Beekeeping Reimagined for the Urban Environment

When I ask people what comes to mind when I say beekeeping, people generally imagine stacked boxes at the back of a field, far away from people. When I tell them that I’m a beekeeper, and that I spent yesterday afternoon looking in on our Beepod located on a green roof in a busy urban area of our city, the general reaction is best described as stunned caution. This is most entertaining when the building is actually within sight as they will look over their shoulder expecting to see a swarm of bees coming after them. Silly humans.

The negative perception surrounding honeybees contrasted with the reality of their sweet nature always amazes me. People truly believe that honeybees should be kept far away from people and that the hazmat-like suits “traditional” beekeepers use are completely reasonable. We think a little different at Beepods. We’ll bring a group of school children right up to the hive, not a veil in sight, and show them through the window how our bees make their home.

How has the perception of honeybees become so warped? I offer two reasons: other bees are giving honeybees a bad name, and they have been kept in hives that are best for commercial purposes, to the detriment of bee welfare. Think of those stacked boxes being loaded onto a semi to go pollinate the almond fields of California. How do you think the bees feel about that situation?

Beepods is a new urban beekeeping system, based on ancient techniques, designed to make stronger hives and healthier communities. The top-bar design is ideally suited to urban environments and educational settings. Our goals are threefold: education, advocacy, and the creation of Community Supported Urban Apiaries for the betterment of bees and ourselves.

We believe in beekeeping for the bees.

Bee the Change.

www.beepods.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdBSnaFI77o

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Laura Maigatter

Laura’s journey with Beepods really started years before becoming involved with the company. An advocate for local and sustainable food and the central role pollinators play in our food system, she will be writing about Beekeeping How To's and Bee Knowledge mostly, with some other things she is passionate about as well. Follow Laura on Instagram @LauraGater to check out some of her photos she takes.

Latest posts by Laura Maigatter (see all)

• Bees Pollinating Flowers & Gathering Last-minute Nectar in Fall - November 16, 2016
• Queen Spotting Tips for Newbee Beekeepers - July 26, 2016
• Beepods Guide to Defend your Bees from Pesticides - June 27, 2016