Where And How To Place Your Hive

[Jen]

 In the next few days, or sooner, my friend will have his first hive from a cut out we will do together. I've been thinking so much about the cut out that I almost forgot to tell him to have a place ready for when he comes home with his hive. I've been reasearching in a lovely book that a dear friend sent to me on this subject. But I would enjoy some input from all of my friends here.

My four hives are place facing east so the sun can hit the entrance first thing in the morning, all morning. Then the hives get some shade during the hottest time of the day.

[barry42001]

IMHO a place with as much sunshine as possible, this cures a number of issues, facing as close to east or south as possible, and as practical, out of both line of sight and walkways. If need be erect a fence of about 6ft in height to divert bees flight path up and over populated area's.

[Jen]

Thanks Barry 

"If need by ere t a fence of about 6ft in height to divert bees flight path up and over populated area's.

[LazyBkpr]

hehe  Barry you need to stop drinking when posting...  err, not that I have any room to talk there...
   South, SE or East..    Most of my hives point SE..    Anywhere in between.. If there is a cold winter wind a windblock of some sort is helpful.
   I have double nuc's with the entrance toward the north.. they dont seem to suffer much from the storms etc..   But in winter they are more of a pain to deal with because of snow being driven into the entrances..
   Convenience I think is the most important factor..   Sun the better part of the day is helpful.

[Jen]

Awe yes... the wind blocks, good one 

[minz]

I was at a place looking to set some more hives this last week.   When I was talking to the person who owns the place she mentioned that where I wanted to put them had a stream through it and cold damp air settled into it in the bottom in the evening. I decided I would clear a spot behind an abandoned coop. I figured the building would push them up, give a wind break but block the sun all about compromise.

[riverbee]

"South, SE or East..    Most of my hives point SE..    Anywhere in between.. If there is a cold winter wind a windblock of some sort is helpful.
windblock
Convenience
Sun the better part of the day"

what scott said jen, mine face SE as well.  wind breaks can be built of something (or planted, if necessary.  sometimes and probably for the most part, we can't always manage the 'ideal' location, so we do the best we can.  where i have my hives is ideal for summer months, like you full sun in the mornings and in the hottest part of the day, they have shade, but not so much for winter months, so i compensate as best i can (not enough sun on the hives and cool damp air) i wrap, and have windbreaks in place.

[apisbees]

There is a difference between southern exposure and the direction of the hive. As hobby beekeepers a lot of our hives are in our back yard so we have little control over our hive exposure. but it should be kept in mind when looking and choosing out yards.
I like to have hives sitting on pallets. 4 to a pallet 2 facing in one direction the other 2 facing 180 degrees. I have had them facing East, West, and North South and do you know what It doesn't make any different over the course of the year. The air temperature needs to warm to 62 Deg. before the bees start to forage.
Now a yard with a southern exposure so the air temp will be warmer will benefit the hives. Finding yards that get the morning sun and avoiding yards that are shaded in winter due to the low sun not warming the air around the hives because the hives are on the south side of the valley and in the shade of the hill or mountain, should be avoided. If placing hives next to a barn the yard should be on the sunny side of the barn not where the hives will be shaded most of the day.

[Barbarian]

It is possible to give a beginner a list of desirable and undesirable factors in the matter of hive/apiary location.

A beginner can suffer from information overload.

If possible, a visit to the prospective site by a mentor could be useful.  An experienced keep will be able to spot potential problems (and offer solutions).

[apisbees]

To add to what Barbarian posted bee yards can be seasonal as well. A yard could be great for honey flows but poor areas to over winter and for spring build up. and you will find areas there the bees over winter with few losses but there is not much of a honey flow for the bees to collect a excess honey crop. This information comes through trial and error.