Thoughts on this location?

[Richard]

Previously posted as I'm looking to start bee keeping in the school I teach at.

I'm hoping this is a good location for hives.

The yellow area is where I'm proposing.
It is fenced all round with a gate that can be locked. Surrounded by wild growth with a variety of plant species.

The white arrow is North.
The red area is where there is a storage shed we could claim some space in.
The photo shows the view from the gate end nearest the car park.

 

[Anduril]

The first red area is supposed to be the yellow area the second red area is the storage? Hives would be facing towards a playing field SE direction?

 

[Richard]

The first red area is supposed to be the yellow area the second red area is the storage? Hives would be facing towards a playing field SE direction?

Oops yes. Fixed that.
And yes, however they can go eithr side if the "corridor" so could possibly put the entrance facing away from the sports field.

 

[blackcloud]

Don't stock with feral bees in this instance.

 

[Anduril]

Even if the hives face SW, dependant on the forage is where the bees will fly. If you can put up a high screen to get the bees flying higher that would be good. I once had an area where the bees flew over 30 foot of leylandii and then straight down.

 

[Murox]

Consider the prevailing winds when deciding which way to face them as well.

 

[Richard]

Something that is not obvious from the photos, this area is a couple of meters above the playing field level.
The bramble you can see to the right of the fence is on a bank.
Will that help keep flying bees above people?

 

[Anduril]

What is normally planted in the field opposite?

 

[Richard]

The view from the playing field to show the level difference.

 

[Richard]

What is normally planted in the field opposite?

It would appear to be grass

 

[Richard]

Nice to see some bees on the brambles this morning. Both honey bees and bumble bees.

 

[Blunt Spike]

Ask the farmer if you can put on their land as its so close.

 

[user 819]

School ground is more secure as fenced in.

 

[Pembroke]

Best answer is try a couple of hives now, or as soon as you can. Then you will have all the summer holidays for them to bed in without too many children around getting in the way and you can establish 'traffic' patterns and see where the bees go.

Otherwise come September, when school starts again, but the beekeeping season is winding down, we will still be discussing locations.

 

[Richard]

Best answer is try a couple of hives now, or as soon as you can. Then you will have all the summer holidays for them to bed in without too many children around getting in the way and you can establish 'traffic' patterns and see where the bees go.

Otherwise come September, when school starts again, but the beekeeping season is winding down, we will still be discussing locations.

Regrettably, we don't have equipment nor funds for that currently.
This may be a naive thought, but might it possible that a local Beekeeper could put a couple of hives there temporarily??

 

[user 819]

Any beek will have to agree to a CRB and then the hassle of signing in and out each visit, etc,etc. It all takes time and adds up each visit.

 

[user 819]

Though it shouldn't put off anyone with nothing to hide, one also may end up with a mentor if he knows his stuff.

I got involved with a private school and set up a small apiary and it added considerably the time involved with the signing in/out and then everyone wanted more info and it went on. I quite enjoyed being a part mentor to the school caretaker come beekeeper, then another beek got involved and it ended up BBKA this and that etc,etc.
My thoughts on getting involved was to encourage some staff and parent smaybe getting involved and then some of the kids but after three years there was no willingness to do so.

In the end I left and took my equipement with me as I could tell my bees were being interfered with and a spare bait/come expansion hive was used by the beek without asking. That was the last straw as I don't like folks taking advantage just because.

 

[Xander]

Kiddy is a little far for me to travel but curlygreenfingers is down your way I think. (Although he's a busy chap so maybe not)
Possibly he might have a nuc or swarm in a box he could loan you over the holidays to see flight paths and wether they head for the playing field or not.
Looks a decent barrier between and you could probably add some netting screen to that fence to give them more height.
Where is the school located?

 

[Richard]

Kiddy is a little far for me to travel but curlygreenfingers is down your way I think. (Although he's a busy chap so maybe not)
Possibly he might have a nuc or swarm in a box he could loan you over the holidays to see flight paths and wether they head for the playing field or not.
Looks a decent barrier between and you could probably add some netting screen to that fence to give them more height.
Where is the school located?

Hi, the school is in Hagley. Kidderminster is where I live.