Neighbor’s beekeeping dispute leads to debate on honey bees as livestock animals

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - A neighbor’s dispute in Bowling Green has led to debates on ‘urban beekeeping,’ and the potential status of honeybees as livestock animals.

Melvin Coulter first began beekeeping in 2020 and now has seven hives in his suburban backyard. Coulter offers free removals of nuisance bees and says that one of these hives that had recently been relocated was sitting on a barrel outside his home, inches from his neighbor’s chain-link fence, when it was sprayed with pesticides.

“So I asked her, do you know what happened? And she said, ‘They were flying everywhere and I couldn’t sit on my front porch. I called someone and they said, as long as I sprayed on my property, it’d be okay.’ And I told her, ‘Well that’s strange, because why are all of these bees dead on my side?’” Coulter recounted.

Coulter’s neighbor, Jessie Elmore, says that she is allergic to bees and was spraying for pests along her fence line when the bees began to swarm her.

Coulter claims that the hive was only there for hours, while Elmore said that it had been there for up to two weeks.

“I took that out there with me and I sprayed my Moses in the Burning Bush and the snowball bush that’s right there, and well that made them swarm more,” Elmore explained. “So I took that and I swarmed it up in the air so that I could get in.”

Coulter believes that Elmore sprayed his hive intentionally, and according to police reports, is seeking almost $500 in damages.

Dr. Tammy Potter, Kentucky’s state apiarist, says that feuds between neighbors and urban beekeepers have become more common in recent years.

“You have no idea how many times I have been cussed out because there isn’t a law against urban beekeeping, or beekeeping in general. I mean, people are terrified,” Potter said.

Potter explained that there are still steps involved in responsibly establishing urban hives, including ensuring that there is adequate space, access to fresh water, and speaking with neighbors regarding their concerns before taking on any hives.

“Establish good relationships with the neighbors prior to establishing the hives. Right? If a neighbor expresses genuine concern, then a beekeeper should reconsider putting their hives in a suburban environment and consider other options, such as reaching out to local orchards or local, you know, local farmers or things like that, where their bees can be of benefit,” said Dr. Potter.

These disputes have also brought on debates of whether honey bees should be considered a livestock animal.

The differentiation would afford the insects greater protections from potential harm but would also create limitations on beekeepers keeping hives within city limits.

“This whole effort to redefine honeybees as livestock goes back a good 15 years, the most recent attempt was in 2016,” recollected Potter.

That attempt in 2016 did not make it past the state senate, and there have been no attempts since then. Potter encourages beekeepers to abide by best practices and adjust to their neighbor’s concerns. She also advised that beekeepers and those that spray any chemical are encouraged to download the Department of Agriculture’s Pollinator Protection app.

If a beekeeper believes that their hive has been sprayed with a pesticide, they are directed to call the Department of Agriculture’s Division of Environmental Services. She advised that reaching her directly will delay any processes for an inspector to come to their hive.

Potter also offered a piece of advice for urban beekeepers, saying, “I like to quote Wendell Berry. Love the neighbors you have, not the ones you wish you had. That is more complex than any of them want to admit to sometimes.”