Ülemiste beehives

For the third summer in a row, hardworking bee colonies have been thriving on the rooftop of Ülemiste keskus. This season, as many as sixteen hives are in operation – and the harvest is, quite literally, sweet as honey.

You can follow the activities of our little friends in real time via this live camera.

Why do we do this?

According to Tiia Nõmm, Head of Responsible Entrepreneurship at Ülemiste center, the decision to “hire” bees was a conscious step toward bringing more nature to the area surrounding the centre – more trees and shrubs, as well as lush, unmown meadow patches.

The idea also felt natural because the centre has long cooperated with the Estonian Fund for Nature and supported its continuous cover forestry programme. “We felt that we could also do something close to home that would benefit nature,” says Tiia Nõmm.

According to beekeeper Sander Noormägi, who takes care of the Ülemiste bees, the colonies play a vital role in achieving the centre’s sustainability goals. Bees pollinate plants and trees, enabling them to bear more fruit. This, in turn, provides food for urban animals and birds, which help spread plant species throughout the city.

Who are our bees?

The bees living on the rooftop come from Karusauna Farm in Väike-Maarja and belong to the Buckfast breed. They are described as so calm that a beekeeper can work near the hive without protective gear or smoke. Through careful crossbreeding, Buckfast bees have inherited the best honey-producing traits from different lines and are known as excellent foragers.

Each of the sixteen hives is home to approximately 50,000 bees.

What do our bees collect?

Ülemiste offers plenty of foraging opportunities. Just across the intersection lies Lake Ülemiste, surrounded by diverse plant life, and beyond the airport there are extensive rapeseed fields. In addition, part of the lawn behind the centre has intentionally been left unmown and sown with a meadow flower mix.

According to beekeeper Noormägi, the vegetation around Ülemiste is rich and well suited for bees. At the end of the season, pollen analyses reveal which plants the bees have visited.

Is urban honey clean?

According to Noormägi, cities can be a suitable living environment for bees, as the use of plant protection chemicals is highly restricted. Even weed control methods used along urban railways have become safer, with thermal control methods increasingly preferred over chemical solutions.

Within the hive, every bee has a specific role, and honey undergoes a natural quality control process. Forager bees bring nectar to the hive, while guard bees, equipped with highly sensitive senses, monitor what enters. If they detect toxins, they will not allow the contaminated bee to enter and will eliminate the threat before it reaches the hive.

What does our honey’s DNA reveal?

Honey DNA Analysis (MDA) is an innovative method that provides detailed and reliable information about honey composition, origin, and quality. It helps producers ensure authenticity and allows consumers to make informed choices.

MDA can determine:

Botanical composition – DNA from over 5,000 plant species can be identified, including pollen, nectar, and honeydew plants, revealing which plants the bees collected from.
Bee pathogens and parasites – the analysis detects 20 significant bee diseases and parasites, helping monitor colony health and prevent outbreaks.
Authenticity and origin – MDA enables the identification of the honey’s geographical origin and verification of its authenticity.
Quality indicators – the analysis assesses overall quality, including the possible presence of foreign sugars, HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural) levels, and other parameters.

The honey produced by Ülemiste Centre’s bees has been issued a certificate confirming its authenticity.

Discover more about our honey’s DNA analysis here.