Ground Requirements For An Out Apiary

[Smith21]

What is the best ground to site a hive on, grass, gravel or pathing stones. I am asking this strange question because I am going to talk to someone who is willing to have some hives on his land and I need to know what is best and what is acceptable.

Cheers Kevin.

 

[BobsBees]

Base

Hi Smith21,
What I have found is to keep the hives off the ground, so I use Pallets, easy to find and always free.
All you have to do is make sure the ground is level or with a slight slope towards the entrance to assist the girls to remove dead bodies, and assist drainage from moisture/condensation.
Also if the hive has an omf floor, there is adequate ventilation via the slats under the hive floor. I do get rabbits digging under the Pallets to keep dry and its an easy place to hide from the Foxes on the farm, but live and let live I say.
It works for me.
Bob.

 

[VEG]

Paving slabs are good as they dry out quickly which makes your hive stands last longer (if wood) and stop the grass growing under the hive as well.

 

[Midland Beek]

Put down a few paving slabs for a couple of hives - great until you want more colonies. I keep things simple.

 

[Smith21]

Thanks for the information.

 

[Poly Hive]

Before one gets to the point of setting up the colonys it pays to have a serious think about other matters.

Is there forage to support and potentially give a surplus?

Is there water?

Are the hives secure?

Can they be taken in? More to the point if it is very wet can they be got out again.

Then worry about the details.

PH

 

[peteinwilts]

I use paving stones. I drill a hole through the center and put a galvanised metal hook through the hole.

I use a tie strap around the hive and then through the hook. Theory being, the hard it is pushed, the tighter the strap becomes, and the paving slab cannot tip as it is anchored in the center.

A few weeks ago, the neighbours cows invaded one of my apiaries and turned it into a quagmire (my sites are already boggy).

They used the hives as itching posts, and although some hives were standing at a peculiar angle, all survived.

If you have a small enclosed apiary, I think it is recomended if it is near horses, there should be a least a field between the bees and the horses, which was highlighted by the horse deaths (and bad bee press!) last year.

One of my Apiaries is also not too far from a badger set. some people have reported problems, but they have not touched mine.

also make sure the site does not flood!

 

[Smith21]

Thanks again for the good information given, you don't get all this stuff in books, well not the ones I have read. I like the idea of putting a hole in the pavin stone for securing the hive.

Peteinwilts do you have an image of your tie strap I have ratchet straps, but these would not get tighter when the hive was pushed.

Cheers Kevin.

 

[peteinwilts]

Thanks again for the good information given, you don't get all this stuff in books, well not the ones I have read. I like the idea of putting a hole in the pavin stone for securing the hive.

Peteinwilts do you have an image of your tie strap I have ratchet straps, but these would not get tighter when the hive was pushed.

Cheers Kevin.

It is the ratchet straps I use (I have always called them tie straps!).

Try drilling a hole through a paving slab and inserting a hook. In times of emegency, I have used an old bolt with a loop of braided nylon. It is importnat to keep the hook\loop as close to the ground as possible. If using a loop, make sure it cant stretch too far.

This only works if you use a stand.

once the hive is strapped with the ratchet strap, and the strap is through the hook\loop, try pushing the hive over.

because the hive is strapped together, to tip over the whole hive, a set of legs would need to leave the floor. As this starts to happen, the hive starts to raise and pull against the hook\loop and the strap will tighten and hold the hive together more firmly. as long as the strap is tight, it prevent the legs from coming off the floor more than an inch or less.

I have a number of hives on big heavy concrete slabs, but by doing the above, it allows me to use lighter more decorative types of slab. The footprint size of the slab is of most importance.. bigger the better.

I could take a photo if you like, but to really gauge how effective it is, you should give it a try.

 

[Finman]

The most important is valuation of pastures. The landscape cannot be sand of clif which is easy to dry during sunny weathers.

Not good nursed corn fields or another fields which give nothing and bees must fly over 500 m to reach flowers.

next demand is that I can drive car to the site and I drop hives from carry 3 feet away.

Sunny, wind protected place. Perhaps 100 m distance to main pastures.

Sun shines onto hives from morning to evening

The ground can be what ever but nor water pools or soft mud. Car must stay above ground level.

I may put under hives wood bars, on ply sheet or what ever that 150 kg hive stays there upright. I do not like stones or bricks.

.

 

[Smith21]

This only works if you use a stand

I could take a photo if you like

I will be using a stand, I would be very greatful if you could take a photo so I can see how it's setup.

Regards

Kevin.