Why city bees can thrive on Lithuanian rooftops

Prepared by the infoerdve.lt editorial team based on information from ELTA.

Bees in the middle of a city may sound unusual, but in the Lithuanian cities of Kaunas and Klaipėda it is becoming a practical example of urban ecology. Hives are being placed on the roofs of stores operated by the supermarket chain Iki, with care entrusted to specialists in urban beekeeping.

At first glance, meadows and open fields may seem like the natural choice for bees. Experts say the reality is more complex. In areas of intensive agriculture, bees may face limited food variety and greater exposure to plant protection products. In cities, by contrast, parks, small squares, private gardens, flowerbeds and balconies can provide a varied sequence of flowering plants across the season.

Paulius Chockevičius, founder of Urbanbee.lt, says urban beekeeping differs from traditional rural beekeeping in more than just the location of the hive.

“First of all, the seasonality and the nature of the nectar flow are different,” he says. In cities, there are no large monoculture areas such as rapeseed or buckwheat fields. Bees therefore collect nectar from a much wider range of plants throughout the season. According to Chockevičius, this makes the nectar flow more even and gives bees access to more diverse food sources.

That diversity can be important. Trees bloom in parks, ornamental plants are grown in courtyards and public spaces, herbs and flowers appear on balconies, and private gardens may contain several flowering species at the same time. Chockevičius notes that urban trees such as lindens and horse chestnuts are especially valuable nectar sources.

The comparison is not necessarily between cities and untouched nature, but between cities and intensively farmed areas. In such agricultural zones, plant protection products can directly affect bees or weaken the immunity and vitality of colonies over time, he says.

Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city, and Klaipėda, the country’s main port city on the Baltic Sea, are the local examples in this initiative. Hives are being installed on the roofs of Iki stores in both cities.

Vilius Jorudas, sustainability manager at Iki, says the hives were not placed there by accident. The company’s aim, he says, is to contribute to biodiversity and show that ordinary retail infrastructure can create additional value for the environment.

“The hives on Iki roofs are one example of how even ordinary infrastructure can perform more than one function,” Jorudas says. He adds that such steps do not always require complex technology or major changes, but sometimes a different way of looking at existing spaces.

For bees, rooftops can also have practical advantages. Chockevičius says hives placed on buildings often face lower humidity, better ventilation and, in some cases, fewer pests and diseases. This does not mean every roof is suitable for bees, but a carefully chosen site can support a healthy colony.

Because urban hives are often near homes, offices or shops, safety is a central issue. Chockevičius says professional maintenance is essential, and calmer bee breeds suited to living near people are chosen for such settings.

Bees are not confined to a single building or street. They most often search for food within about 1 kilometre of the hive. Normally, they can fly up to 3 kilometres, and in special circumstances, such as when valuable food sources are farther away or conditions are favourable, they may travel up to 5 kilometres.

Dense urban development is not necessarily a major obstacle. Buildings, trees and other city features become landmarks, helping bees navigate in much the same way as they use natural features outside the city.

According to Chockevičius, it is often the beekeepers, rather than the bees, who must adapt most to the city. Instead of walking along a path through a meadow, they may need to plan routes around traffic, carry equipment through buildings, climb stairs or use ladders to reach rooftops.

He jokes that urban beekeepers sometimes do not need a gym membership. Inspecting hives, collecting honey and carrying equipment on city roofs can involve significant physical effort.

For residents, such projects also point to a broader lesson: bee welfare in cities does not depend only on hives. Flowering balconies, less frequently mown patches of grass, nectar-rich trees and a more cautious approach to chemicals can all help pollinators in urban environments.

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