Bees, like rats, are creatures that most people try to keep away from their homes — and that some people enjoy keeping around.

One of these was a client of ours who used to own a boarding kennel. Out back were several hives full of bees  (which belonged to him — no, he didn’t board bees), and sometimes my husband would help him collect honey in return for a share of it. Though few people like bees, most people like honey.

PB Majalakare, whose rural home is also home to a million bees, shares some thoughts on life with them:

• “I feel connected to them, they are always busy.”
• “The best part of having them around is the musical humming sound they make.”
• You don’t have to feed bees — just let them keep some of the honey.They are low-maintenance animals in other ways,too.
• Getting stung is less of a risk than you might think — bees don’t sting unless they’re hurt.
• However, beekeeping is definitely for country dwellers who can provide a lot of space and plenty of flowering plants.

A look at the USDA’s statistics on beekeeping is eye-opening. Out of 250,000 beekeepers in the U.S., 230,000 are considered “hobbyists” rather than commercial beekeepers. (The cutoff is owning 300 hives or more.) That’s an awful lot of “pet” bees.

Of course, a hobby can grow into a business. The USDA says a beekeeper thinking of going commercial should probably aim for a market niche — high quality specialty honey, for example, or selling the bees themselves to other beekeepers. Some beekeepers use their experience to moonlight as pest control specialists.

So beekeeping, while not like owning a dog or cat, can be very satisfying. It has its own rewards.