How close do you sit?

[Janemma]

I am placing a bench near my hives and the base will be heavy so I'm not sure how often I can persuade (ie nag lol) my husband into moving it into position.  So how close and in what kind  of direction from the hives should it be?  The hives are the to the right of a pond, so I don't want to sit between the bees and their water source, but I'm not sure how close I should position the bench.  Close enough to get a good view so I can sit and watch my bees but not too close that they get annoyed.  Close enough that I can get some good pictures of them coming and going but not bother them......

Where do you have your seat?  Distance from hive?

[bassman1977]

I don't have a seat but I do sit out in the grass at times, by the hives.  I would stay out of their flight paths for sure.  I usually stay about 10 feet back but I get fly-bys at times.  I still don't know if they are telling me to get out of town, orienting on me, or coming back from foraging.  Probably a little of all three.  I have the least amount of fly-bys if I'm about 15 feet away, but still get buzzed every so often.  Also, the lower you can sit to the ground, the better, IMO.  It gives the bees more of a chance to get over you when they are flying.

[indypartridge]

I have a plastic stool I keep out by my hives. I usually sit off to the side, about 3 feet from the corner of the hive to my stool. Close enough that I can lean forward and touch the hive. If the girls are cranky it does not seem to help to move further away - they'll follow.

Maybe before you have your husband put the bench in place, you could experiment a few times with a lawn chair and find the best location for you & your bees.

[BMAC]

I agree with Indy.  experiment a little bit.  Do it for maybe the entire summer before really deciding.  You may think its a nice day and your bees might bee peeved about you being in the vicinity.

[wtiger]

I guess it would depend on how hot your bees are.  I usually don't have a problem about 3-5 feet infront of and ever so slightly to the side of , say the corner of the chair even with the corner of the hive, the hives.

[Kathyp]

i stand right in the flight path about 4 feet back and watch them all the time.  i have never been stung while i have been there...but...i have long hair and i french braid it.  very often, they get hung up in my hair.  if you put your bench back 10 feet or so, you should be fine.  just be aware that they do land on things and if you squish them or capture them in long hair, there is no salvation  :-) 

[_Brenda_]

I have a bench about 5 or 6 feet to one side of the hive.
Sometimes, when there are a lot out and about the hive, I sit further away.

[HAB]

11:00 - 11:45 am today I sat in my power wheelchair 3ft in front of and midway between our two new hives spaced 4ft apart.  Wearing shorts, short sleeves, and no hat/veil while my son inspected the hives.  Only bee that got on me landed on my nose for about 5 seconds, decided I wasn't sweet enough and left for work.
Gotta love the farm life. :) :) :)

[Tucker1]

Janemma:  I often sit and watch the bees coming and going to the hive. It's very peaceful and relaxing.  Before I do, I determine which way the bees are headed when they leave the hive. Once I know the direction of their travel, I typically sit on the opposite side of the hive entrance. I do not sit in front of the entrance. Sometimes, I get bumped by one of the bees, but they just move on.

Lacking long hair, I never have had a problem with them being caught in my hair. (To be frank,mites couldn't even be caught in my hair. They would slide right off my head.)

Normally, I sit within 6 to 8 feet of the hive.  I'll move closer if there isn't much traffic in to or out of the hive.

Enjoy your girls. 

Regards,
Tucker1

[the kid]

2 saturdays ago I took my grand son to forest lake ,, when we got back my wife ,, daughter and other grand kids had put a line of chairs about 5 feet in frount of the 4 hives ,,, so we could sit and watch the girls when haveing coffee or breakfast  ...  well more bees were flying then most days this spring ,,,  we all sat there for about 3 hours not a sting between us ... then the wife saw six yellow spots on me .....   so if you sit real close to them they poop on you ..  so its not only the stings ,, that you have to watch for...  maybee they told me what they thought of me ....
the kid

[annette]

I find it depends on the day. Sometimes I go right up to the hive (on the side corner) and hang out watching and all is well. But lately, I sit back further and occasionally get bumped. Just experiment, like everyone says

Annette

[johnnybigfish]

I sit as close as I can on a milk crate...Close enough to be able to reach out and touch the entrance....Sometimes the bees walk on my hands and up and down my arms.(Im in shorts and no shirt when its warm).
I especially like it when drones come out and make all that racket!!..Usually, onlookers think that the sounds of drones are the sounds which are made previous to an attack :-D I like the drones cuz they tend to be really friendly to me!
your friend,
john

[JP]

http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/911DispatchCallSwarmGretnaLaMarch22008/photo#5173295207784268514

So close I can smell their butts!!


...JP

[steveouk]

I sit about 3 feet away.

[dpence]

I guage the temper of the girls.  But I have sat pretty close off to the side.  As long as you are not the the flight path.

David

[qa33010]

Neighbors privacy fence is about six feet from hives and I've had a glider there and use seats also.  I've been close enough to lay the camera on the entrance and snap pics that way.  I'm sometimes investigated when I'm out there.  Good for the morning cup of java before the heat gets really oppressive in the summer.  It's also a great view when drone and orientation flights are going on.  After a rain or when really cloudy I get more attention.

Experiment and be aware of their temper.

[Sean Kelly]

I usually like to remove a few frames and crawl right inside the hive with the bees and close the innercover above me.  That's how close I get.   :evil:

Sean Kelly

[Daddys Girl]

I haven't sat close unsuited yet, but I have watched from the door to the enclosure the hives live in.  Magnificent, and I cannot wait to get me a chair to sit in.

[amandrea]

I sit about two feet to the side where I can see the interance with ease. I am couriously out of the main flight pass but I do have a number of bees land on me and just rest for awhile.

[Dane Bramage]

I lay out in the sun right behind them.  8-)


and, this year, over them too (on balcony)


the advice you've received thus far is spot-on though.  If you do want to see the entrance do it out of their flight path & you'll be fine.

Cheers,
Dane