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Science
A DOLLOP OF
SWEET SCIENCE
Like wine and beer, honey has an array of flavor notes that can be tricky to pinpoint. A honey’s taste is influenced by the types of nectar and pollen bees collect. But until recently scientists couldn’t say precisely what bees fed on or where.
Now, by sequencing the genetic material in honey, scientists can tell which plants are in the sweet stuff. Noah Wilson-Rich, founder of the Best Bees Company, an urban beekeeping service, heads a study profiling the DNA of honey from major U.S. cities.
Samples are taken from hives in city
centers. DNA tests reveal how many plant species honeybees visit within the foraging range of three to five miles, showing what plants they prefer. Wilson-Rich says higher plant diversity in urban areas could be one reason that city hives are healthier and more productive than many rural ones.
Written by Kelsey Nowakowski
Graphic by Daisy Chung and Clare Trainor
BOSTON (total land area: 48 sq mi)†
The number of managed hives in
Boston grew from just a handful in past
decades to more than 175 today. One
honey sample from the city contained
411 plant species—diversity that helps
urban bees flourish.
Top three plants
for honeybees*
Linden
Sumac
Apple
N
City
limits
Urban green space
SAN FRANCISCO (47 sq mi)
Hospitable climate and residents
combine with no restrictions to
make the city a haven for bees.
Pine
Eucalyptus
Rosemary
SEATTLE (84 sq mi)
A leader in urban farming and
sustainability, Seattle was an early
adopter of beekeeping regulation.
Cypress
Linden
White
sweet
clover
PORTLAND, OR (133 sq mi)
It’s called the City of Roses, and the
flower is the most prominent plant
in its honey DNA.
Sweet
chestnut
Begonia
Rose
NEW YORK (303 sq mi)
Even luxury hotels host hives: The
InterContinental in Times Square
uses its rooftop honey in cocktails.
Locust
Linden
Stonecrop
WASHINGTON, DC (61 sq mi)
In a test to see where bees can
prosper, D.C.’s wastewater treatment
plant has four hives on its roof.
Cedar
Clover
Egyptian
grass
CHICAGO (228 sq mi)
The mayor paved the way for urban
beekeeping by installing hives at City Hall
eight years before it became legal.
Linden
Clover
White
sweet
clover
Making city bees legal
Los Angeles outlawed hives in 1879 due to misguided fears that bees attacked fruit crops but joined other major U.S. cities when it legalized hives in 2015. Beekeeping was often present before city regulation. Currently most cities require that hives be kept a certain distance from property lines.
Current requirements
Permit
Fee
Registration
Number of hives under limit
2017
1880-1965
1975
1985
1995
2005
Los Angeles
Year beekeeping
was banned
Boston
Washington, DC
Chicago
New York
Year beekeeping became legal
Seattle
Portland, OR
Regulation goes back to at least 1968.
San Francisco
What’s in city honey?
A high diversity of plants—even nonflowering ones—helps bees thrive in cities. Insects that feed on sap-producing plants such as conifers expel honeydew, a sweet secretion that bees collect and make into honey.
52%
Flowering
trees
19%
Conifers
29%
Flowers,
grasses,
and shrubs
*Results based on preliminary data. Plants not drawn to scale.
†Cities not drawn to scale
Sources: Noah Wilson-Rich, The Best Bees Company; USGS PAD-US; U.S. Census Bureau; District of Columbia; Cities of Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, SAN FRANCISCO, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon
A DOLLOP OF SWEET SCIENCE
Like wine and beer, honey has an array of flavor notes that can be tricky to pinpoint. A honey’s taste is influenced by the types of nectar and pollen bees collect. But until recently scientists couldn’t say precisely what bees fed on or where.
Now, by sequencing the genetic material in honey, scientists can tell which plants are in the sweet stuff. Noah Wilson-Rich, founder of the Best Bees Company, an urban beekeeping service, heads a study profiling the DNA of honey from major U.S. cities.
Samples are taken from hives in city centers. DNA tests reveal how many plant species honeybees visit within the foraging range of three to five miles, showing what plants they prefer. Wilson-Rich says higher plant diversity in urban areas could be one reason that city hives are healthier and more productive than many rural ones.
Written by Kelsey Nowakowski
Graphic by Daisy Chung and Clare Trainor
BOSTON (total land area: 48 sq mi)†
The number of managed hives in Boston grew from just a handful in past decades to more than 175 today. One honey sample from the city contained 411 plant species—diversity that helps urban bees flourish.
Linden
Top three plants
for honeybees*
Apple
Sumac
Urban green space
N
City
limits
Recorded beehives
(data available for Boston only)
Pine
Cypress
Linden
Sweet
chestnut
Eucalyptus
Rose
Begonia
White
sweet
clover
Rosemary
PORTLAND, OR (133 sq mi)
It’s called the City of Roses, and the
flower is the most prominent plant in its honey DNA.
SAN FRANCISCO (47 sq mi)
Hospitable climate and residents
combine with no restrictions to
make the city a haven for bees.
SEATTLE (84 sq mi)
A leader in urban farming and
sustainability, Seattle was an early
adopter of beekeeping regulation.
Locust
Cedar
Linden
Linden
Clover
Clover
Stonecrop
White
sweet
clover
Egyptian
grass
NEW YORK (303 sq mi)
Even luxury hotels host hives: The
InterContinental in Times Square
uses its rooftop honey in cocktails.
WASHINGTON, DC (61 sq mi)
In a test to see where bees can
prosper, D.C.’s wastewater treatment
plant has four hives on its roof.
CHICAGO (228 sq mi)
The mayor paved the way for urban
beekeeping by installing hives at City Hall
eight years before it became legal.
Making city bees legal
Los Angeles outlawed hives in 1879 due to misguided fears that bees attacked fruit crops but joined other major U.S. cities when it legalized hives in 2015. Beekeeping was often present before city regulation. Currently most cities require that hives be kept a certain distance from property lines.
Number of hives under limit
Fee
Registration
Current requirements
Permit
1975
1875
1880-1965
1970
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2017
Los Angeles
Year beekeeping
became legal
Year beekeeping
was banned
Boston
Washington, DC
Chicago
New York
Regulation
goes back to
at least 1968.
Seattle
Portland, OR
San Francisco
What’s in city honey?
A high diversity of plants—even nonflowering ones—helps bees thrive in cities. Insects that feed on sap-producing plants such as conifers expel honeydew, a sweet secretion that bees collect and make into honey.
52% Flowering trees
29% Flowers, grasses, and shrubs
19% Conifers
*Results based on preliminary data. Plants not drawn to scale
†Cities not drawn to scale
Sources: Noah Wilson-Rich, The Best Bees Company; USGS PAD-US; U.S. Census Bureau;
District of Columbia; Cities of Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, SAN FRANCISCO, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon
A DOLLOP OF SWEET SCIENCE
Like wine and beer, honey has an array of flavor notes that can be tricky to pinpoint. A honey’s taste is influenced by the types of nectar and pollen bees collect. But until recently scientists couldn’t say precisely what bees fed on or where.
Now, by sequencing the genetic material in honey, scientists can tell which plants are in the sweet stuff. Noah Wilson-Rich, founder of the Best Bees Company, an urban beekeeping service, heads a study profiling the DNA of honey from major U.S. cities.
Samples are taken from hives in city centers. DNA tests reveal how many plant species honeybees visit within the foraging range of three to five miles, showing what plants they prefer. Wilson-Rich says higher plant diversity in urban areas could be one reason that city hives are healthier and more productive than many rural ones.
Written by Kelsey Nowakowski
Graphic by Daisy Chung and Clare Trainor
BOSTON (total land area: 48 sq mi)†
The number of managed hives in
Boston grew from just a handful in
past decades to more than 175 today.
One honey sample from the city
contained 411 plant species—diversity
that helps urban bees flourish.
Linden
Top three plants
for honeybees*
Apple
Sumac
Urban green space
N
City
limits
Recorded beehives
(data available for Boston only)
Cypress
Sweet
chestnut
Linden
Rose
Begonia
White
sweet
clover
PORTLAND, OR (133 sq mi)
It’s called the City of Roses, and the
flower is the most prominent plant in its honey DNA.
SEATTLE (84 sq mi)
A leader in urban farming and
sustainability, Seattle was an early
adopter of beekeeping regulation.
Locust
Cedar
Linden
Clover
Stonecrop
Egyptian
grass
NEW YORK (303 sq mi)
Even luxury hotels host hives: The
InterContinental in Times Square
uses its rooftop honey in cocktails.
WASHINGTON, DC (61 sq mi)
In a test to see where bees can
prosper, D.C.’s wastewater treatment
plant has four hives on its roof.
Pine
Linden
Eucalyptus
Clover
White
sweet
clover
Rosemary
SAN FRANCISCO (47 sq mi)
Hospitable climate and residents
combine with no restrictions to
make the city a haven for bees.
CHICAGO (228 sq mi)
The mayor paved the way for urban
beekeeping by installing hives at City Hall
eight years before it became legal.
Making city bees legal
Los Angeles outlawed hives in 1879 due to misguided fears that bees attacked fruit crops but joined other major U.S. cities when it legalized hives in 2015. Beekeeping was often present before city regulation. Currently most cities require that hives be kept a certain distance from property lines.
Number of hives under limit
Fee
Registration
Current requirements
Permit
1975
1875
1880-1965
1970
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2017
Los Angeles
Year beekeeping
became legal
Year beekeeping
was banned
Boston
Washington, DC
Chicago
New York
Regulation
goes back to
at least 1968.
Seattle
Portland, OR
San Francisco
What’s in city honey?
A high diversity of plants—even nonflowering ones—helps bees thrive in cities. Insects that feed on sap-producing plants such as conifers expel honeydew, a sweet secretion that bees collect and make into honey.
52% Flowering trees
29% Flowers, grasses, and shrubs
19% Conifers
*Results based on preliminary data. Plants not drawn to scale
†Cities not drawn to scale
Sources: Noah Wilson-Rich, The Best Bees Company; USGS PAD-US; U.S. Census Bureau;
District of Columbia; Cities of Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, SAN FRANCISCO, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon