# Any legal begal around?



## greenboy (Sep 5, 2005)

I want to keep bees in my town and i don't know how legal is. My wife told me I must be nuts because the liability. Any suggestions out there, I am ready to do it next spring....


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## donsgal (May 2, 2005)

greenboy said:


> I want to keep bees in my town and i don't know how legal is. My wife told me I must be nuts because the liability. Any suggestions out there, I am ready to do it next spring....


Unless you have your bees individually tagged, I would say that it would be pretty hard to prove that one of your bees did any damage. There are bees everywhere and should someone become deathly ill or, heaven forbid, die as a result of a bee sting, they would have to prove that it was one of your bees and not a wild, random, rogue bee that did it. Now, if someone is fiddling around your hive and sticks their hand in and gets stung, then yeah, they could possibly sue you, but if your bees are fenced and there is a lock on the fence and there are signs saying "keep out" or "no trespassing", then I would say that a court would decide that you had done everything reasonable and were not negligent or liable.

Nevertheless, taking out a personal liability policy to the tune of $500,000 would be prudent. I would think. 

donsgal


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## off_da_grid (May 22, 2007)

There are lots of guys on Beesource that are in PA.
Check with them. http://www.beesource.com/forums/index.php


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## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

Dh and I have considered keeping bees, but we have small children next door who are often out alone, and they're just silly enough to go poking around in thngs they oughtn't. I nixed the idea because I'd feel terrible if something happened because one of them was unexpectedly allergic.  I think you might do best to have a quick chat with your neighbors and make sure no one is phobic or allergic or such, if you're as near to yours as I am... who knows, the occasional pint of honey might get them all excited about the bees, lol!


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## georgec (Jul 9, 2007)

Have you thought about the pesticides that your neighbors might be using? You might also want to check zoning; Chances are bees are not allowed.


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## greenboy (Sep 5, 2005)

my neighbors are against eeverything is natural, even birds, they may 
have a dog but that's it....




jen74145 said:


> Dh and I have considered keeping bees, but we have small children next door who are often out alone, and they're just silly enough to go poking around in thngs they oughtn't. I nixed the idea because I'd feel terrible if something happened because one of them was unexpectedly allergic.  I think you might do best to have a quick chat with your neighbors and make sure no one is phobic or allergic or such, if you're as near to yours as I am... who knows, the occasional pint of honey might get them all excited about the bees, lol!


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## greenboy (Sep 5, 2005)

my neighbors are against eeverything is natural, even birds, they may 
have a dog but that's it....




jen74145 said:


> Dh and I have considered keeping bees, but we have small children next door who are often out alone, and they're just silly enough to go poking around in thngs they oughtn't. I nixed the idea because I'd feel terrible if something happened because one of them was unexpectedly allergic.  I think you might do best to have a quick chat with your neighbors and make sure no one is phobic or allergic or such, if you're as near to yours as I am... who knows, the occasional pint of honey might get them all excited about the bees, lol!


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

what they dont know doesnt bother them keep a good sized shadecloth screen up so they cant even see them and it will help keep the bee flight path above their heads I know a lot of people in big cities that keep bees
without to much problem and i believe at least here in CA that they are legal
as long as they keep the numbers low.I have been told that once a bee leaves the hive it is considered a wild animal.check with the local builbing inspector or ag department for your exact rights.
or try an inside hive with outside escape like an observation hive.


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## greenboy (Sep 5, 2005)

to keep an inside hive....



damoc said:


> what they dont know doesnt bother them keep a good sized shadecloth screen up so they cant even see them and it will help keep the bee flight path above their heads I know a lot of people in big cities that keep bees
> without to much problem and i believe at least here in CA that they are legal
> as long as they keep the numbers low.I have been told that once a bee leaves the hive it is considered a wild animal.check with the local builbing inspector or ag department for your exact rights.
> or try an inside hive with outside escape like an observation hive.


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## Durandal (Aug 19, 2007)

http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp?A=3&Q=127662

Looks like you have to register them. You may want to look at the town you reside in as well. They may have some laws as well.

That said...

"It is always easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission."

Use some common sense if you take the first choice.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

we have specific rules where i live otherwise hives can be kept in town 

Sec. 7-1-21 Keeping of Bees.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to establish or maintain any hive, stand or box where
bees are kept or keep any bees in or upon any premises within the corporate limits of the City unless the bees are kept in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) No hive, stand or box where bees are kept shall be located closer than twenty (20) feet to any property boundary. Such hives, stands or boxes may only be located in the rear yard.
(2) It bee colonies are kept within fifty (50) feet of any exterior boundary of the property on which the hive, stand or box is located, a barrier that will prevent bees from flying through it, no less than five (5) feet high, shall be installed and maintained along said exterior boundary. Said barrier may be either a natural planting or artificial.
(3) Fresh, clean watering facilities for bees shall be provided on the said premises.
(4) The bees and equipment shall be kept in accordance with the provisions of state law.


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## 65284 (Sep 17, 2003)

donsgal said:


> Unless you have your bees individually tagged, I would say that it would be pretty hard to prove that one of your bees did any damage.


Since all worker bees are the daughters of 1 queen with the use of DNA testing it wouldn't be hard to establish the fact that it was/wasn't a bee from his hive.


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## dcross (Aug 12, 2005)

65284 said:


> Since all worker bees are the daughters of 1 queen with the use of DNA testing it wouldn't be hard to establish the fact that it was/wasn't a bee from his hive.


First they'd have to get hold of his queen.


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