Do you keep your hives together or spread them out?

[user 6228]

In an apiary do you keep the hives grouped close together e.g. 1 or 2m or spread them out as possible?

 

[wightbees]

I have them in 3s facing different directions then spaced the next 3 further away

 

[user 6228]

I have them in 3s facing different directions then spaced the next 3 further away

please vote that as grouped together

 

[REDWOOD]

Both, some are grouped together whilst others are randomly spaced out

 

[MartinL]

please vote that as grouped together

?



Could be viewed as directed response, intended to support a contrived experiment. Reinforcing false policy or theory?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Mine are spread as far as possible in a straight line......ish but get closer as ASs progress in the season so what do I put?

 

[masterBK]

I have my hives arranged in a large circle working them from the outside of the circle. Bees rise up from the centre of the circle.

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I have my hives arranged in a large circle working them from the outside of the circle. Bees rise up from the centre of the circle.

That actually is my preferred layout, when the terrain allows. It virtually eliminates drifting, it is a much underrated layout.. hives facing the center of the circle.

 

[enrico]

Mine used to be a couple of feet away from each other until one fell over knocking two others over......never again, they are now a bit more spaced out!!!
E

 

[marocco bees]

In an apiary do you keep the hives grouped close together e.g. 1 or 2m or spread them out as possible?

i used to make a space of 1 or 1,5 m , to feel comfort during checking hives, and also that to be easy for bees to find there own hives in flying back,

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

all more or less one hive width apart

 

[SDM]

On double stands 1m between hives, 10m(ish) between stands.
2 new apiaries were overgrown with brambles and sloe bushes. Each double stand has its own "bay". I like this as even I can't see the hives in the next bay.

 

[oliver90owner]

I would have thought that 'apiary' and several hives must mean 'grouped together'?

Need some indication of what the poster defines as close together.

It is not necessarily easy to space them all by an arbitrary 10m, if the apiary is small and the number is high. Practicality and theory in opposition at times?

I always try to leave space for a Pagden A/S, so may be close but not that close. Further apart now I have fewer colonies, of course.

Is this poll disease related or varroa infestation or what? Or close together to keep each other warm?

 

[Vortex]

In my home and 2 out apiarys they are close together .. but that's dictated by the space available.. in the other they are spread out but again that's dictated by the space or rather the bushes..

 

[mintmoth]

In an apiary do you keep the hives grouped close together e.g. 1 or 2m or spread them out as possible?

I would imagine hobby beekeepers (which I define as having less than 10 colonies) are mostly restricted in their positioning by the space available, and professional beekeepers (80+ colonies) need to arrange spacing for maximum efficiency, to do the most work in the least time. Between those two groups come what I would define as part-time professional beeks if that's not an oxymoron, and they probably have to work with both space restrictions and time limitations.

My 4 hives are in pairs and as far apart as space allows, which is about 2 metres. The only reason they are in pairs is so I can re-unite them easily, as they were A/S splits.

 

[psafloyd]

That actually is my preferred layout, when the terrain allows. It virtually eliminates drifting, it is a much underrated layout.. hives facing the center of the circle.

I wish I had the space for that.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I have them in line about 100 yds in pairs with space in between. Twelve max in each apiary.

 

[fatshark]

That actually is my preferred layout, when the terrain allows. It virtually eliminates drifting, it is a much underrated layout.. hives facing the center of the circle.

Pedantically it probably doesn't eliminate drifting. What it eliminates is the accumulation of drifted bees in any particular hive (row end, for example). I'd bet that microsatellite analysis would still show an unhealthy mix ...

 

[For want of a better word]

Pedantically it probably doesn't eliminate drifting. What it eliminates is the accumulation of drifted bees in any particular hive (row end, for example). I'd bet that microsatellite analysis would still show an unhealthy mix ...

In groups arrayed along and at intersection of leylines.

Yeghes da

 

[Anduril]

At least a metre apart, no ley lines. Luckily my hive with the chimney effect died out during the winter.