Urban Beekeeping Quietly Grows

Thousands of city dwellers now maintain a small hive on a rooftop, a balcony, or in a backyard. Introductory courses fill up within a week of opening registration.

The bees are usually Italian honeybees, bred for a calm temperament. Proper urban beekeepers work in pairs, share equipment, and trade honey with neighbors.

Research shows urban honey often has a richer flavor profile than suburban or farm honey, thanks to the wide variety of pollinating flowers in a square mile.

Beyond the honey, participants describe beekeeping as a lesson in patience. The bees teach their keeper, not the other way around.