'Perfect' hive/apiary location - lessons/dreams

[bjosephd]

Morning all,

So my new hive/s will be arriving soon, hopefully in time for swarm season and a local prolific beekeeper will either be overflowing or collecting a swarm that I can home. However...

I have a rather varied acre of space and am trying to work out the 'ideal' place to fence off (to keep sheep away etc) and create the beginnings of an apiary.

There are various walls, trees, open spaces or shade, an out building, prevailing weather and shelter, arc of the sun etc to bare in mind, neighbours (some of whom deserve to be stung), chickens, sheep and all sorts to try and feed into an algorithm that will tell me where to plonk the hive and hopefully not have to move it any time soon.

So with the hive-mind of the forum, what are all your harsh lessons, or discoveries and all the rest about 'perfect' apiary placement, and all the additional factors.

I think every beekeeper I have ever spoken to seems to have some kind of 'if I was starting out again today I would have... (got different hives, gone foundationless, worn wellington boots, set up my apiary elsewhere etc)

Feel free to be as serious or silly as you want. In a dream world what would be all the elements of a perfect, say 3 hive (eventually) apiary.

I have some thoughts and a place in mind and will add photos maybe in a bit as the 'build' develops, but I still have a little more time to make sure I get the 'best' place available to me - I just don't want to have to build a fence more than once!

All the best

Ben

 

[alldigging]

Morning all,
neighbours (some of whom deserve to be stung),

Feel free to be as serious or silly as you want. In a dream world what would be all the elements of a perfect, say 3 hive (eventually) apiary.

Consider your neighbours. Because they will make your life really unpleasant if they decide they don't like your bees.

 

[bjosephd]

Thanks alldigging, it's a fair point. I'm likely to pretty much put the hive/s towards the far-away end of the orchard to avoid neighbours. Until there is a 6ft hedge at the close end I think that is best. A shame though, as the close end is a good space, already fenced and and gets good sun all day. I know we need to keep our UK bees nice and warm!

 

[dexter's shed]

I would put them as close to the out building as possible, as that will become your storage area, you'll end up with lots of bits and bobs, spare supers ec, and therefore less distance to carry the better, you may even turn part of the building into a honey shed, nothing worst that getting the kitchen all sticky and then getting moaned at, having your own room to uncap and extract would be great, and less distance to carry a full super,

 

[bjosephd]

Thanks dexter, there's currently an old stable that could potential be used (once it's cleared of a ton of junk and storage etc). The whole area, out building included, is about an acre - so never too far to walk.

 

[B+.]

Consider your neighbours. Because they will make your life really unpleasant if they decide they don't like your bees.

If the flight path of your bees is anywhere near your neighbours, it will become a source of friction. Remember...in law...they have the right to enjoy their property without interference.....so if your bees defecate all over your neighbours clean laundry, sparks will fly!

Having said that, they need a light airy space but one that is protected from the winter wind. They need protection from woodpeckers over the winter months so you probably won't want to look at a roll of 1/2" wire net all winter (so don't put them in directly infront of a window/door/etc).

Almost anything you have to carry to them will be lighter than anything you have to carry back (i.e. supers of honey) so have a means of transporting heavy things (i.e. a trolley of some sort). Think about where you will process the honey.

Have a contingency plan for what you will do if (when) they swarm. Be prepared for that because it will only ever happen when you are busy with something else. If they are/become aggressive for any reason, its a good idea to have an alternate site ready just incase you need to move them. Again, this is more to do with maintaining a good relationship with your neighbours.

 

[bjosephd]

Thanks B+, (70ish hives?!... Holy cr*p!)

My most likely spot is a good tree'd and green 70m away from nearest neighbours which I think is a fair distance - and then 1000m+ in all other directions. (sadly mostly pasture and not wildflower meadows! But the bramble is good.)

Should I try and ensure the spot gets as many hours as sun as possible?

I should be able to be sheltered on one side by a 4ft wall. The other side I might integrate a couple of pallets as wind breaks into the fence.

 

[einsteinagogo]

One thing I learned about siting an apiary, what works for me...

1. keep it out of site.
2. keep away from public and anyone else, apart from the beekeeepr.
3. keep it out of shade away from trees
4. out in the open
5. facing south
6. in full sun
7. keep in private, and on a need to know.

Also having a site away from public, out of your garden, it's much easier to relax, when inspecting the bees, moving brood boxes, changing brood boxes, changing floors, swapping supers etc

which naturally causes a lot of bees to be in the air.

70m, not sure that is far enough, I moved my colonies from allotment site, they had never caused an issue, but was uncomfortable and mindful, of people always around.

Full Sun, and lots of it always, they do much better, I had some last year in shade, and they took longer to get up in the morning and out foraging, and were in bed earlier,m than other colonies.

Just my thoughts...

 

[B+.]

Thanks B+, (70ish hives?!... Holy cr*p!)

My most likely spot is a good tree'd and green 70m away from nearest neighbours which I think is a fair distance - and then 1000m+ in all other directions. (sadly mostly pasture and not wildflower meadows! But the bramble is good.)

Should I try and ensure the spot gets as many hours as sun as possible?

I should be able to be sheltered on one side by a 4ft wall. The other side I might integrate a couple of pallets as wind breaks into the fence.

No big deal. Others have more

Yes. As much sun as possible. That goes without saying Also a water source.
You will need some sort of year round forage. Brambles are ok but they are late in the year and really just a top-up in my area

Solid walls can create turbulence. A hedge is better.

 

[Davelin]

I'd look for the spot that got the early morning sun first.

Hives that get this always seem to get going best in my experience.

 

[bjosephd]

Great stuff peoples, thanks!

Mote than 70m?! Good luck to all those urban, albeit rooftop, beekeepers! Where I am there are more sheep and cows than people!

Any thoughts on entrance direction re prevauling weather/wind, sun, wall/fence proximity, ley lines etc etc...

 

[B+.]

Any thoughts on entrance direction re prevauling weather/wind, sun, wall/fence proximity, ley lines etc etc...

Feng shui next?

OK. Traditional wisdom is facing east to catch the morning sun. However, if you have several colonies all facing the same way, you'll get drifting (drones drift about anyway). The usual approach is to face them at 90 degrees to its neighbour....so much for always facing east! You do what you have to.

 

[Finman]

.
A beginner who seek for ideal pasture site. Quite a big selfconfidence.

When I move hives, I look first, how much pastures allready have bees.

.

 

[wessexmario]

+1 with facing east for the early morning sun.

I think it's more important for the hive body to catch the morning sun to warm up from the night chill, so "a view of the sunrise" whichever way the entrance is facing. If you have any entrance other than a traditional open slot floor, then the actual entrance direction isn't so critical, shelter from the prevailing winds being more beneficial.

 

[bjosephd]

Haha, ok, ley lines obviously a joke... but feng shui...

Hey Finman, I'm going for ideal everything, beginner or not, and no doubt will learn a few lessons along the way. But no harm in aspiring to get it as right as possible first time round!

 

[johnmc123]

You wont appreciate the difference a sunny location makes til you move a colony. I had a colony at home (north facing) last year and it did just ok. Last autumn i moved it to another site that's facing south and catches sun from early morning. There are 2 extra supers on it compared to this time last year. Same queen, same box, similar forage, weather is better this year admittedly. Another colony moved into this apiary improved in similar way. I wouldnt have believed it could make such a difference if hadnt seen it happen.

 

[Goran]

Stationary apiary, my experience.
For my place - top of the hill is top. Daylight last longer, more active time for bees. Always windy, but bees cope with that, less chalk brood. Hilly as much as possible, in favour for canyons around, more forage and diversity in blooming within even at same plant species. I feel uneasy when have to live in plains. Forests and mountains are my safe haven.
Forgot my hives are somewhat south, southeast facing..