Fencing around the apiary

[mocko]

Hi All,

I'm new to keeping bees and would like to keep them on the allotment. I was wondering about using fencing around the apiary to get the bees as high as possible. I was wondering whether there was any spacing requirement including height of fence needed and space between the hive entrance and the fence and also between the hives themselves.

Thanks in advance

Andy

 

[Moggs]

I have five feet height fence panels. Enough to encourage them up and away. They will naturally fly up out of harm's way but it may be prudent to fence them off if people are likely to be directly in a flight path. It's largely cosmetic and perhaps more important to keep them out of sight!

You will need adequate room around the hives to work them of course. Welcome to the forum.

 

[VEG]

You can have the hives touching but not very good for inspections. The fence needs to be over head height so it forces the bees up over the other allotment holders heads. I have my hives on double stands with about 12-18 inches between them, not had any problems. You will probably need permission from the allotment comitee and the allotment holders.

 

[isc26]

I use a 5 foot wooden fence to protect from wind & avoid nuisance on one side & a willow screen on another.

In winter I replace the willow with a smaller plastic wind mesh (lets sun onto the hives when the bees are not going out & will cause no bother)

 

[mocko]

Thanks for all your swift replies.

is there a minimum distance the hive entrance needs to be from the panels?

Thanks

 

[VEG]

I used to have a hive in my garden with the entrance about 18 inch from a privet hedge.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I used to have a hive in my garden with the entrance about 18 inch from a privet hedge.

most of mine are in a walled garden facing a 6ft wall and are 4ft away from the wall ( so the farmer can cut the main grass area with his tractor)

on an allotment a 5ft wattle fence panel ( even hand made yourself) looks more "YOU" than a standard 6ft orange creosote lap panel, , look at putting them flying long ways on the plot over you, rather than short ways accross the plot then over your neighbours

or put a shed and fence panel in the middle of the plot and have a bee area and a gardening area, remember ( oh how i remember) if you keep your suit in the shed make sure you dont have to walk past an angry hive to put it on ( like when some young yob kicks the hive over)

 

[barratt_sab]

In winter I replace the willow with a smaller plastic wind mesh (lets sun onto the hives when the bees are not going out & will cause no bother)

I too use 5ft panels, placed about 3ft away from the front of the hives. They work well, but they do keep the sun off the hives in the winter and early spring / late autumn. Replacing them with mesh sounds like a really good idea to me. I seem to remember that others on the forum have reported good results just using mesh all year round.

Another reason to use some sort of barrier might be to reduce the "visual impact" of you working in your suit and veil, which might tend to make people more sensitive to the presence of bees than they would otherwise be.

(that's supposed to be a nice way of saying that more people will be worried about your bees if they keep seeing you in your suit than if they don't)

 

[drstitson]

"Fencing around the apiary"

whilst the PPE looks similar i would not recommend fencing in your beesuit.

 

[Stiffy]

"Fencing around the apiary"

whilst the PPE looks similar i would not recommend fencing in your beesuit.

Brilliant, looks like someone in need of the weekend

I planted willow around my home apiary which has grown well keeping the bees away from our veg plot and chickens but more importantly SWMBO hair.....makes me glad I dont have any (hair that is)
S

 

[hedgerow pete]

the fence wants to be 6 foot to push them high enough out of harms way and about two foot from the entrance is as close as i have ever gone, as for behind the hive i have a big bum so 3 foot is needed and a foot either side