There are hobby beekeepers throughout Northcliff and the rest of the city who help keep our critical bee populations healthy with well-managed swarms to help prevent numbers from declining.
The Northcliff Melville Times met a few people who shared the importance of nurturing bees responsibly.
Author Dr Fiona Mumoki from the University of Pretoria talked about bee populations in general, “Present species extinction rates are 100 to 1 000 times higher than normal due to human impacts.”
Honey is harvested twice a season and given to friends and family which makes keeping swarms a hobby that requires only a small investment in time and money but is demonstrably enjoyable. The wax is used to make furniture polish, balms for skin and the honey is a wonderful ingredient with many uses apart from being eaten.
They have 17 swarms in and around the city that they oversee explaining the process of how swarms manage themselves effectively. Some swarms survive for years with complex processes followed by the bees to ‘requeen’ the give after the death of the queen bee, who can live for years.
One beekeeper, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals should neighbours discover he has hives on his property, despite them being extremely safe and well managed said, “Honey bees are not threatened because they have a value from the honey and wax they produce. They also play a vital role in pollinating vital plants which is needed for a healthy ecosystem.”
Len Boucher, chairman of the Southerns Beekeeping Association turned his passion for bees into a business that rescues swarms that need to be ethically and safely removed from homes or areas where they are a potential danger to those around them.
He encouraged people to explore having a hive as a hobby if it is kept safely and in line with by-laws and regulations. He explained that for the safety of those around a hive and for the bees themselves, ‘keeping bees in densely populated areas like blocks of flats is not allowed as bees can forage for resources up to 6km from the hive’.
They must be kept near water but are not allowed to be situated within 50m from a school, a church or other places where large numbers of people gather, and a permit is required from the city.
Should you like to learn more about keeping bees or need a swarm removed safely to be rehomed, visit Boucher’s website www.beekeepers.co.za or email info@beekeepers.co.za.
