# Neighbor being bothered by my new bees



## bannonb (Aug 24, 2012)

Hey all:

My neighbor (1/8 mile away) says that my bees are making a beeline for their back deck (which has some plants on it) and are bothering them personally.

She claims now that they are getting aggressive...not sure what that means exactly.

I have a trough for water and I am currently feeding them.

I figure that the bees are only interested in those 2 things. Take them away and the bees will go away too. That's not the best answer though. She is asking how to keep them away.

Any thoughts besides the obvious one I mentioned?

Thanks,

BannonB


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## taydeko (Jan 3, 2012)

I would start out by trying to identify the "bees". I have had many calls about bees that turn out to be hornets, or wasps, or other creatures. Then if your bees are light or dark, or whatever color, see if the bees causing the problems are the same color. If they are, then you could try beelining to see if they are from your hives, or marking some of the bees on the back deck with something and see if they go back to your hives. I can't imagine a foraging bee really bothering anyone unless the person was aggressive to the bees.

I think bees are interested in more than just sugar water and water. They also are looking for pollen and, at times, minerals. They are very much creatures of habit, and if your water source ran dry, they might have found a new one, and are sticking to it.

Ted


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## Aerindel (Apr 14, 2012)

Work for peace, Prepare for war.

Don't spend to much time trying to solve a non existent problem.

Speak reasonably to your neighbors while doing research to see if there are any legal codes that they could possible use against you. Work on making your own property impeccable legal wise while at the same time use your talks with the neighbor to survey their place for any possible illegal acts or code violations. 

When talks break down (as they almost always do) inform them that it is perfectly legal for you to keep bees and that they deal with it or move away. When they attempt to retaliate (as the almost always do) drop the hammer on them. Use whatever you previously learned about them to get them in as much trouble as possible. Make sure that you are the first to call the police. Take the high road in public while working in the dark to make their lives as miserable as you can devise. Make it clear to them that you are not worth screwing with. Never lose control, always try to appear to be the reasonable one, but never back down.

Count on the fact that most people who are irrationally afraid of bees are also irrationally afraid of people, dogs, UFOs, Voodoo, etc. Expect extreme retaliation, poisoned pets, slashed tires, etc. Get a security system, collect evidence. Their retaliation is the best weapon you have IF you can get proof of it. Push them tell they break. If they where sane, intelligent people you wouldn't have the problem in the first place so use their irrational fears against them. There are many laws that protect people from real threats, there are very few that protect them from irrational ones.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Goodnees Aerindel! Do you sleep with one eye open? lol

Funny how things are so different from one place to another. All my neighbors (all two of them) ask to come over to see the bees. I even caught one of my neighbors talking to one of the girls last week. 
It helps when you bring some honey to the neighbors and tell them exactly how hard the girls work for their delicious treat.
It seems to shed a whole new light on our new hobby!


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## waynesgarden (Jan 3, 2009)

All my neighbors have been reasonable and supportive so I can't offer advice on how to proceed with your neighbors. 

On the other hand, if I had to become the miserable creature Aerindel is suggesting you become, I'd give away all my bees. 

Wayne


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Aerindel, have you done this before?


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Thing to bear in mind, is a fear of bees is quite reasonable, to somebody who does not understand them. 

To me, the bees bothering the neighbors scenario, is the same as someone being bothered by the neighbors dog. Dogs can be intimidating, especially if they look like they might bite, and even more so if they come onto your property. The dog owner though, can be unsympathetic because to him, his dog is a friend, the neighbors are just whingers.

Take your neighbors complaint seriously. What's worked for me (sometimes), is to have a smile on your face, and invite them to come and look at the hives. Make it happen on a good day, spray the bees with sugar water first, and generally do everything to ensure the bees are totally docile. Open the hive, show them the honey and let them taste it, show them the brood, they will likely be fascinated and realise bees are not just angry little beings whose sole purpose in life is to try to sting someone. You could also check out their back deck and see if something can be done to alleviate the problem. Could there be a light bees are flying to at night? If so, relocate the bees to where they will not see the light.

If all fails though, you may just have to bite the bullet and relocate the bees.

There was a thread here a year or two ago, where the boot was on the other foot. The Beesource member had bad relations with the neighbor, although the neighbor had not complained about the bees. The Beesource member eventually decided to "punish"the neighbor, by complaining about the neighbors dog. Got ugly, went to court, etc, and eventually he succeeded in having the dog removed, the outcome in the end was the dog was destroyed.
The obviously upset neighbor now decided to pull some strings of his own, turns out he was a relation of the town mayor. By playing some politics they were able to persuade the council to enact local bylaws banning beekeeping in a certain area.

The Beesource member then posted, asking what to do. In my opinion, he brought it on himself. Did to the neighbor exactly what some people do to beekeepers, he did not apply principles of live and let live, was selfish, and not a good neighbor. Which brought about him being treated in the same way, then he complained.

Bottom line, treat others as you would want to be treated. Don't treat it as a war, unless you want one.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

You're bees aren't harassing someone 1/8 mile down the road. They might forage on their flowers, but don't have anything to protect that far from the hive.
Are you sure they aren't pulling you're leg?


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## throrope (Dec 18, 2008)

I honestly can't believe those neighbors made an issue. Even with the smallest bee wherewithal contradicts their claim. I suspect they're dealing with yellow jackets that typically become more aggressive at summer's end and looking for someone to blame. Our newest neighbors three houses down across the street were grinning at my girls visiting their flowering tree.

I suggest ignoring them as a start. They will quickly understand the benefit your hives create for them if they press the issue with intelligence. Then make a mental note to socialize on a spring afternoon and point out the work your girls are doing on the blooming flowers. Beyond that, bring an extra brew, identify the culprits which are most likely yellow jackets and sniff around for their nest.


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## Frankh (Aug 28, 2011)

I concur with the yellow jacket possibility. Here, the hornets and wasps have been going nuts for the last few weeks. I've gotten at least a dozen calls to come take care of people's bee problem, and it turned out to be yellow jackets. A lot of people can't tell the difference, even if they dared to get close enough, which most are not. I was surprised to find that they have no problem paying me to spray the nests and get rid of them.


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## Splatt (Jul 11, 2012)

I agree: first identify these "bees". See if the neighbors will have you over and point them out to you personally, or maybe take a picture of them. Be prepared to demonstrate that they are not bees (if they indeed are not). Most people think that anything that flies and potentially stings is a bee. I can stand right next to my hive and my bees ignore me. As was pointed out, at the distance your neighbors are from the hive the bees have no reason to be aggressive. Yellow jackets (my hunch as to the culprits), on the other hand, are mean.


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## BigGun (Oct 27, 2011)

You need to make this neighbor think your the craziest sob on the planet. Nothing on this planet people are more scared of. They would go to more trouble to avoid anything concerning you than they would to cause you trouble. How you convince them of this is up to you. I suggest you start by walking around mumbling to yourself.


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## Aerindel (Apr 14, 2012)

> Aerindel, have you done this before?


Yes, not over bees though. Its too long of a story to recount here but mostly its been over our dogs, road and water access and utility work.

I've been expecting one of them to complain about my bees but I think they either don't know about them or have decided its not worth starting hostilities again.



> They will quickly understand the benefit your hives create for them if they press the issue with intelligence.


Of course but that is a big 'If' The majority of people are small minded evil little peasants ruled by superstitions and prejudice. If they where capable of reasonable thought they're wouldn't even be a problem, it could all be settled by a nice conversation over a cup of mead.




> You need to make this neighbor think your the craziest sob on the planet.


^^^^This, people with irrational fears are easy to manipulate. 



> Goodnees Aerindel! Do you sleep with one eye open? lo


Nope, thats the whole point. You don't want to have to be constantly on your guard. Its exhausting to live at Defcon 2 all the time. You want to strike back so hard they never think of messing with you again. It took me a long time to learn this lesson. Every time you compromise or back down it just encourages them to go one step further until before you know it they think they can tell you how to live on your own land, what animals you can have, how to drive on your own road etc. 

Its bad enough that the government can tell us how to live in our own homes, its intolerable to let the neighbors do it.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Aerindel said:


> You want to strike back so hard they never think of messing with you again. It took me a long time to learn this lesson.


 Not sure if you have completed this lesson. Your theory will work, long as you are the toughest kid on the block. Reality and some don't discover it for a while, is there will ALWAYS be somebody come along eventually, who is tougher.

Ever noticed those tough as gang members running around, looking like, you would think, nobody would ever mess with them? Then take a closer look, so many of them got a heap of teeth missing.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

1/8 mile = 660 feet = 220 yards, that's more than twice as long as my one acre lot. Heck, even AHB don't work that hard at being ornery -- I know, I kept a dozen colonies of AHB for a little more than a decade.

I hope you can manage to keep your bees in peace and calm. Just yesterday a yard man who works for one of my neighbors, got my attention over our chain link fence. He'd heard that we kept honey bees, so he wanted to ask if we ever had comb honey available. Despite the fact that he's been working in my neighbors yard for several years now, he hadn't actually noticed our bees (I have about fifty hives, presently), but our neighbor (his employer), was aware we kept them, and he, being extremely fond of comb honey, had to ask. I told him, as soon as I had some to spare, I'd contact him.


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

I saw nothing in the original post that would suggest coming out with "weapons ablazing" as some posts seems to suggest.

Suggest to them that more than likely those are wasps and they should put out wasp traps with meat/cat food in them.

It sounds like the neighbors are more fearful than aggressive.


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## Ozarks Honey Company (Apr 18, 2012)

Seriously, I have to go with Dan (aka KQ6AR) and Joseph on this one... There is no way your bees are being aggressive that far from the hive. Even if provoked that far away they would simply leave the area. You would have to squish or hurt one to even get stung.

Go and visit your neighbor. Take a jar of honey with you, if you have none, locate another beekeeper in your area and buy them one. It will go a long way to neighbor relations, I know from experience. While you are there, check on these "bees", I will almost bet that they are not even bees as Ted (aka Taydeko) mentions above. If they are not bees then work with them to eliminate the problem. 

If after the visit you do suspect they are your bees, then work with your neighbor to show them how gentle the little creatures are and that the only live to pollinate and collect nectar that they turn into that jar of wonderful honey you just brought them. Many people keep bees in New York City, with hundreds of neighbors much closer that 1/8 mile, without incident. In the end if they are your bees and they really are that aggressive (which again I highly doubt), then requeen the hive, this is what the NYC beekeepers do. So there is a cure if your girls are truly out of line.

On the honey as a gesture of good will... I have a neighbor that is about 1/8 mile from my hives and while out on a walk this spring he expressed his discontent with my bees bothering his humming bird feeders. So, of course I was bummed out because all my other neighbors are just ecstatic that I keep bees. I explained to him that there was not much that I could do as they were finding a leak in his feeder and simply taking advantage of opportunity. But that fixing the leak or buying a new feeder would likely fix the issue. He was less than pleased with my answer and we hadn't talked since. Until.... I extracted in July and took him a jar of my honey as an apology for the bees. To my surprise he says, "hey, you know you were right. I spent a few dollars and bought some new feeders, some good ones, and the bees are no longer bothering my humming birds." So, I gave him the honey and said that is great, let me know when you run out and I will bring you some more. Now, this guy and his wife both go out of their way to wave to me as they drive by or pass on the road and she has walked over and wanted to see & talk to me about the bees since. Previous to this interaction, we had never even really met and I have lived here for 8 years.

So, Aerindel, you seriously need to consider being nicer to your neighbors! For as they say, "You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar." :thumbsup:


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## bannonb (Aug 24, 2012)

WOW!

Quite a fervent response to my query. Glad to have an engaging topic 

The neighbors are cool. I brew so they drink my beer. They have come over to see the bees and are mildly impressed by yet another of my hobbies. They want to have a BBQ over the Labor Day weekend and want to ensure guests aren't harrassed.

I went out to their deck yesterday. There were a few bees drinking at one of their planters. I sat down and one of them hovered near me. It was late (7PM) so probably not prime time.

I mentioned that bees want water and sugar and sometimes body lotions. She'll remove her plants for the weekend. We'll see what happens.

I won't be preparing for war, just a way to placate them and me both.

Thanks,

BannonB


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I provide water for my bees, at my Koi pond, evaporative cooler pads, several plastic buckets with floats, and drip irrigation, they use them all. I'm sure if any of my neighbors have exposed water sources, they'll be using those too. They seem to like a variety of different water sources. Having nearby water certainly doesn't prevent them from choosing to use any and all sources accessible to them.

What you describe, sounds like honey bee curiosity, but, of course, non-beekeepers feel threatened by any approach of a honey bee, sorta like when someone pulls out a loaded handgun - the comfort level suddenly drops off a cliff.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Bees will continue to hover around for a day or two after water is removed. She should remove the water a couple days before the barbeque. 

People who don't understand bees sometimes have a (to us), exasperating talent for getting themselves stung, even by bees that want nothing to do with them. A long term solution would be best, either in the form of more education for them, or bee proofing of the water.


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## Aerindel (Apr 14, 2012)

> So, Aerindel, you seriously need to consider being nicer to your neighbors! For as they say, "You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar."


I understand where your coming from and for anyone who doesn't have bad neighbors this would make sense. 

Believe me, I took the pacifist rout for a long time and all that it lead to was people walking all over me. I ended up with situations where the neighbors would complain about my dogs barking at them while they trespassed through the middle of my ten acres. When I told them "The dogs a really very friendly, all you have to do is throw a stick or two for them and they'll think your their best friend" The response I got was "WHY SHOULD _I_ HAVE TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH_ YOUR_ DOGS! YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE DOGS UP HERE! I GO FOR WALKS TO SEE THE DEER AND YOUR DOGS SCARE THEM AWAY AND DON'T YOU KNOW HOW DANGEROUS DOGS ARE? THEY CAN SNAP, JUST LIKE THAT! I SHOULD GET A GUN!" 

And then there is the other neighbor. One afternoon while driving down the road to get to the mail I found a large hole, about fifteen feet on a side and ten feet deep about twenty feet over the property line on my side. I asked the neighbor what the hole was for, He told me it was for his new septic system. I told him that I was pretty sure he had gone over the property line, his response? "Well, yeah I know but it was the best place to put it and I haven't seen you using that corner for a long time."

To the OP, I'm glad you have reasonable neighbors. If only we could all be so lucky.




> Not sure if you have completed this lesson. Your theory will work, long as you are the toughest kid on the block. Reality and some don't discover it for a while, is there will ALWAYS be somebody come along eventually, who is tougher.


The other part of the lesson is that you don't have to win in order to protect yourself. All you have to do is hurt the other guy bad enough that its not worth it to him to fight again. Its the person willing to lose the most who often wins the fight in the end.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

I can see I'm fighting a losing battle, I surrender, LOL!

Please continue your desperate battles, with your evil neighbors, in your violent and scary world.


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## BigGun (Oct 27, 2011)

Aerindel said:


> I understand where your coming from and for anyone who doesn't have bad neighbors this would make sense. .


I'm with you I have neighbor problems at three different properties. One is the idiots who ride their 4 wheelers wherever they please in including on my farm. I spiked the trails on my side and they have become a non issue for now. They try the crazy thing with me. Doesn't work. The second just trespass as they please. They tear signs down, they :4 wheel, they start forest fires and then they load up and leave town. Last time I threw road kill under their mobile home. I bet they loved that. Next problem I get ugly. The third is at my home. Neighbor is trying to steal 10 or 15 feet across the property line. If I hadn't been best friends with his grandson it would have already been settled. I'm not paying for land and letting anyone steal it from me. I hate this one because of him being a ww2 veteran and very well liked(including by me). But theft is theft.


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

Ozarks Honey Company said:


> Seriously, I have to go with Dan (aka KQ6AR) and Joseph on this one... There is no way your bees are being aggressive that far from the hive. Even if provoked that far away they would simply leave the area. You would have to squish or hurt one to even get stung.
> 
> Go and visit your neighbor. Take a jar of honey with you,<snip>...


Very good post, Jeff.

Ed


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## Ozarks Honey Company (Apr 18, 2012)

Ed, thank you.

Bannon, as they say... Show em the money, err honey!!! They will be your best friends for life and probably never, ever, have an ill thing to say about the bees. 

An old timer once told me, you probalby won't get rich selling honey, but you sure will make alot of friends.

Moving the planters for a short time is a good idea though, at least 20' and around the corner of the building if possible and they will likely not find it for a few days maybe even a week or so. Don't expect the bees to stop visitng the back porch for a few days though. They will still return for a bit, hoping that the easy source will return. 

Best of luck,


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## Colleen O. (Jun 5, 2012)

bannonb said:


> I went out to their deck yesterday. There were a few bees drinking at one of their planters.
> 
> I mentioned that bees want water and sugar and sometimes body lotions. She'll remove her plants for the weekend.
> 
> BannonB


 It sounds like they are drinking from the saucers under the planters that catch the water overflow. I recommend self-watering planters. Gardeners Supply Company (gardeners.com) has a selection of self-watering planters and inserts that make containers without a drainage hole into self-watering. (Some home improvement stores have the planters too, but I haven't noticed them selling the inserts.) They eliminate open standing water so they reduce the places that mosquitoes lay their eggs (therefore reducing the mosquito population) and they reduce watering frequency which allows you to go away for a few days without having to arrange to have someone stop in and water your plants.


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## crazyseany (May 22, 2010)

I would draw a map of your neighbors yard and put a big red X where their deck is and write something interesting like "attack" above it.... Post this by your hives and the next time they are over...they'll understand...


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## Ozarks Honey Company (Apr 18, 2012)

> I would draw a map of your neighbors yard and put a big red X where their deck is and write something interesting like "attack" above it.... Post this by your hives and the next time they are over...they'll understand...


Awesome!


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

I think the bee issue has been solved -- and I second the self-watering planters due to the mosquito problem.

On the issue of people using your property without permission, remember the old adage "good fences make good neighbors". Fence can be a simple wire on cheap metal posts so long as you put it back up every time it gets damaged. It is a physical reminder that there is a property line and in most places a property damage crime to remove it without the owner's permission. Make sure it's a couple inches inside your property line, nice side facing the neighbor.

This will cure the "you weren't using it" comment, especially if you mow around in on the inside. Weekly mowing will void the "you weren't using it" defense in court. Also, no contractor will dig out a fence on the property line, period. Way too expensive insurance wise. 

It's expensive, but if you have real problems with someone encroaching, a more solid fence will cure that. Chainlink with the posts in concrete is probably the best solution. My brother had an issue with his new neighbor, who cannot read a property plat. He claimed my brother's drive was a county road so he had access for his son to ride his 4-wheeler on it and could haul stuff to his back yard --it's not, it's NOT an access or easement although it has telephone poles on it (utility easements, even if this were the case, are not public access anyway), and when my brother won that argument, the neighbor put up a fence because my brother was "turning around on his property". Problem with that argument was that he was putting the fence up at the edge of my brother's drive, which is at least three feet from the property line. In fact, it's just past the telephone poles on the neighbor's side since the previous owner put the poles on HIS property, not the neighbors. Probably cost a bunch to move the fence, but he did. Now he's planted bamboo along the fence so my brother won't talk about the guy illegally living in the travel trailer on the property (no trailers in Vanderburgh county except in zoned trailer parks) and who splits wood all night long in the dark with a chainsaw and axe. The bamboo, of course, will make a huge forest in a couple years, including growing up through my brother's drive, but that's easy to fix, it's called Roundup. It will kill the stuff on the other side too, but that's not my brother's problem.

The best part of this whole story is that if my brother puts up a fence down the rest of the drive (the neighbor on the other side encroaches, too), the silly bugger won't be able to use his basement door since the fence will be less than a foot from the concrete side walls to the entrance. 

My brother cured the 4-wheeler problem he had 18 years ago by leaving a couple thrown horseshoes in the muddy mess they left. He'd given the horse people (all friends of his" permission to ride through, but posted no trespassing signs to keep everyone else out since his property adjoins the local 4H grounds which are public access. Stupid kid flattens all four tires and has the temerity to come up to the house a demand my brother load the 4-wheeler in his truck and take him home. He called the sheriff, and the deputy who came out promptly arrested the kid on theft and vandalism charges, been looking for the brat for a few days. 

I'm always amused by people who are all for property rights and what they can do and how they get to do what they want, and just assume that YOUR property is theirs if they want it. Obviously they are incapable of understanding what they preach, eh?

Peter


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## Frankh (Aug 28, 2011)

Can't we all just get along and sing Kumbayah together? And people wonder why I like associating with animals rather than some people. I had a long chat with a young goat at the fair yesterday....a very nice young kid.


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## TheRatLover (May 13, 2012)

Aerindel said:


> Work for peace, Prepare for war.
> 
> Don't spend to much time trying to solve a non existent problem.
> 
> ...



This is EXACTLY the kind of neighbor we have, and they have caused so much pain and difficulty for my family and other neighbors around. My husband has had to deal with them just as Aerindel stated! This neighborhood family gets a kick out of being evil, and would take over our neighborhood if they could. 

They have yet to find out that we have bees, and Lord willing, may they never! We have positioned them beautifully, so that the bees avoid flying towards their property, but that won't matter if this family finds out. It will be just one more battle that they will want to win. So sad....

Someone stated that we must "appease them with offering honey"? Wow...you have yet to experience a true neighbor! Don't we all wish our neighbors were so kind and understanding!!! This one neighbor we have would lie and say it was great, and then undermine us when we are not looking. 

I just felt that Aerindel needed some support. What he stated is sadly necessary at times. 

I used to think it wasn't the proper way to handle a neighbor - that my husband wasn't doing it right. However, after experiencing this neighbor who gloats (with no concern) in your face that their dog killed your cat, I see things differently. 
*
NOTE: At least have a list of items that you COULD strike back with if necessary. That is what my husband has had to do. He just warns the neighbors that they don't want to go down the road that they are thinking of doing because we have ammo to strike back with...this keeps things at bay without creating an enemy.*

Let's all be thankful for the neighbors we have that are supportive of our beekeeping!

-Lori


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## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

*I think this is a war that you cannot win!* I typically think defensively and yet very aggressively and was poisoning ants in my garden (using 1:1 sugar water and borax in water jugs with small holes drilled in them). This made me think that if somebody did not like my bees they could wipe out my entire apiary with a 4 lb bag of sugar and some laundry soap. They would not have to cross a fence or inform me. Sorry traps and poison work very specific targets, take little effort, cost little, and do not take vacations or breaks.


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## giant pumpkin peep (Mar 14, 2009)

to the origanal poster. 5 bucks says they have a waps nest on the underside of their deck.


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## Aerindel (Apr 14, 2012)

> On the issue of people using your property without permission, remember the old adage "good fences make good neighbors


Its true and I would love to put up a ten foot fence all around my property but I have over three thousand feet of perimeter, most of which is on steep, heavily forested land. I did put up signs at the easy access points and there haven't been any incursions for some time.

My own problems seem more or less solved these days except for the random act of craziness my neighbors seem to want to inflict on me at least once a year. I just want to give encouragement to anyone who is trying to figure out what to do. In todays society standing your ground is often frowned upon and we are generally told that if someone else wants what we have that its best to just give it to them rather than risk a fight. I concile to become the person that _other_ people don't want to risk getting in a fight with. Or to be at least viewed that way. I've never physically harmed anyone in my adult life but by adopting the persona (at least to my neighbors) of "the crazy gun nut up on the hill with a pack of wild dogs" I've never had to.



> However, after experiencing this neighbor who gloats (with no concern) in your face that their dog killed your cat, I see things differently.


I hope I never end up in a similar situation. I view my pets as family and if something happened like that to me.....well, I would end up in prison. Its one of my great fears that someday I will be forced to cross a legal line to avoid crossing a morale one.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Kinda wondering what this cat killing, gun toting, crazy stuff, has to do with the people in the first post who had a fear of bees on their deck, which, by neighborly cooperation, seems to have been resolved.


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## BigGun (Oct 27, 2011)

Oldtimer said:


> Kinda wondering what this cat killing, gun toting, crazy stuff, has to do with the people in the first post who had a fear of bees on their deck, which, by neighborly cooperation, seems to have been resolved.


Just the ordinary how to deal with bad neighbors. I wish all neighbors were the good kind. We just had a great set of neighbors move out because of how the landlord didn't repair things.


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## Gord (Feb 8, 2011)

I lived beside some truly bad neighbours for 12 years...they moved in and told us to move.
Tried being nice, failed miserably.
They put up a motion activated spotlight to illuminate our bedroom at night.
Burned out the sensor with a 1 watt laser.
Got burgled, vandalized, and had junk thrown on our property; generally at our front door, all the time.
I found that calling the police and identifying them as the culprits, every time, soon diminished the number of occurances.
Made sure they had all the required permitry by calling every time they got into a project ( they did this to us thrice before we retaliated).
They bought a trap to catch our cat (WHY???); now I have a cat trap.
Our new neighbours are great, and I have 4 hives at home; no problem.
Anyhoo, you can't just take it; people like that are either under your thumb or on your back.


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## lazy shooter (Jun 3, 2011)

I don't think bees are aggressive 200 plus yards away from their hives. Foraging bees are most interested in foraging. By the same token, once your neighbors assume your bees are being a pest, there seem to be two reasonable actions available. One, is you can just ignore the neighbors. I don't think this is the best option. The second is you can educate your neighbors about the habits of bees. If this second option doesn't work, then go back to option one.

I am amazed at the responses this thread has brought forth about property rights and how to work with, or against, bad neighbors.


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