Best place for hives?

[Midget Gem]

I have my hives in front of a clawdd wall facing south. They have been there for a few years but they don't seem to be thriving. Is it better for them to be in full sun but exposed or sheltered but in the shade? Any opinions welcomed.

 

[Ian123]

Personally I prefer hives in sun, but I’ve also got others in clearings in woods. Bees cope in many situations if the hives aren’t thriving I’d look at other options/reasons first.

 

[Midget Gem]

We get a lot of wind here and I wondered how much that would hamper them.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Full sun for much of the day, but shade during the middle when it's hottest.

The clawdd wall looks sort of ideal except that it has no shade, but I have several sites where shade is absent and they do well.

If prevailing south-west wind is too much, put them on a solid floor. Is the hive wood or poly?

I agree with Ian: look at the quality of the queens, availability of forage within 2 miles and the performance of the beekeeper.

 

[Finman]

Britain is not too hot to keep hives in the sun.
You have seldom +40C temperatutes.

If you put the hives inside the forest, they are surely doomed.

Wind and shade is the worst what you can offer to bees.

You may compare the places and you see, what places are good. Too much bees on same pastures is not good.

 

[pargyle]

I have my hives in front of a clawdd wall facing south. They have been there for a few years but they don't seem to be thriving. Is it better for them to be in full sun but exposed or sheltered but in the shade? Any opinions welcomed.

I would be looking at the available forage in the area ... in a sheltered South facing location there are the conditions to thrive ... if they are not thriving and the colonies are generally healthy then forage has to be the place to look ... what is available, how far away is it, how seasonal is it ?

 

[user 20297]

In my limited experience so far, for Scottish bees it's sun, sun, sun please....as much as possible.

 

[Amari]

Britain is not too hot to keep hives in the sun.
You have seldom +40C temperatutes..

Pity the bees in Oregon/Lytton in BC.

 

[Amari]

I have my hives in front of a clawdd wall facing south. They have been there for a few years but they don't seem to be thriving. Is it better for them to be in full sun but exposed or sheltered but in the shade? Any opinions welcomed.

Please, what is a clawdd wall?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A clawdd is a dyke, can also mean a walled hedge (bit like a Cornish hedge)

 

[Finman]

In my limited experience so far, for Scottish bees it's sun, sun, sun please....as much as possible.

In my long experience sun all the day is best and wind sheltering.
Bees have no problems in this heat what we have had whole Juni temps 24-30C .

 

[Midget Gem]

Thanks for all your replies.
24-30C?...this is North Wales so I don't think overheating is a problem. Maybe too windy. My wooden national hives are already solid floors for that reason. A clawdd is a stone and earth wall. There is plenty of forage here - mostly wild flowers, native trees, fruit tress and bushes. Bramble at the moment and for most of the summer months.
That just leaves me - absolutely a possibility - I am quite busy and I don't always get to look at them as much as I'd like.
Or the queen - how do I assess the quality of the queen?

 

[Sutty]

I think the best place to keep bees is out of swmbo's way!
Mine are on decking platforms under trees on the far side of the garden facing NEish.
Not ideal but the bees don't seem to mind and peace reigns!