More bees are moving to the 'burbs.
As buzz builds over the popular hobby and the dramatic worldwide die-off of bees, more than two dozÂen metÂro-area citÂies, including Minnetonka, Bloomington and Stillwater, are allowing back-yard beekeeping.
On TuesÂday, Eden Prairie is exÂpectÂed to be the latÂest city to approve it. And in Chanhassen, beekeeping classes are filling up, like one next month that's sold out to nearly 200 people interested in starting the hobby.
"The number of people doing it now is surprising," said Gary Reuter, who helps teach classes at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and run the University of Minnesota's Bee Lab. "People want to do their part to help [bees], and some of it is the back-to-nature thinking."
Scientists say a worldwide phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder is affecting bees, which are dyÂing at a rate of 35 percent a year. That news, along with the movement to produce food locally, has increased interest in beekeeping.
Minneapolis and St. Paul were among the first cities here to allow it. Now roofÂtops from Minneapolis City Hall to downÂtown hoÂtels host hives.
The trend has spread to subÂurbs, but demand so far has been moderate. Stillwater has isÂsued six perÂmits for resiÂdenÂtial beeÂkeepÂing since alÂlowÂing it about a year ago; no comÂplaints have come up. In the north metro, Circle Pines started allowing residential beekeeping last July, but has had no applications yet. And St. Paul Park has issued one permit since passing a beekeeping ordinance almost a year ago.
OthÂer subÂurbs eithÂer don't have a speÂcifÂic orÂdiÂnance on beekeeping, outÂwardÂly proÂhibÂit it or reÂstrict hives to ruÂral propÂerÂties.
Carrying on a tradition
That's the case in Eden Prairie, which currently limits beeÂkeepÂing to rural areas. ResÂiÂdent Chris Endres lobÂbied for an ordinance change.
His grandÂfather and faÂther passed on the beekeeping hobby to him, and now he's sharing it with his 17-year-old daughÂter, both entering homemade honey in State Fair contests. But since he hasn't been allowed to keep the hives in his neighborhood, he's housed them at his cabÂin and at a friend's house in neighÂborÂing Minnetonka.
"It's kind of like beÂing a wine connoisseur," said Endres, who has tastÂing parÂties to show off his Minnetonka-made honÂey.
The proposed city ordinance to be discussed Tuesday has speÂcifÂic limiÂtaÂtions, such as the colony size, and beeÂkeepÂers have to regÂisÂter with poÂlice so neighbors can be notified. Jim Schedin, the city's zoning administrator, esÂtiÂmates a half-dozen residents will end up regÂisÂtering with the city.
"I've seen an uptick in interest," he said. "We have bees to our east and bees to our north. … They're reÂally evÂerÂyÂwhere."
Mixed reaction
Not evÂerÂyÂone is supÂportÂive, though.
The stickÂing point for most peoÂple: bee swarms bothering neighbors or affecting residents with alÂlerÂgies. Some cities, including Edina, prohibit beekeeping. In Eden Prairie, Council Member KathÂy Nelson was the lone opÂpoÂnent, sayÂing that the hobÂby shouldn't negÂaÂtiveÂly imÂpact resiÂdents who have bee alÂlerÂgies, such as her daughÂter.
"I don't see the overwhelming need to have a change, and it could have an extreme consequence for some families in town," she said. "It doesn't seem like something your next-door neighbor in a suburb would do. I would never have purchased a home if I knew bees were next door."
ProÂpoÂnents like Endres say they understand conÂcerns, but said that honeybees are ofÂten mistaken for horÂnets, wasps and yelÂlow jackÂets, which are more likeÂly to sting. He said he hopes allowing beekeeping will increase knowledge about honeybees and help show their benefits.
"It really brings a lot of public awareness and sensitivity," he said. "I just don't think it's a problem."
Kelly Smith • 612-673-4141 Twitter: @kellystrib