By Luke Voogt
Tony McNamara reckons his bees, currently plundering the colourful tiered raingardens of Johnstone Park to make rich honey, recognise his face.
Bees recognise shape, colour, scent and, according to recent scientific studies, human faces.
“The more you interact with the bees the calmer they’ll be with you,” Tony said.
“They’re just so intelligent. They really just want to get on with their life which is really short to begin with.”
A beehive Tony installed on the roof of City Hall last May had produced a bounty of rich, deeply-coloured honey, he said.
The Torquay beekeeper approached council with the idea about 18 months ago.
“It’s being done in just about every major city in the world,” he said.
“I also have a friend who does rooftop beekeeping in Dublin.”
Tony last Friday installed his second “penthouse“ rooftop beehive at City Hall, and plans another at Geelong West Town Hall.
The IT worker of 30-odd years began the hobby after an “elderly gentleman“ up the road posted on Facebook that he was giving away his hives.
Tony now tends the “gentle” creatures in several hives from Apollo Bay to Queenscliff.
“It’s not just about taking honey. The first job is the wellbeing of the bees,“ he said.
“It’s a lovely pastime, hobby and profession. Every bee will give their own life for the colony – that’s sort of what bees are about.”
