bees in a small suburban backyard

[pippimac]

There's plenty of stuff online saying "go for it", but even if I push their flightpath up straight away, I can't envision sqeezing them in.
Of course, that's ignoring potential neighbour-issues with poo on washing, swarms, cross bees at harvest time...
On a related note, I rely on bumblebees for pollination and want to encourage them to nest at my place. Ideally I'll have both.
When I was a kid, there was alway 'bumble' nests in old carpet out the back. Rather than making a poncy 'hotel', I'm thinking of folding up bits of carpet and chucking a small piece of corrigated iron over it.
Since animals of all varieties always prefer the random packaging mouldering beside the complex, purpose-built whatever, I reckon I'll get in first...Does anyone provide bumbles with homes?

[eco4560]

Don't forget about native stingless bees...

[pippimac]

eco, I didn't mention I'm in NZ.
We've got a few genera of native bees, but they're incredibly specific in habitat/feeding requirements.
I've got lots off unnamed flying things that like flowers, so I don't think pollination's really an issue, I just want more!
Of course honey's good too, but I'm feeling the work/hurdles may not be worth the payoff.

[purplepear]

get some of the ozzie ones Pip = they could be the next possum

[pippimac]

Does anyone have top-bar hives in a space of, say, a couple of hundred m square?
pp: Grrr, possums! Well, when they're not consuming entire forests and bird species, at least they're delicious on the inside and warm on the outside!

[hawkypork]

Hi pippi,

I keep bees on my suburban block (770m2). I have them up in the back corner in the chook run about 150cm off the ground so fowl and apis dont get tangled up. The chook run fence keeps little children out and makes the bees fly above head height quickly.

All my neighbours have been given local honey and they love it. Not sure what the guy with the pool 3 doors down would have to say though.

It has been a ripper summer I have harvested about 15kgs since the beginning of November.

regards,
Haakon