Bees and Dogs

[Phil's Bees]

New tenants have moved into a cottage about 40 metres from an apiary of mine with 4 colonies, and someone has got them all worried about the bees stinging the dogs, and tld them I should move the hives.

Any advice as to what I should do?

Thanks

[Jon]

You should have no problems.
40 metres is a long way away.
Once a dog gets stung a time or two it will give bees a wide berth.
I have a dog and I have more than 4 colonies at the bottom of the garden.

Whoever has advised the new tenants does not know what they are talking about.
Incidents involving dogs have usually involved dogs which are tethered up very close to bees.

[Neils]

I think you could do worse than have a chat with your new neighbours, possibly pre armed with a jar of honey and put their minds at ease. There shouldn't be a problem and dogs aren't that daft, mostly, so I wouldn't even mention the possibility of them being stung, arguably they shouldn't be sniffing around the hives anyway. 40 meters is a reasonable distance but obviously we don't know the lay of the land like you do. While they remain worried everything will be "your bees" fault so a friendly chat to introduce yourself might do the trick, it's tended to work for me to adopt the friendly approach and be seen to be available by giving my mobile number etc.

[The Drone Ranger]

We inherited my mothers collie
He has a thing about bees and as soon as they come near he snaps at them
Bees, Bumblebees, wasps no prejudice he treats them all the same
He's been stung many times but mostly gets away with it
Last time £30 at the vet for anti inflammatory jab

I would be more worried about swarms myself than their dog
A friend of mine had a nervous neighbour and when a swarm went in her garden things really kicked off.
He put the bees in a hive and donated them to her no charge, now she is a beekeeper as well.
Neither he nor the neighbour are in the SBA but if I was you I might join, for the public liability insurance just in case.

[Easy beesy]

.

Incidents involving dogs have usually involved dogs which are tethered up very close to bees.

What eejit would do that?

[Easy beesy]

Oh and btw, the bees were there first!

Seriously, ask them their concerns and see of you can come to some sensible agreement. If They don't let their dogs out of their garden except on leads, the bees won't be a problem

[Bridget]

Our dog used to come with us when we did our inspections, even took to lying under the hives. A couple of weeks ago I noticed him with his head in his paws and then running his head along the ground. Reckon he got stung because he never comes to the Apiary now. Once bitten etc etc. But he had no bad effects, swollen face etc like I do!

[marion.orca]

Like Bridget, my dog used to accompany me to the hive. She was always left well away from them and never had any problem, apart from the occasional bee investigating her. However, one of my hives has turned nasty of late - and I mean nasty and not feisty - and whilst I was carrying out an inspection, with my back turned to the dog, the bees found her and took an instant dislike. She suffered an horrendous amount of stings before I could quickly move her to safety further away, whilst pulling out all the visible bees and stings. I do not blame the bees whatsoever for their reaction to her but I have learnt that no two hive visits are the same, nor the bees temperament on any particular day. She now stops home and I would never, never take her anywhere near a hive in the future. She is fine and dandy now and none the worse for her bad experience, but at the time, and it all happens so quickly, she was so badly affected that her back end and legs collapsed from the sheer amount of venom she had received. So if I were to apportion blame, it would be directed at myself, but lesson learned.