Karim Haddad works as an engineer during the week, but on weekends he looks after four beehives on the roof of a hotel in downtown Chicago.
How did you get into beekeeping?
By accident.
A friend of mine was moving abroad and asked me to take over her hives for a summer.
I said yes before I had really thought it through, and by the end of August I was hooked.
Isn't a city a strange place for bees?
People are often taken aback when I tell them, but cities can actually be good for bees.
There are parks, gardens and street trees everywhere, and fewer of the chemicals that are sprayed on large farms.
My bees fly up to three miles in every direction, so they have plenty to choose from.
What does a typical visit to the roof look like?
In summer I check each hive about once a week.
I'm looking for signs that the queen is laying eggs, that the colony has enough food, and that it isn't getting ready to swarm.
It's slow, careful work.
If you rush, the bees pick up on it right away.
Have you ever been stung?
More times than I can count!
It comes with the territory.
But bees rarely attack unless they feel their home is under threat.
What happens to the honey?
The hotel's kitchen uses it in desserts and salad dressings, and guests can buy small jars at the front desk.
Every batch tastes slightly different, depending on what's in bloom.
Our early summer honey, mostly from linden trees, is pale and almost minty.