Rooftop beehives are buzzing in HK
By Justina Lee |
July 14, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IN the corner of a Hong Kong rooftop, amid the shining glass and steel of the city's high-rise skyline, stands a humble wooden box on legs - a beehive, packed with roughly 10,000 honey bees.
Densely urban Hong Kong seems an unlikely match for any form of agriculture, but a few hardy souls have been venturing into the increasingly popular practice of beekeeping.
"Hong Kong's pretty dense - a dense concrete jungle in the center," said Michael Leung, founder and creative director of HK Honey, an organization that seeks to promote beekeeping in the city and keeps the hive on the roof of a 14-story building in the busy Wan Chai district.
"But around the whole of Hong Kong there are actually loads of green spaces, like mountains with trees and flora for bees to pollinate and harvest nectar from."
In reality, Leung said, Hong Kong is an ideal environment for honey bees.
The warm weather is optimal for beekeeping, and the absence of a cold winter allows the honey to be harvested year round.
There are now around 11 urban beehives scattered through the city, owned by farmers, organizations and private individuals.
While urban beekeeping is hardly unique to Hong Kong - the practice is growing in popularity, with bees raised in cities including Tokyo, Paris and Chicago - there is a uniquely Chinese touch to how they are kept.
The traditional Chinese beekeeper doesn't smoke the bees or wear any protective gear, which Leung believes builds a closer connection with the insects.
Leung himself removed a bee frame with bees on it while wearing casual clothing, including a T-shirt, and said it is hardly as perilous as one might think - although he has been stung 13 times in the 18 months of his beekeeping career.
Even though Chinese bees are more aggressive than their Western counterparts, as long as they are not disturbed they will happily ignore humans, he said.
"We try to communicate the value of bees being pollinators and really necessary for our food chain," he said.
"They are resourceful and industrious insects so we want to promote this, and the consumption of local honey."
Eating locally produced honey is also ecological, Leung said.
Densely urban Hong Kong seems an unlikely match for any form of agriculture, but a few hardy souls have been venturing into the increasingly popular practice of beekeeping.
"Hong Kong's pretty dense - a dense concrete jungle in the center," said Michael Leung, founder and creative director of HK Honey, an organization that seeks to promote beekeeping in the city and keeps the hive on the roof of a 14-story building in the busy Wan Chai district.
"But around the whole of Hong Kong there are actually loads of green spaces, like mountains with trees and flora for bees to pollinate and harvest nectar from."
In reality, Leung said, Hong Kong is an ideal environment for honey bees.
The warm weather is optimal for beekeeping, and the absence of a cold winter allows the honey to be harvested year round.
There are now around 11 urban beehives scattered through the city, owned by farmers, organizations and private individuals.
While urban beekeeping is hardly unique to Hong Kong - the practice is growing in popularity, with bees raised in cities including Tokyo, Paris and Chicago - there is a uniquely Chinese touch to how they are kept.
The traditional Chinese beekeeper doesn't smoke the bees or wear any protective gear, which Leung believes builds a closer connection with the insects.
Leung himself removed a bee frame with bees on it while wearing casual clothing, including a T-shirt, and said it is hardly as perilous as one might think - although he has been stung 13 times in the 18 months of his beekeeping career.
Even though Chinese bees are more aggressive than their Western counterparts, as long as they are not disturbed they will happily ignore humans, he said.
"We try to communicate the value of bees being pollinators and really necessary for our food chain," he said.
"They are resourceful and industrious insects so we want to promote this, and the consumption of local honey."
Eating locally produced honey is also ecological, Leung said.
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