Securing Hive Sections

[user 819]

More of a faff but on the pinch points between roof and strap use a piece of upvc angle to spread the tension load to prevent digging in.

 

[peteinwilts]

That is how I do it and I live in a windy spot, I also add a cheap corkscrew style ground anchor directly under the stand and run the strap through its handle as well for the most exposed hives.

I use corkscrew ground anchors for temporary placement in summer. In rich soil, they pull out during strong winds when the ground gets wet.

For permanent fixtures, every hive has a large paving slab. I drill a hole in the center and put an 8mm bolt/hook through (with washers etc).
I then use a ratchet strap through the bolt and around the hive.
The point in the middle of the slab acts as a pivot, so the harder the hive is pushed, the tighter the strap gets.

The paving slab also acts as a heat store in spring as the sun warms it and radiates on cold nights. It also helps prevent wooden stands from rotting and/or sinking in the ground when the soil is wet.

In winter it is good for hive+2 stored supers in winter in really exposed places. Taller in more sheltered locations.
For exposed areas where I want to store supers, I double the paving slab.

Slabs = £6 at b&q and just buy them as I need them. They ARE worth their weight.

As the site matures, moss grows on them to make them look less sterile (unless that is what you want)

 

[Pembroke]

I don't have bees for my hives yet (one poly, one cedar), but my planned out apiary is in a windy coastal spot. I'm planning to strap mine to a base pallet, with a home made pallet-type stand beneath the hive, just to raise it up to a more comfortable height. I hope the bottom pallet will provide a wide enough footprint to make it stable in strong winds. I have the straps that you wind around a sort of buckle (bought from C Wynne Jones), rather than a ratchet strap.

I wouldn't look on Pallets as a long term solution unless you're planning on treating the wood as they're made out of low quality material for the temporary storage and movement of bulk items. They will weaken after a couple of years and need replacing. Also the spacing of the runners the slats are fixed to make them fairly flexible and a heavy hive will tend to rock about a bit.