Swarms of bees on city rooftops
As a swarm in the wild, bees are a worry. But for Bethell’s couple Jessie Baker and Luke Whitfield a mass of bees has led to a humming small business.
Bees Up Top does what it says in the name: trained beekeepers rescue bees from exterminators, before taking the swarms to a sanctuary in West Auckland and then re-homing them on the rooftops of Auckland city.
The rooftops of Auckland’s skyscrapers make for near-perfect conditions with ample sunlight and small chances of vandalism.
Bees Up Top was set up last year, but Baker began working on the business full time in February.
The company now has beehives set up on 21 rooftops.
Bees Up Top charges anywhere between $98 and $125 a month to rent the hives on people’s rooftops or backyards. The price includes maintenance, up to 15 kilograms of honey a year, and having Baker on speed dial in case of any emergencies.
While Whitfield still works a fulltime job, Baker, who was previously a graphic designer, works full time wrangling bees, building beehives and finding customers for Bees Up Top.
‘‘We’re profitable but all the money we make goes back into the business,’’ Baker said.
Each hive cost $225 to build and $25 each to treat against diseases.
Baker said she had her fair share of naysayers when she told concerned friends and family she had decided to quit her job and dedicate her life to rescuing bees.
‘‘Be honest about where you are but don’t tell the whole world about the problems you’re facing. Focus on the positive.’’
In Auckland Baker also runs educational classes for children with experienced commercial beekeeper Alistair Little.
While Baker is still a one-man band, her partner helps her with building the beehives on weekends and hopes to hire staff next year. ‘‘I’d like to expand to other cities, but at the moment it’s just me doing everything.’’
Bees Up Top is trying to crowdfund $25,000 to cover the cost of building more hives as it looks to rescue and re-home 100 bee colonies in the busy spring and summer period coming up.
Stuff is the media partner for Small Business Month, supported by CAANZ.