselves, so it’s important to be mindful of safety– both for people and bees! HĀNAI HIVES takes this very seriously, so before we install bees on your property we’ll take precautionary steps to set you and the bees up for a safe and happy cohabitation; it’s our number one goal!
Not much! You need enough space for the beehive itself (approximately 2 x 2 feet) and a few extra feet to get around the sides and back for tending to the hive. The front of the hive should be free for the flight path, you’ll need a clearance of approximately 5 – 10 feet. This area should be a low-traffic zone as the bees will be busy coming and going throughout the day!
Yes! It’s wonderful to include children in the host-a-hive experience. As long as good beekeeping protocols are practiced, it’s safe for children and bees to share the same backyard. Just as bees need to be free to forage, children need to be free to run and play, so when we assess the property we’ll help find the right placement of the hive. It should be set away from play structures and provide enough clearance for the flight path. When HĀNAI HIVE beekeepers are tending to the hive, your children are welcome to get up-close to the bees, we’ll be sure everyone is properly-suited up
If you’re like us, our pets are our family and their safety is as important as our own. And yes, it’s perfectly safe to have a beehive with pets. The rare exception is if your animal has a known allergy to bees. In that case, we recommend hosting your hive at our apiary, so there’s no worry.
Placement of the hive is key. Dog kennels and runs should not be situated next to the hives, however, free-range chickens will love being close-by. They’ll help keep the beetles and bugs at bay 😉
Not to worry! Honeybees fly 3 to 5 miles to forage. Here on the island, we’re blessed with lots of tropical flowers for the honeybees to forage on.
Unlike most places on the planet, water is fairly abundant here on Oahu and the bees have plenty to drink. That said, when we experience dry summer weather, it can be helpful to provide a water source. It can be as simple as a bucket of water with rocks in it. There are lots of great options and we’re happy to discuss them with you.
Generally speaking, 1-2 times a month. The seasons and the bees call the shots. We do inspections once a month and that will determine if additional visits are necessary. There’s much to consider when it comes to the health and happiness of the bees! For example, we always want to ensure they don’t have too little or too much space in their hive, monitoring the growth of the colony is key. Dealing with beetles, ants and mites are some of the challenges bees face and the best way to combat them is a healthy thriving colony! We will do whatever we can to ensure the health of the bees.
That’s the beauty of the host-a-hive program, rest assured we’ll take care of everything. We just need access to the hive to care for the bees while you’re away. If you adopt-a-hive, likewise, just let us know and we’d be happy to help!
We’re happy to answer them! Let’s get in touch, submit a contact form and we can chat over the phone or via email. If you decide you’re interested, we’ll come out to do a site-visit to make sure a beehive is suitable and safe on your property.
