I agree with you. Now, if the scenario was containing wasps instead of bees I would feel totally differently about it, as wasps seem to go out of their way to attack and are very aggressive in nature.

I'm highly allergic to bees/wasps etc to. My mom insisted when I was little to learn about these bugs, so that I can reduce the risk of getting stung. Stuff like not wearing perfume or eating/drinking sugary stuff outside, it's actually pretty easy, haven't been stung for over 25 years

Yup. I have one hive in my back yard. We walk within 2 meters of it in shorts and t-shirts every day and never get stung. The bees have no interest in humans unless you are actively threatening the hive. 10 meters away the bees are well away from the hive and will only sting if you grab them / step on them.

I'm allergic too. I used to be terrified of bees, though - because my mum was - so I can understand that too. Learning I could live with them in close proximity without much risk was such a relief.

Me too. Our neighbour has 8 hives and he takes great care of them. We grow organic herbs so get lots of them in our gardens. I have never been stung. And he always gives us honey. We must learn to live WITH nature not against it.

And I would add, if I was a parent to a kiddo like that and it would worry me, I would actively ask around about this. It's an awkward situation, that's for sure.

Exactly. We had a beekeeper come to the private school where I taught many years ago and talk about how he cared for them, all that kind of stuff. He brought a hive into our quite small assembly room and showed us the bees crawling around on it. No incidents, no issues. There's more than a little overreacting going on with this post, not to mention some control issues.

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There's a huge difference between the number of bees the average person encounters versus someone near four hives, which will house somewhere around 80,000 bees. EIGHTY THOUSAND BEES. See the difference?

Totally agree, if they are so worried about their son they should have checked out their neighbours before they brought a house.

There was a woman that wanted to chop down all oak trees in a whole suburb because her son was allergic to nuts. That was veto'd, but I feel its the same principle in terms of imposing your views on the world and people around you. Weighted a bit in this case, as chance of bee reaction is greater than acorn/nut reaction, but they're asking for the same concession.

Agreed. It sucks as a circumstance, but people need to understand that other people do not need to cater to you. I'm allergic to bees and do you know what I do all summer? Be EXTRA careful outside and have quick access to medication. A bee sting can happen anywhere. Sounds like the parents just need to supervise their child outside and have his epi pen extra handy when he is.

How do you research bee hives in the winter?

Yeah but you can keep your cats on your property. As far as I know there's no such thing as a leash for bees...

The kid's allergy is so bad he's been previously hospitalized for it though. That's not the same as a cat allergy.

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That’s not the same thing though. Most cats live indoors and even if they are outdoor cats, they’re fairly easy to avoid, just don’t come near them. Bees on the other hand will just buzz around the garden. I agree new neighbors should’ve done their homework but you’re comparing apples and pears