Apiary Layout Design

[fredbloggs]

Right - one for the panel to throw in some ideas please.

I have a new apiary site - some 16m x 10 m bordered on all four sides by high vegetation. I have 10 new queens coming next week and intend to site the nucs on this site. They will migrate to full size hives. I want the flexibity to add to those numbers if I want to (more nuc raising than honey production) and more importantly as long as Mrs Bloogs does not find out.

As per usual, despite leaving myself numerous post-it notes - messages such as note to self "3 weeks to D day - get a move on"" followed in ever decreasing numbers ie 2 weeks... followed by 1 week...... D day is next week and whilst I have all the gear ready (who muttered "liar" ) and the site strimmed, I have given no thought to apiary layout, principally because it never occurred to me.

Most of my apiaries have been on the perimeter of fields so a linear line (not ideal I know because of drifting) has been the only option.

Went to measure up today with wonderful daughter who was treated to an hour of me scratching my head whilst the thought struck me that I do not need a "classroom" layout - indeed the sky is the limit? Blocks of four, ziggy-zaggy things or just plop a hive down anywhere?

I have attempted this pm to find info on Bro Adam's layout and cannot find anything which shows how his blocks worked operationally or the entrances were orientated. Now, what with the water leak that needs fixing, the cats injuries to contend with and all the other domestic trivia, I am now into the synergy of picking other peoples brains - Needs must people!!

Scrap metal and wood aplenty, I do not favour single hive stands but can easily accommodate a construction that will accommodate say 4 hives. Double hive stands were to be the order of the day and I have not ruled them out. The site is slightly sloped in the one direction. No problem when it comes to levelling any stands.

I need to have the layout in my head for Tuesday so that at least the nucs will be sited in the correct places. The supadoopa stands can slide into place at a later date. (probably circa 2020 at the rate I work but hey ho !!)

Any ideas ??

Regards


FB

 

[drstitson]

" have attempted this pm to find info on Bro Adam's layout and cannot find anything which shows how his blocks worked operationally or the entrances were orientated"

there's a photo in the middle of beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey. Sorry can't be any more helpful but returned the book to club apiary last night.

 

[nematode]

Is this link any good?

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=3429.0

 

[Poly Hive]

The things people fret about.

Any damn way you want. Simple

What though IS important is that you make the nucs look different to each other.

PH

 

[huntsman666]

Put them in loose groups of four, each with the entrance facing a different direction. Try and give each group a distinctive landmark.

 

[drstitson]

"ut them in loose groups of four, each with the entrance facing a different direction."

that's what BA did at BA - see the pics in the link above - each group being made of the base unit of two on a stand.

 

[Poly Hive]

Remember each of his hives was identical hence the four way pattern.

Put a "landmark" on each nuc and you are there.

PH

 

[fredbloggs]

Thank you to all those who have gone out of their way to given helpful constructive contributions

However.... Poly Hive>

I detect nowhere in my post that I am fretting. I am well aware that it will be "any way I want". It is a simple enough question and if you cannot make a pleasant reply - don't make one at all??

Quite frankly, I would not have expected anything less from you?

On three seperate occasions, I have had a discussion with contributors to this forum and when mentioning ignorant, blunt and rudely critical posters, your name came up top of the list in each conversation.

Give it a rest? I for one am fed up with your posts and I know I am not alone.

Not a rant and I suspect knowing your capacity for equally bile-filled ripostes, not over.

As I recall (and I am not wrong) Admin recently made a statement on posts that were in the very style of the one you have made here. You had the audacity to comment (without being named) that whilst you felt there was an implied insinuation that Admins post referred to you, Your behaviour was justified as you were equally blunt to peoples faces?

It's about time you were told and I'll say it again. I care very little for how much you know or how clever a bee-keeper you are. If you cannot be pleasant (and I suspect you cannot) then don't post at all.

 

[drstitson]

calm down.

PH's replies on this thread were both direct (very), helpful and to the point.

It's the "grumpy old men" on here that impart a significant amount of useful practical info/experience.

 

[Flatters]

Fred, to me the paragraph with al the "notes to self" read a bit like you were fretting. I think you may have been a bit harsh, especially since you were given good advice.

 

[fredbloggs]

I will have you know that i am calm - just exceedingly annoyed? There's a difference. To repeat the point i am NOT fretting. I am very well prepared on this with the exception that at the 11th hour, i have had second thoughts on the layout whilst laying it out. Hence the OP requesting some ideas in order that i can get it right first time.

I do NOT want replies like the one received from PH and fully stand by my comments. If he has not got anything polite and constructive to contribute, then i don't want to hear it!!

Ok?

Thanks to the poster of the pikkies - exactly what i wanted. My assistant and i will study them more closely tomorrow.

 

[Flatters]

What though IS important is that you make the nucs look different to each other.
This sounds like constructive advice to me.

 

[eric]

The things people fret about.

Any damn way you want. Simple

What though IS important is that you make the nucs look different to each other.

PH

correct

 

[Steve Dyer]

I have two points here. When you write an email or post, if it has strong words, or is a robust response, then let it lie fallow for an hour, or overnight, and re-read it, and what you are responding to. Simple text doesn't always well convey the meaning and attitude of the writer, and you will often tone down a message on mature reflection.

"What though IS important is that you make the nucs look different to each other. "

Although this is a good answer, it misses one aspect. You must make the nucs look different TO THE BEES. For example bees don't see red, and they do see ultra violet. (I often wonder what a bee suit looks like to them after it has been washed in a powder with a "blue whitener" which fluoresces under UV.)

Bees are also better at distinguishing things against a green background - presumably to spot flowers on bushes, and are also pretty good at distinguishing geometric shapes, so it might be that large black letters/numbers on a green background might be visible and recognisable to bees, and useful for the beekeeper as hive ID's, whilst a red number might be invisible to them..

I am not an expert and maybe some scientist here can improve on this...

Steve

 

[drstitson]

"For example bees don't see red, and they do see ultra violet.....so it might be that large black letters/numbers on a green background might be visible and recognisable to bees, and useful for the beekeeper as hive ID's, whilst a red number might be invisible to them.."

bees see red as black so a red number is just as visible as a black one.

hope this post is direct enough yet informative!

 

[The Apprentices]

Right - one for the panel to throw in some ideas please.

I have a new apiary site - some 16m x 10 m bordered on all four sides by high vegetation. I have 10 new queens coming next week and intend to site the nucs on this site. They will migrate to full size hives. I want the flexibity to add to those numbers if I want to (more nuc raising than honey production) and more importantly as long as Mrs Bloogs does not find out.

As per usual, despite leaving myself numerous post-it notes - messages such as note to self "3 weeks to D day - get a move on"" followed in ever decreasing numbers ie 2 weeks... followed by 1 week...... D day is next week and whilst I have all the gear ready (who muttered "liar" ) and the site strimmed, I have given no thought to apiary layout, principally because it never occurred to me.

Most of my apiaries have been on the perimeter of fields so a linear line (not ideal I know because of drifting) has been the only option.

Went to measure up today with wonderful daughter who was treated to an hour of me scratching my head whilst the thought struck me that I do not need a "classroom" layout - indeed the sky is the limit? Blocks of four, ziggy-zaggy things or just plop a hive down anywhere?

I have attempted this pm to find info on Bro Adam's layout and cannot find anything which shows how his blocks worked operationally or the entrances were orientated. Now, what with the water leak that needs fixing, the cats injuries to contend with and all the other domestic trivia, I am now into the synergy of picking other peoples brains - Needs must people!!

Scrap metal and wood aplenty, I do not favour single hive stands but can easily accommodate a construction that will accommodate say 4 hives. Double hive stands were to be the order of the day and I have not ruled them out. The site is slightly sloped in the one direction. No problem when it comes to levelling any stands.

I need to have the layout in my head for Tuesday so that at least the nucs will be sited in the correct places. The supadoopa stands can slide into place at a later date. (probably circa 2020 at the rate I work but hey ho !!)

Any ideas ??

Regards


FB

I would position them in a semi-circle so as they gave each other some protection from any prevailing winds.
The high vedgeitation you have can also be trained to grow and give better cover for the site.

 

[Steve Dyer]

"For example bees don't see red, and they do see ultra violet.....so it might be that large black letters/numbers on a green background might be visible and recognisable to bees, and useful for the beekeeper as hive ID's, whilst a red number might be invisible to them.."

bees see red as black so a red number is just as visible as a black one.

hope this post is direct enough yet informative!

Um - I think the expression "see black" is a bit misleading. Bees have a very low sensitivity to red light, much lower than us. There's a rather rough graphic here - http://fieldguidetohummingbirds.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/do-we-see-what-bees-see/

Maybe a number in uv paint at 430nm on a background of green at 540nm would be a much better contrast to a bee than red on the same green. However in practice how do you know what mixture of wavelengths a particular paint produces anyway? Both paints might produce/reflect uv at 340nm and swamp the other colours and we wouldn't be able to see that but a bee would.

Steve

 

[fredbloggs]

What though IS important is that you make the nucs look different to each other.
This sounds like constructive advice to me.

Yes And well it may be. It is not however anything to do with my OP? I am well aware of the need to make nucs look different which is why I did not ask for that info.

The reason for my annoyance is that the post includes the totally unnecessary statement:-

"Any damn way you want. "

Not only un-called for but as my 11 year old daughter remarked (for it was she who was accessing the forum keen to read the replies to the question I did ask?

"thats not very nice is it?"

I rest my case but I would be equally indignant if she were not involved.

No I am not a wall flower and I am more than capable of holding my own in a slanging match. The point is that in the civilised world I live in, it is unnecessary whilst to some it is their life-blood.

And if you are still on here Pipewrench (and I sincerely hope you are?) I could not have put it more succinctly myself.

Once again, thank you to those who gave the answer sought and contributed their design info. I feel we will go with the Brother Adam design. Plagiarism rules?

regards

FB

(still calm, still annoyed but focused now on other matters )

 

[user 6228]

Purple on green . It matches the science and the bee preference for flowers in my green house.

 

[victor meldrew]

"For example bees don't see red, and they do see ultra violet.....so it might be that large black letters/numbers on a green background might be visible and recognisable to bees, and useful for the beekeeper as hive ID's, whilst a red number might be invisible to them.."

bees see red as black so a red number is just as visible as a black one.

hope this post is direct enough yet informative!

Bees navigate successfully without the aid of science books

I witnessed a bee enter my honey house via the key hole . It made for the light ie the window .
I chased it out and closed the door . Within minutes of of it's release, dozens of bees turned up and unerringly entered via the said keyhole (Better than Smart missiles).
In my opinion it makes little difference what colour, shape, size or indeed orientation of entrances is , after all, the bees(including virgin Queens) clock their hive on their orienteering flights .Problems are created when things are moved around after they thought they knew where everything was .
Yes we know about drifting ( usually knackered wind buffeted heavily laden foragers) but returning mated Queens are both young and strong and so mistakes are rare!
Ivor Curry from Penrith has a system of vertical swarm control where the entrances to both brood boxes are in the same direction , he swears that he has never had a problem with Queens entering the wrong box .Remember he has been practicing this method for donkeys' years.

VM