How beneficial would a freestanding canopy be for the bees?

Started by ugcheleuce, April 23, 2014, 12:34:27 PM

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ugcheleuce

April 23, 2014, 12:34:27 PM
[also posted in a UK forum]

Hello everyone

I know that it is beneficial for beekeepers if their bee hives are situated in a bee stall or under a partially enclosed verandah, but how does it benefit the bees?  And would bees benefit at all if the canopy was not closed on three sides or connected to another building, but entirely freestanding, such as in these images?



I'm particularly interested in whether such a canopy would have any effect on the hive's ability to regulate its temperature (e.g. if the colony wasn't very strong, whether such a canopy would help them with heat retention).  I seem to recall from my school days in science or geography class that a roof would have an effect on dew or something, but I'm not sure how that applies here.

Right now, my bee hive sits on a wooden chair in an open field.  A fellow beginner beekeeper feels that I should at least have a canopy over it, otherwise the bees will struggle to maintain temperature during cold spells.  I have no idea either way.  I can see how an enclosure on three sides might reduce the effect of wind, but not how a freestanding canopy can have any benefit to the hive.  But maybe I'm wrong...?

Samuel
--
Samuel Murray, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
3 hives in desperate need of requeening :-)

Dallasbeek

#1
April 23, 2014, 01:41:08 PM
See Michael Bush's website on placement of hives.  He says full sun, but I think that's to help against varroa and SHB, but don't know how that affects you in the Netherlands.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Jim134

#2
April 23, 2014, 02:00:16 PM
Quote from: Dallasbeek on April 23, 2014, 01:41:08 PM
See Michael Bush's website on placement of hives.  He says full sun, but I think that's to help against varroa and SHB, but don't know how that affects you in the Netherlands.

SHB love shade....



           BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :) and
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Jim134

#3
April 23, 2014, 02:00:50 PM
Quote from: Jim 134 on April 23, 2014, 02:00:16 PM
Quote from: Dallasbeek on April 23, 2014, 01:41:08 PM
See Michael Bush's website on placement of hives.  He says full sun, but I think that's to help against varroa and SHB, but don't know how that affects you in the Netherlands.

SHB love shade....



           BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

ugcheleuce

#4
April 23, 2014, 02:21:33 PM
Quote from: Dallasbeek on April 23, 2014, 01:41:08 PM
Michael Bush ... says full sun, but I think that's to help against varroa and SHB, but don't know how that affects you in the Netherlands.

No, we don't have varroa in the Netherlands.

Just kidding... we do have varroa, but not small hive beetle.  I've never heard that shade might help varroa.  We treat for varroa as a matter of course, using acids, at set times during the year, so that might be different from Mike Bush's approach and treatment.

Don't you think that a canopy like this might help reduce heat loss through radiation at night?

--
Samuel Murray, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
3 hives in desperate need of requeening :-)

RHBee

#5
April 23, 2014, 11:42:05 PM
Here in SHB'ville, full sun. I've thought of having a beach umbrella that I can stick in the dirt so I can get some shade while working the hives. :-D
Later,
Ray

Bush_84

#6
April 24, 2014, 09:09:14 AM
I don't think it'd be worth the effort. 
Keeping bees since 2011.

Also please excuse the typos.  My iPad autocorrect can be brutal.

10framer

#7
April 24, 2014, 10:17:55 AM
if you park a car under a canopy the glass doesn't frost up so i would think there is something to it.  we rarely have harsh winters here, though.

Joe D

#8
April 24, 2014, 03:35:18 PM
Most beek say to have full sun, I have mine under a roof.  The place I did have mine had a roof, and  concrete slab for a floor with cyclone  fence around it.  I would put plastic on the west and north sides in the winter.  I have moved them to a deck, floor is about 30 inches high with a roof, and a wall on the north side.  They do get sun, but are out of the weather.  I have had some SHB but very little.  So far this year I have checked my hives (5) twice, and have seen 2 beetles.  Just how I do it.  Good luck




Joe

danno

#9
April 24, 2014, 04:23:27 PM
swarms will more often then not pick a trap or nest site in the shade

Dallasbeek

#10
April 24, 2014, 11:32:16 PM
I think this is like growing herbs.  Instructions for most herbs say full sun.  I live in Texas.  Full sun in the north is good.  Full sun in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, etc. is a bit much for most herbs.   Maybe it's the same for bees?  I'm still new at this bee stuff, so I'm just asking.  I love it in July on Cape Cod, but in the sunbelt you don't want to venture outside....maybe the bees don't want to be in that hothouse we call a hive, which is why we see bearding covering the whole
hive in our summer heat.

Gary
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

tandemrx

#11
April 25, 2014, 11:25:38 PM
I like the idea - maybe even put slats on the north side to give a winter wind break.

I have always preferred full sun in the morning, but shade by about noon or 1pm so that bees get a break from the hot sweltering summers.  With a set up like the second picture you have (high roof) the hives would get winter sun as well.

biggraham610

#12
April 25, 2014, 11:46:46 PM
I have a corn crib on the farm that I was thinking of using, with the slatted sides and roof. I actually had a hive in there for a short period last year, I got to wondering about the no sun in the winter business. I dont know, have more hives now, might experiment with on this year. :-\
"The Bees are the Beekeepers"

danno

#13
April 26, 2014, 09:27:15 AM Last Edit: April 28, 2014, 08:49:11 AM by danno
I have a friend that is building green house and is putting 3 colonies on one wall.  There enterances will be on th outside but they will be worked from in the house.  He is hoping they will winter better with this setup

tefer2

#14
April 26, 2014, 09:52:19 AM
Who's Holly Dan?  :-D

Intheswamp

#15
April 27, 2014, 12:54:38 AM
Quote from: danno on April 26, 2014, 09:27:15 AM
I have a friend that is building green house and is putting 3 colonies on one wall.  There enterances will be on th outside but they will be worked from in the house.  He is hoping they will winter better with this setup

Holly
I'm probably not understanding the setup properly so I have a question or two.  When the hives are opened for inspection some bees will most likely enter the green house...how will they get back in the hive if it's closed back down when the inspection or whatever is over with?  Won't there be a bunch of locked out bees buzzing around in the greenhouse?  :?

Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Intheswamp

#16
April 27, 2014, 12:55:17 AM
Quote from: tefer2 on April 26, 2014, 09:52:19 AM
Who's Holly Dan?  :-D
<chuckle> :laugh:
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

danno

#17
April 27, 2014, 04:43:39 PM
Quote from: tefer2 on April 26, 2014, 09:52:19 AM
Who's Holly Dan?  :-D
Auto correct is evil.   Not even sure what that should have said

Barry

Re:
#18
April 27, 2014, 04:57:58 PM
bees do best in the Sun. full sunlight is not an issue. proper ventilation is. keeping the bees with a fully open bottom entrance, and an upper entrance, bees will ventilate excess heat. Small hive beetles love shade.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

danno

#19
April 27, 2014, 05:04:51 PM
Quote from: Intheswamp on April 27, 2014, 12:54:38 AM
Quote from: danno on April 26, 2014, 09:27:15 AM
I have a friend that is building green house and is putting 3 colonies on one wall.  There enterances will be on th outside but they will be worked from in the house.  He is hoping they will winter better with this setup

Holly
I'm probably not understanding the setup properly so I have a question or two.  When the hives are opened for inspection some bees will most likely enter the green house...how will they get back in the hive if it's closed back down when the inspection or whatever is over with?  Won't there be a bunch of locked out bees buzzing around in the greenhouse?  :?

Ed
Yes I agree Ed   This is his idea due to 100% loose this winter.  His green houses are small maybe 12 X 50 so I guess he will just open the doors
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