c) Hive placement

[Beeboy01]

I have my hives fenced in along the back of a metal work shop with a line of trees along the property line about 30 feet away. It has worked great till the trees grew out and started to shade the hives. Now I am trimming back the branches every year. It is still a great place for the hives but it is a little more work than before. If your hives are going to there for a few years check that they won't get shaded as trees grow up around them.
The good points about having the hives back there is that you can't see them from the road or neighbor's property, I extract in the shop and the bees have to fly almost straight up over the shop to forage.

[CherylO]

So much information...love it ....great help with some of my decisions...I am in a cul-de-sac and have a 2 acre yard side back..I also have a pool..want to put the hive about 25 feet from my veg. garden which is beyond the pool with the appropriate electric fencing...we had a bear run through the side yard once a few years ago don't want to take any chances.....i am going to put a bird bath in the fenced area of the hive.. will they will still go for the pool.... and that area is out of site of the road and the neighbors...i was thinking of putting landscape fabric around the hive enclosure to minimize the intrusion of mowing..anyone else tried that is it worth the effort?

[thebalvenie]

great thread. thanks to all who have been so helpful.

i live in a neighborhood and the city allows the hobbyist beekeeper to keep 1-5 hives on the property, so long as the home owner is the one managing the hive... Check.

in my south east corner along my fence are two pie cherry trees. the space between these two trees are where i plan to place my HTBH. this area gets good sun and great evening shade. it's also next to a large flower bed and my cascade hops.

question 1: will placing a hive under two parallel trees (approximately 10-12 feet apart) affect their flight path? perhaps there are some more intangibles one would need to know before answering? it's not heavily branched...some branches do hang low enough where one could grab some cherries if he/she so wished....

question 2. underground sprinklers. i will have to rework and redirect my pop up sprinkler heads so it doesn't get on the bees. thankfully, i should be able to do this before the bees arrive and work out any shenanigans. they're timed to go off at 3:30-4:30

i also have an apple tree and a plum tree on my property.

lastly, about a mile away and just across the street neighbor's of mine of pools. i already plan to put out a 4 gallon chicken water feeder by the hive...heck, i could even hang it close the front of the hive.

i guess we'll see. i have to go to those neighbors and let them know i have a hive and see what happens.

[thebalvenie]

also,

i wanted to post this for those that are not lucky enough to come across it like me. i think it mirrors a great deal of what has been said here already...

it's from www.beethinking.com

Top bar hive placement consists in setting up the hive in a location that is ideal for both the bees and the beekeeper. Here we'll discuss the determining factors when placing your first top bar hive.

Top Bar Hive Placement: There are many factors to consider when placing any bee hive, however, horizontal top bar hives have some unique needs that should be addressed when deciding upon the final location.

Easy Access: While there are many "requirements" on the traditional "hive placement checklist," I think one of the most important factors to consider is ease of access for you, the beekeeper. The bees are adaptable, and can overcome just about any inconvenience you throw their way. If the location makes it difficult for you to enjoy the hive, and especially if it makes it difficult for you to work in the hive, this is a major issue. You will want a location that is free of obstructions on the backside of the hive (the side with the window), with at least 2-3 feet of space so that you can stand and squat comfortably. I assure you that you will spend more time than you know knelt down with friends and family while eagerly looking through the window to see the progress your bees are making. Try and provide enough space for at least 2-3 people to fit comfortably while looking through the window.

Level Ground: Horizontal top bar hives are foundationless, and the bees build their comb perpendicular to the ground. If your hive is on a slope, the comb will be equally sloped. Make sure you either place the hive on level ground, or place garden tiles, rocks or scrap wood under the legs to make it as level as possible. This also makes it easier for you to access the hive without fumbling up and down a hill.

Early Morning Sun: While this doesn't apply to extremely hot areas, it is generally agreed upon that hives are more successful with more sun than less. If you have to choose between early morning sun and afternoon sun, go with early morning sun, as this will get the hive active earlier in the day, and provide them with more time to gather resources.

Safety: If you live in an urban or suburban area and you feel there is potential danger to either the bees or people, be sure to place the hive in a relatively concealed area -- preferably one that is fenced off. Many beekeepers who live in the city like to point the entrance of the hive toward a fence or a hedge

Wind: Ideally the hive will be placed in a location that is protected from harsh winds billowing into the hive entrances during the winter. Due to the leg configuration and weight, our hives are very sturdy and we've had no issues with hives being toppled by high winds.

Water: If you live in an arid region -- especially one where pools are prevalent -- this is consideration is more important. Bees need water to use within the hive, and they, being opportunists, will frequent the closest reliable water source, regardless of how inconvenient it is for you or your neighbors. If the closest water source is your neighbor's pool or bird bath, the bees will be more than willing to use them. If this matters to you, make sure you provide them with a shallow-sloped water source. Bird baths work very well!

Forage: Obviously if you plan to keep bees in your back yard you will have little control over the nectar and pollen sources available to your colony, but an important consideration nonetheless. We've had greater success with our colonies placed in urban and suburban areas, largely due to the abundance and variety of flower plants available in parks, gardens and yards. Rural areas, especially areas with heavy agriculture, generally have less forage available due to the use of mono crops, pesticides and fungicides.

Legality: The last, and maybe one of the most important factors, is whether it is legal to keep bees in your area. Many cities still outlaw beekeeping outright, or make the licensing process incredibly difficult for the beekeeper. Check your city, county and state laws prior to investing in a beehive and bees, and then make a decision accordingly. Keep in mind that a number of areas have antiquated laws explicitly banning the use of any hives but Langstroth or frame beehives. While I don't know of anyone being accosted over such silly regulations, it's still something to keep in mind.

[jim81147]

What is considered "too close " to animals in pens ? We raise a pig or two on occasion and the pen we have set up for them is a permanent structure that can not be moved .

[Michael Bush]

A defensive reaction by bees can escalate. It's hard to say how far is safe as different bees have different reactions, but my general rule is that they need to be able to run away. How far? I guess that depends on how far they CAN, but the further the better. I have had bees that would be very defensive at quite some distance, but I didn't keep those, I requeened them. I would say the closer your animals are, the more serious you need to take defensive bees. The think you are trying to prevent is when the bees have a defensive colony reaction to the animal and they get stung to death. You not only lose the animal (sad) and they suffer (sad) but you lose a lot of bees in the process (also sad).

[jim81147]

My proposed bee site is probably 100-125 feet away from the pen and not in the line of sight of each other . Would that be a safe distance ?

[andreaf]

I thought I wanted to put my hive in the backyard along the back fence under a treeline. It faces southeast, so would get morning sun and then get shaded around mid to late afternoon. I though this might be ideal in the hot south Carolinian summer. But should I be thinking in the middle of my yard in total full sun? I've read some things about the trees dripping water on the hives being bad.any suggestions?