Getting Started
Maura and Peña, two Park Slope residents, recently set up a hive on the roof of a Brooklyn brownstone, home to about 12,000 fuzzy pollinators. They are part of a growing group of bee enthusiasts in New York City who keep beehives on their balconies, rooftops, or in their gardens.

• New York City legalized beekeeping in 2010, and since then, the number of registered beehives has grown by more than 500%.
• In 2024, 775 beehives were registered in the city.

The duo received a wooden box containing the worker bees and their queen from Andrew Coté, owner of Andrew’s Local Honey and a pioneer in urban beekeeping. They met up with Brooklyn Paper to give an introductory lesson in beekeeping. Maura and Peña learned how to manage honeybee colonies in an urban setting through a hands-on apprenticeship program offered by the New York City Beekeepers Association. Topics covered included hive building, hive and bee installations, disease prevention and treatment, honey harvesting and extraction. Safety First
Decked out in sting-proof bee suits, the beekeepers first removed a tin feeder containing sugar water and the queen cage from the wooden box. The queen arrives in a separate box, sealed with a candy plug that feeds and protects her during the introduction to the hive. Once the queen was released, the worker bees will eat through the plug — a process that takes about three days — and the queen will be settled into her new home. The beekeepers then removed a few panels from the hive to create space for the new residents, shaking them into the area and carefully reinserting the panels to avoid crushing any bees.

Honey Harvesting
Honey harvesting season runs from mid-July through September, and according to Maura, bees thrive in the “People’s Republic of Park Slope.” The bees fly as far as three miles from their hive to pollinate and collect nectar. “The honey tastes like Linden when the Linden trees are blooming,” Maura said, noting that the trees provide a sweet source of nectar for the bees. The Importance of Bees
Bees are vital to a thriving ecosystem — 90% of wild flowering plants and 75% of food crops depend on pollination for seed and fruit production. However, honey bees are dying at an alarming rate due to the climate crisis, pesticides, land use changes, habitat destruction and invasive species. Urban Beekeeping Challenges
Maura and Peña face several challenges in their urban beekeeping journey. They must ensure that the bees have access to a steady food source and that the hive is safe from pests and diseases. “If we lose bees, we lose life as we know it,” Peña said. “We need bees for everything that we eat. I’m just trying to do my little part, keeping bees alive.”
Supporting Urban Beekeeping
Project Apis, a nonprofit that supports beekeeping science, notes that urban beekeeping can play a crucial role in pollinator conservation. By keeping bees in urban areas, beekeepers can help support local ecosystems and promote biodiversity. “Beekeeping is a way to connect with nature and support the environment,” Maura said. “It’s a way to make a difference, even if it’s just a small one.”
What’s Next
For Maura and Peña, beekeeping is a rewarding experience that allows them to connect with nature and support their local community. As they continue to tend to their hive, they hope to inspire others to follow in their footsteps and join the urban beekeeping movement. Beekeeping is a way to make a difference, even if it’s just a small one.

A Hive of Activity

Maura and Peña are not alone in their urban beekeeping journey. There are many others in New York City who keep beehives on their balconies, rooftops, or in their gardens.

• New York City Beekeepers Association offers a hands-on apprenticeship program for those interested in urban beekeeping.
• The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene requires all registered beehives to meet specific safety standards.

Urban Beekeeping Benefits

Urban beekeeping offers numerous benefits for both beekeepers and the environment. Some of the benefits include:

• Biodiversity: Urban beekeeping can help support local ecosystems and promote biodiversity.
• Food Security: Bees pollinate plants in parks and gardens, ensuring a steady supply of fruits and vegetables.
• Community Engagement: Urban beekeeping can bring people together and promote a sense of community.

Challenges and Solutions

Maura and Peña face several challenges in their urban beekeeping journey. Some of the challenges include:

• Access to Food: Ensuring that the bees have access to a steady food source is crucial.
• Pest and Disease Control: Beekeepers must take steps to prevent pests and diseases from affecting the hive.
• Education and Outreach: Beekeepers must educate themselves and others about the importance of urban beekeeping and the challenges involved.

Conclusion

For Maura and Peña, beekeeping is a rewarding experience that allows them to connect with nature and support their local community. As they continue to tend to their hive, they hope to inspire others to join the urban beekeeping movement and make a positive impact on the environment.