Hello from north Scotland

[nettle]

Hi everyone

Beginner beekeeper here. I'll shortly be setting up my first couple of hives in an out apiary on the east coast, north of Inverness. It's a lovely site in an old overgrown walled garden, but it's right on the coast and will be quite exposed depending on the wind direction. I'm working out the best way to secure the hives, and will probably set up some screening. I'm sure I'll have a few questions as I go along!

Anyone else have similar conditions to deal with?

 

[Murox]

I do suffer from wind quite badly, one apiary is sheltered enough and the other more exposed to westerlies. I just run a hive strap (ratchet strap) to a simple ground anchor, corkscrew style. I do use very well insulated wooden boxes that are pretty heavy.
Welcome to the forum.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I do suffer from wind quite badly,

Have you tried a change of diet? cut down your dairy input, fruit, insoluble fibre and legumes/pulses

 

[Murox]

Have you tried a change of diet? cut down your dairy input, fruit, insoluble fibre and legumes/pulses

The word 'incorrigible' keeps popping into my mind. Have you any relationship to the Elliot brothers ?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The word 'incorrigible' keeps popping into my mind. Have you any relationship to the Elliot brothers ?

I've seen the film where the youngest brother becomes a ballet dancer

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've seen the film where the youngest brother becomes a ballet dancer

That’s the answer, then

 

[Murox]

I've seen the film where the youngest brother becomes a ballet dancer

I'm going for maybe I'll sharpen up.

 

[madasafish]

On the edge of the Peak District now (brought up in Macduff).

All hives on stands, ratchet strapped to hives.
The odd nuc has two BIG slates on instead.
In my early days, wind caught a hinged rood topbar hive, opened the roof and blew it all over. Bees survived but hard work lifting it all back up.. so strapped all roofs down after that.

We see the odd gust of 60-70mph in winter (and swirling cross winds due to our house)
See my avatar.

 

[nettle]

I do suffer from wind quite badly, one apiary is sheltered enough and the other more exposed to westerlies. I just run a hive strap (ratchet strap) to a simple ground anchor, corkscrew style. I do use very well insulated wooden boxes that are pretty heavy.

Corkscrew ground anchors - good idea! Thanks for the welcome

 

[nettle]

On the edge of the Peak District now (brought up in Macduff).

All hives on stands, ratchet strapped to hives.
The odd nuc has two BIG slates on instead.
In my early days, wind caught a hinged rood topbar hive, opened the roof and blew it all over. Bees survived but hard work lifting it all back up.. so strapped all roofs down after that

Ouch, bet that was a mess! Good to know your hives cope now they're nice and secure.

 

[Brenda]

Hi everyone

Beginner beekeeper here. I'll shortly be setting up my first couple of hives in an out apiary on the east coast, north of Inverness. It's a lovely site in an old overgrown walled garden, but it's right on the coast and will be quite exposed depending on the wind direction. I'm working out the best way to secure the hives, and will probably set up some screening. I'm sure I'll have a few questions as I go along!

Anyone else have similar conditions to deal with?

I am in Northeast and it can be very windy off the Sea at times, my Bee House (shed specifically for bees) has saved my wintering Bees many times. Think about building something similar over the off season. I acquired mine at a Bee Auction some years ago.

 

[Katherine]

A hive/apiary shelter sounds like a good idea. I saw lots of these in the Alps, for snow presumably, but would work to shelter against those Westerlies.

 

[Brenda]

A hive/apiary shelter sounds like a good idea. I saw lots of these in the Alps, for snow presumably, but would work to shelter against unitethose Westerlies.

In the mid 20th Century and earlier Beehouses were quite common for shelter and also the fact you could work on the bees within, at any time. Another plus is Honey Crop is bigger as they are warmer. My own Beehouse was built originally during the 1940’s. Obviously I have had to get running repairs done since I bought it.

 

[Brenda]

Hi everyone

Beginner beekeeper here. I'll shortly be setting up my first couple of hives in an out apiary on the east coast, north of Inverness. It's a lovely site in an old overgrown walled garden, but it's right on the coast and will be quite exposed depending on the wind direction. I'm working out the best way to secure the hives, and will probably set up some screening. I'm sure I'll have a few questions as I go along!

Anyone else have similar conditions to deal with?

Just a thought, you must be opposite me on the other side of the Moray Firth. Hello neighbour!

 

[user 20297]

Does anyone else here have a beehouse?
On You Tube I came across this interesting young man who started beekeeping about a year ago. On his recent tour of Europe he visited a very competent Swiss beekeeper who very generously showed him around his beehouse.

 

[Mabee]

Does anyone else here have a beehouse?
On You Tube I came across this interesting young man who started beekeeping about a year ago. On his recent tour of Europe he visited a very competent Swiss beekeeper who very generously showed him around his beehouse.

I have a bee shed! It used to house Slovenian hives which are made to go into a building, but I decided they weren’t right for me so I modified the exits and now have two national hives inside. We had built this summer house that had no purpose, so it’s now officially my bee shed!

 

[Mabee]

One of my out apiaries is in a windy exposed site, my hives are always strapped to the ground with ratchet straps and corkscrew ground anchors, just in case!

 

[user 20297]

I have a bee shed! It used to house Slovenian hives which are made to go into a building, but I decided they weren’t right for me so I modified the exits and now have two national hives inside. We had built this summer house that had no purpose, so it’s now officially my bee shed!

I like that. It seems such a neat way to do things and if it's big enough you can have all the bits of kit you might need at hand when you're manipulating the bees.

 

[user 20297]

One of my out apiaries is in a windy exposed site, my hives are always strapped to the ground with ratchet straps and corkscrew ground anchors, just in case!

All mine are strapped to the stand and there's a concrete block or a pile of old roofing slates sitting on bearers under the stand.
Yesterday I moved two hives onto new stands about 200 metres away and realised they probably don't need straps just now..... "glued" to the ground is a very apt description for a winter-ready hive!

 

[Mabee]

I like that. It seems such a neat way to do things and if it's big enough you can have all the bits of kit you might need at hand when you're manipulating the bees.

Yes it is handy, and discreet, my immediate neighbours only know they are there because I told them. On a summer day the smell of nectar and honey is intense inside,