Thinking of a pet?

Bees as Pets?

I have a dog.

I have a couple of cats.

I have poultry.

I have no licences for any of them and I don't have to register any of them(although it is the responsible thing to notify DEFRA if you have poultry).


I haven't been on a course to learn how to look after them-I observe them and seek professional help if something is wrong.

I haven't dissected any of them.

I haven't taken an exam to learn about any of them.

Maybe it's because bees are so crucial to our lives that they command such rigorous attention?

When I attended a talk on Natural Bee Keeping someone from the audience called out 'so you're keeping them as pets?' To which the answer was 'Yes, I suppose I am......'

What key points do we consider when thinking about getting a pet?

• Cost
• Commitment
• Reward

As an example, my dog(which is from a rescue centre) cost me £100. I had her spayed (over £100). I bought her a nice bed (£30) and had her vaccinated, then I bought her food bowls.On top of that I pay for her food (up to £30 per month, every month) and can't take her on holiday or even in some pubs. She keeps me fit and is good company-for me and the family.

Bottom line-quite expensive, quite a commitment and only benefiting few people.

Let's compare that to bees.....

A Warre hive can be purchased for £120. A colony of bees may set you back £100 or you may be lucky enough to get a swarm. That's it. They fetch their own food and may only need cleaning out once a year. A couple of inspections and maybe a feed if the weather's been poor and some cleaning of equipment before re-use. 

Bottom line-initial outlay but ongoing costs are minimal and if you are lucky there may be some honey to harvest.

Lots of people spend huge amounts of money feeding birds in Winter or putting up nesting boxes or looking after hedgehogs.

Bees as pets? Why not?

As an addendum I would like to add that I am not advocating slipshod management or unhygienic practices and it must always be borne in mind that some bee problems can be on a microscopic level.