Is this site ok for my bee's next year?

[herefordshirehoney]

Hi,

Trying to work out if this site is ok for my bee's the hive's would be south facing.

Planning on putting on the left and right with about 2-3 metres apart on the stones you can see (will have to cut back some of the foliage), it would be slightly under the tree's canopy in places. Can't put it any further down as the site floods and im having to put it above the flood line. It overlooks the river which is in the last picture - will this be ok as the water source about 30 metre's max.

As it's my mum's site she's quite keen on gable roof's would this be ok and suit the site better because of the canopy?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Flatters]

The tree overhang does not too bad. I would watch that they were not too close to the edge so you can get around them, not critical as you could work from the back and side. The main thing to bear in mind is the beeline if they come out and go left. That may make the steps in a flight path so If you can get them up over head height to go over the path that would be good.

 

[richardbees]

You're making a lot of people jealous...that's ideal

(good job my bees don't have access to t'internet!)

 

[Tom Bick]

My first observation as with Flatters you have to think of the bees flight path as it may cause problems with the steps other wise it looks like a perfect site.

 

[VEG]

dont worry about them being under the tree mine do just fine, and that is a cracking looking place.

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Great thx will do some more reading on flight paths!

Are gable roofs any benefit for rain looks like it will run off easier.

 

[Tom Bick]

No water will run off a flat roof with perhaps a slight puddle left.

Gable rooves are considered to be more attractive in a garden setting as apposed to the flat roof.

 

[VEG]

water doesn't hold on my national flat roofs. They are set up with a very small tilt so the water runs off.

 

[huntsman666]

Gable roofs look nicer but flat roofs are far more practical for stacking hive parts on during inspections.

You can always make a dummy piece to go on top of a flat roof to dress the hive so that it looks gabled.

 

[Flatters]

Chris,
The flat roof on a National is handy because when you are inspecting it lies flat when you invert it and everything then goes on top. A gabled roof does not allow you to do this. Under trees it is more about the drips you get off a tree that fall in the same spot time after time. This is thought to upset the bees.

The beeline is the shortest point between A to B. If you can get the up high soon then the steps will be fine. It is may however be minor point for what looks like a good spot.

 

[Tom Bick]

Flatters a gabled roof has an angle of about 8 degrees it is perhaps more awkward to stack the supers on it at this angle but is far from impossible.

 

[richardbees]

Flatters

I admire your diagram.... however you made up that bit about the drips didn't you as tree canopies constantly move sufficiently enough to vary drips?
(though it was reported as a torture technique in the Korean war)

An inverted flat roof is irreplaceable as somewhere to stand supers on....

richard

 

[Flatters]

Hi Richard
It is not the moving canopy that causes the drips, but the large branches. The water runs down them.

Tom, I have double brood national hive with 3 supers (at the moment) and I think even an eight degrees slope would make ne nervous to balance them on. I suppose though a simple low stand to move around when you do an inspection would not be difficult to make.

 

[Poly Hive]

Sorry to be a bucket of water but...

The only way to check out a site is to keep bees on it for five years.

I note your garden location and ponder on neighbours and their pets.

Make sure you are a member of something so you have third party insurance just in case....

PH

 

[RoseCottage]

I agree with PH when selecting your location assume the need for two...

If your bees lose their usually gentle temper (queen loss, Wasp attacks, prolonged poor weather affecting forage and supplies, etc) then having another location further away from humans can be very useful even for just a short while.

What forage is around the location? I see lovely fields but what is in them? Beans, rape, wildflower, clover, etc or grass for horses, barley, etc.

As for under trees directly I would agree that perhaps dripping may be annoying but is not something I would ever worry seriously about as a deciding factor. Ease of access front, sides, and back would be more important as well as catching the morning sun.

We run 6 wbc's with deep BBs and gabled roofs and have never had an issue standing supers, crownboards, or BB on them evenly...never even thought about it until this thread comment. So again I wouldn't overlay this aspect too much. If your mum wants a little eye candy you should be comfortable giving her that...it will be fine.

Enjoy planning and prepping...it does look a lovely site (I thought I saw a big beautiful wall ...I get wall envy easily nowadays as I could do so much...)

All the best,
Sam

 

[herefordshirehoney]

I agree with PH when selecting your location assume the need for two...

If your bees lose their usually gentle temper (queen loss, Wasp attacks, prolonged poor weather affecting forage and supplies, etc) then having another location further away from humans can be very useful even for just a short while.

What forage is around the location? I see lovely fields but what is in them? Beans, rape, wildflower, clover, etc or grass for horses, barley, etc.

As for under trees directly I would agree that perhaps dripping may be annoying but is not something I would ever worry seriously about as a deciding factor. Ease of access front, sides, and back would be more important as well as catching the morning sun.

We run 6 wbc's with deep BBs and gabled roofs and have never had an issue standing supers, crownboards, or BB on them evenly...never even thought about it until this thread comment. So again I wouldn't overlay this aspect too much. If your mum wants a little eye candy you should be comfortable giving her that...it will be fine.

Enjoy planning and prepping...it does look a lovely site (I thought I saw a big beautiful wall ...I get wall envy easily nowadays as I could do so much...)

All the best,
Sam

TBH this is quite far away from the houses so should be ok, the pathway isn't used that much as their is another path that winds round.

I'm unsure tbh as that's not my strongest point, the river infront is the main river for the city and on the oppopsite side the're is farm land (not sure what the main group is) so should be ok, we're on the edge of the main town coming to the countryside so they should be plenty within 3 miles. I think there's lots of stuff this time of year because everything tends to grow wild by the river.

I'm thinking of going for national's with 14x12 brood boxes with gabled roofs just to keep her happy.

Yea there's a wall splitting the boundry between the neighbour (they overlook the river more).

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[richardbees]

chris

"we're on the edge of the main town ...." in which case your bees will have no problems foraging.

Nationals with 14x12 is exactly what I'd choose - and you must have gable roofs if that's what she wants!

The issue about the inverted roofs is that we need something to put supers on when taking them off the hive for inspections - you can get over this by making a few frame size squares of 2" x 1" batten.

Keep posting...

richard

 

[BeeNice]

Hi, true about the flight paths, I would put plantings/hedging alongside the steps to lift the bees over your head. You can be really creative with the plants and trellis. And its also true about the changing nature of bees, one week like kittens and the next if not happy, walker beware!
regards
Steven

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Just been speaking to the people part that live by it and one of the biggest concern's is and the flight path with people being stung and swarms.

For the flight path if i was to put hedge on the one side or some bamboo - would this force the bee's up and away? Any other advice that might help me?

With swarm's I'm going to explain i'll be following it by the book and making sure I'm practising trying to avoid this, but if it does happen i'll make sure their are 3 contact phone numbers minimum for someone to get in touch.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[richardbees]

This is the age old problem, Chris - lifting the bees above neighbour's heads.

Two suggestions are Jerusalem Artichokes which make a quick growing 'wall' or a screen made of blue scaffolding netting on a frame.

The important thing is to get your neighbours onside.