sun angle vs. shade

[AlpineJean]

I have been wondering if it matters if the hives are placed so that they have sun on them first thing in the morning or if they are OK in partial shade. The place I am considering setting our hive doesn't get sun on it till 10:30am or so. Kevin, my husband, says that surely the bees can look out and see that it's morning smile.gif

[MIKI]

It would depend where you are from in TX I would venture to say that shade is good. In Germany the highs are no as bad as yours so I perfer the morning sun warms them asap. They fly at 50-55 degrees here.

[Michael Bush]

I have one in the shade (KTBH) and one in the sun (TTBH). The one in the sun has a beespace between the top bars and the lid. The one in the shade does not. I don't know if it matters or not. Both have done fine.

[Jim Fischer]

Here's a handy tool you can use to check your
hive position(s) any time of year, and verify
exactly where the sun will be in relation to the
horizon and nearby obstructions during the whole
year:

http://www.bee-quick.com/reprints/sunny.pdf

Just print out the last page on an overhead gel.

[Scot Mc Pherson]

Where to locate is an important step. There are several issues involved. Most of the issues revolve around people. Will the bees bother anyone when placed at xyz.

Bees are found in all sorts of situtations and can be placed in all sorts as well. Full sun, partial shade, full shade, doesn't matter too much really from a general point of view. What matter most is where you are when deciding these things. If you live where the sun is REALLY strong and it get REALLY hot, maybe shade is more helpful. If you live in a temperate area full sun is usually the best, but not the most important thing, just a helpful thing.

Even in the tropics its hot in the sun OR in the shade, what you want to do is provide enough ventilation, but not too much, for the bees to be able to manage the temperature issues. Too little and it can get really hot inside, too much and the bees have no control at all.

[oldgreyone]

Scot
How do the screen bottoms fit into the picture on the ventilation issue?
Could it be too much?
Or does the v mite control issue overrule the ventilation concerns?

[Scot Mc Pherson]

Mites are controlled by using natural comb. I live smack dab in the middle of some of the worst vmite country there is, and I haven't had a mite problem yet. I don't use screening. Good ventilation is good...by too much I mean the wind ripping through. People using bottomless hives are having better overwintering success in alaska that people with bottom boards. Overventilating isn't a heat regulation issue, you just don't want the wind ripping through the hive. So long as you have one opening only or a REALLY small 2ndary vent, then you vent best by having a nice sized entrance. Mine are about 1" high, and 7 inches across. Look at my pics too see. The rest of the venting occurs between the topbars and nooks and crannies that develop between them as the heat of the day makes them expand and contract so they aren't every really air tight even with propolis. You can always drill a 1/2 hole in the back of the hive if you want to add a little more ventilation but don't make it bigger than that.

[Dick Allen]

People using bottomless hives are having better overwintering success in alaska that people with bottom boardsNow c'mon Scott! How can you say that? You've never been here have you? :rolleyes:

How many beekeepers have you actually contacted here in Alaska? ;)