UMass Extension’s Nicole Bell Considers Ways to Keep Neighbors Happy When Keeping Bees

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As beekeeping continues to grow in popularity, nearby residents of beekeepers are increasingly finding themselves unintentionally caught in the path of their bees. In Oxford, MA, Mark Comeau found himself in this reality. Living just feet from Todd Barker who has been running Barker’s Bee Hives and Supplies for decades, Comeau’s property became a second home for these bees. The bees infested his bird bath, swimming pool, yard, and even caused a bee sting that required hospitalization. What are the drivers of this beekeeping craze, and what can neighbors do to mitigate persistent pollinators? 

Nicole Bell, a UMass Extension educator that specializes in bees, explains to 7NEWS Boston why backyard hives are becoming more common than ever, and why even the most diligent beekeepers have trouble keeping every bee contained.  

Bell argues that honey isn’t the only benefit to beekeeping; there are also many environmental reasons to keep them around. But in order to reap these rewards, beekeepers need to ensure that hives have what they need. 

“That would be the ideal scenario, where you have the flowering plant resources that they need, you have water for honeybees in particular.” 

— Nicole Bell to 7NEWS Boston 

After Comeau tried seemingly everything to get the bees off his property, Barker decided to add extra water sources and essential-oil sprays to keep the bees away. Since then, Comeau says, the buzzing has backed off. 

Read more at 7NEWS Boston.