Hive direction

tillie · March 07, 2011, 11:49:49 AM

Keith Fielder - a well-respected Master Beekeeper and field agent in Georgia - says all of us place our hives too close together and that ideally they would be like bees in trees - one hive far, far away from the next.

FWIW.

I face mine toward the rising sun. My hive at Blue Heron which is in unencumbered space compared to the two who died faces into the rising sun and clusters in the part of the hive where the sun hits first during the winter.

Linda T in Atlanta

Brian D. Bray · March 12, 2011, 10:47:31 PM

Quote from: T Beek on March 07, 2011, 11:03:09 AM
Quote from: meade kampe on March 07, 2011, 10:09:27 AM
Thanks everyone for the info and advice! I just started beekeeping last year with two hives. They are on the top edge of a wooded ravine, facing South. There were so many differences between the hives, and they are only 15 ft apart! I have an additional hive to set out this year, and I wanted to put it closer to my house for observation. I just wanted to make sure I was pointing it in the right direction, thanks!
Your hives are 15 feet apart? That's room for enough for 3-4 more between them. Mine are 'slightly' turned away from each other so no two colonies are facing 'exactly' in the same direction other than generally facing south/southeast. They all get first light and all day sun (when its out), summer and winter.

ALL colonies are different, just like people ;)

thomas

I like to set my hives far enough apart so that I can walk all the way around them, just personal preference, but you'd be surprised how many timesyou want or need to go to the other side for some reason. Especially when you're teaching a newbee, they need room to get in close and personal while you manipulate the hive while explaining what you're doing and answering questions.

meade kampe · March 31, 2011, 09:31:27 PM

I do keep my hives spaced apart on purpose. I am not pressed for space, I appreciate the extra room to move around, and its easier to keep the weeds and grass down. Not to mention, one hive is a little more tempermental than the other! I always work that one last, but sometimes they get a little peeved even when I am working their neighbors! I would not like them to be only a foot away..... but that's probably just the clumsy newbie in me! :-D

Ben Framed · October 19, 2023, 04:01:38 PM

I'm with iddee and Michael Bush on this one. South....

Ben Framed · October 20, 2023, 01:17:58 AM

I just thought of something. If I was in Australia would it instead be North?

Lesgold · October 20, 2023, 01:25:11 AM

Yes, that?s correct Phillip. Anywhere from north through to east. We also drive on the other side of the road just to upset you guys on the top end of the world.

Ben Framed · October 20, 2023, 06:11:03 AM

Michael Bush · October 20, 2023, 06:17:12 AM

>I just thought of something. If I was in Australia would it instead be North?

Yes. Way back in history the Romans paid the Phoenicians to sail around the horn of Africa, which they did. When they returned they reported to the Romans that there was a point where the sun started being in the North all day instead of the South. When hearing this, the Romans knew they were lying and refused to pay them.