Beehive Rooftop

by Andrew
(Michigan)

Hello, I am new to beekeeping. I live in a suburb with a backyard with little privacy. I have a large rooftop with some great privacy, and I was wondering if it's a good idea to store my hive on my two story roof? Thanks, Andrew

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Hi Andrew,

Yes, rooftop beekeeping is actually a pretty common thing. In cities, lots of beekeepers keep their hives on rooftops. I'm not sure if they are still there, but there used to be colonies kept on the rooftop of Chicago City Hall!

And I recently saw a documentary featuring a commercial beekeeper who harvested and marketed honey from his hives kept in New York City - all on rooftops.

The usual considerations for keeping bees in the city or in backyards apply.

And of course, you'll want to be sure that you have a location on your roof where you'll be able to comfortably and safely work the bees. If your only means of accessing the roof is a ladder, keep in mind that you'll occasionally need to transport heavy and bulky items like honey supers.

Good luck, and have fun!