Moreover, Mr Graves says, they benefit from the sheer variety of flowers. There are so many parks in New York, plus people seem to be planting everywhere. His bees will travel up to five miles from the hive for nectar, giving them a search area full of treasure, whether in potted gardens on hidden patios or across the East River in the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. He has had the occasional problem. When the buzz of the bees on the West Side balcony came to the notice of the building's owners, the old lady was forced to return the hive.
Some customers still wonder about pollutants in the honey.
But they worry needlessly, he says. Moreover, no farming in the city means no pesticides. I'd be much more worried putting a hive next to an orchard in the Berkshires, where they'd be spraying, than on a roof here. As for the rats, he runs like hell when he sees them.