Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: AlamoBee on March 23, 2015, 10:43:00 PM

Title: Hive Orientation
Post by: AlamoBee on March 23, 2015, 10:43:00 PM
I am new to bees, but looking forward to my nucs arriving in a month. I finished fencing my bee yard to keep the animals out and built my stands this weekend. I have a question as to which way the hive should face. Our prevailing breeze is out of the southeast, but any cold weather and the rain it brings obviously comes from the north. I was thinking of compromising and facing the entrances due west. Is this the best or am I overthinking this?  Thanks
Title: Re: Hive Orientation
Post by: 10framer on March 23, 2015, 11:00:43 PM
i face mine east or southeast depending on wha the location allows for.
Title: Re: Hive Orientation
Post by: BeeMaster2 on March 23, 2015, 11:37:12 PM
I try to face mine to the south but I also have some that are facing east. My observation hive is on a lazy Susan. I try to keep the frames point north to south. It seems to help it grow faster.

Title: Re: Hive Orientation
Post by: JackM on March 24, 2015, 08:44:05 AM
Funny I have tried orienting East, West, and South.  It seems they leave the hives and go South immediately no matter what the orientation.  Anyone else note that?????
Title: Re: Hive Orientation
Post by: Michael Bush on March 24, 2015, 10:38:33 AM
Since I have them clustered together 14 to a stand they end up facing opposite directions on one side from the other side.  But all things being equal, put their backs to the prevailing wind.  Here that's facing ESE.
Title: Re: Hive Orientation
Post by: rdy-b on March 27, 2015, 02:42:16 AM
best to stager entrance direction --so all are not facing the same-
your winds and whether are going to dictate the negative influences
you are going to evade--also as a side note learning orientation trats
that bees posses is a great tool for beekeepers to have in there tool bag
--there are times when a circular pattern is best for nukes-but a four way
pattern would be ideal for colonies ready to be moved onto pallets there
are many opiones---sometimes its the bees that decide---- :wink:--RDY-B