Warm way or cold way?

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Warm way for us, only reason, its easier to inspect when there's four on a pallet, I just stand in the middle.
I plan to put two to a pallet I might have to rethink how I inspect.
I keep most of my dummy boards 1st frame on the left so I tend to inspect from that side.
 
Having two hives to a stand it doesn't matter if they're worked warm or cold way.
But if you need to put a hive in the middle space for a couple of weeks it's awkward to inspect that one if it's not warm way. (Unless your stands are ve-ery long.)
 
You are correct. I assume what Elainemary meant was that the hive would rotate 90 degrees but the frames would stay facing the same way as they were?
Like the Chinese restaurant tables - circular hives with swivelling a central swivelling frame holder. Any orientation you fancy, a Bee roundabout by any other name?
 
Our hive we set up cold way for ease of inspection. Interestingly they built out the first few frames which just had a starter strip from the front (i.e. the "cold" end near the entrance") to the back, so I don't think they were even slightly bothered. Poly hive btw.
 
I've found that when frames are warm way, the bees fill the first couple of frames with pollen. Presumably they just want to offload it quickly? I have hives with both ways and have always noticed this pattern on the warm way ones.
You get the sqme kind of thing on cold way, but instead of the whole frame getting filled with pollen (because it's the nearest space to the entrance) you just get the side of the frame nearest the entrance full of pollen on each frame
 
You get the sqme kind of thing on cold way, but instead of the whole frame getting filled with pollen (because it's the nearest space to the entrance) you just get the side of the frame nearest the entrance full of pollen on each frame
Yes I've noticed the same. Advantages and disadvantages either way. A full frame is handy if you want to give one to a neighbouring hive that needs it.
 
I may be displaying my ignorance here, but turning one hive through 90° doesn't change it to cold way does it? Don't you need to change the configuration of the frames within the hive to make it cold way?
Yes realised that after I wrote this, duh! Now need to check if they will fit! Or means twisting, not ideal.
 
I have all my hives, two colonies on three box stands with a gap in the middle to put stuff. Works for me without changing direction of entrance.
Thanks, guess a gap will help, do you paint them different colours? Just wondering if there's a danger of a virgin queen returning from a mating flight getting into the wrong hive by mistake if side by side?
 
99% of the world's hives are cold way.
(Langstroth)

Including most of the Nordic countries.
 
Thanks, guess a gap will help, do you paint them different colours? Just wondering if there's a danger of a virgin queen returning from a mating flight getting into the wrong hive by mistake if side by side?
Maybe some are colour blind?
 
Maybe some are colour blind?
Yep, bees do see colour differently from people.
Painting with combinations of blue and yellow is effective if your hives are very close. (Bees can't perceive red.)

But I've never had a problem with 2 hives on a 6' stand with a central gap. Have often put a nuc/temp hive in the centre gap and queens have always gone back to their own one.
 
Thanks, guess a gap will help, do you paint them different colours? Just wondering if there's a danger of a virgin queen returning from a mating flight getting into the wrong hive by mistake if side by side?
You won't have a problem with drifting with those bees you have, they are not sloppy navigators. My stands always start out with well spaced hives, I have a few where you couldn't fit your hive tool between.
 
You won't have a problem with drifting with those bees you have, they are not sloppy navigators.
In reality most bees aren't sloppy navigators (unless diseased/poisoned).

Drones will always wander regardless of apiary configuration. Queens usually do their last minute fine-tuning by the pheromones of workers at the entrance/landing board.
 

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