East End Market owner, John Rife, installed arguably the first (legal and registered) rooftop beehive in the City of Orlando on Friday, September 21, and our editor was there to film it.

The hive is a first for the food hub/hall in Audubon Park but certainly not the last. Rife told Bungalower that he’s looking forward to adding hives as the colony becomes more established and continues to grow.

Nearby banks of pollen in Mead and Leu Gardens are within the flight path of the new apiary so it should be producing honey soon.

Backyard beekeeping is completely legal within City limits but the City of Orlando required that Rife prove the hive wouldn’t be blown off in a storm by providing engineering specs on how he would secure them to the roof and where exactly they would be planted.

Registration of your bee colony is required by law and beekeepers must file with FDACS HERE with an Application for Beekeeping Registration.

If you’re thinking of becoming a backyard beekeeper, consider reaching out to organizations like the Orange Blossom Beekeepers Association for more information on what it takes to tend a happy, healthy hive in the City Beautiful.

Brendan O'Connor

Editor in Chief of Bungalower.com

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