Bees preferring one side of hive to the other?

[L Daxon]

A thread on here talking about bees building down prompted me to mention that my bees seem to prefer building from the left side of the hive to the right.  The left side of the east facing hive is in the shade most of the time while the right side is in the sun most of the day.  When I started the hive in May I noticed frames 1, 2 ,3 were being built out even before the middle. (they were also building out from the back of the hive to the front).  One time I also noticed that frame 1 on the outside of the middle brood box was almost totally capped brood on both sides.  I thought they usually storred mostly honey/pollen on the outer frames. Earlier this week when I checked, frames 7 & 8 (I have 8 frame mediums) on the right side of the box (the sunny side) are totally capped/uncapped honey.  I've never noticed that the brood was really grouped in the middle.  It seems to be a little bit of everywhere.  Is any of this normal?

[fish_stix]

Yes. All normal!

[BjornBee]

Bees are very resourceful. Earlier installed bees want warmth in the spring and favor the sunny side of a hive. Later installed packages or swarms will avoid the "hot" side of the hive.

And if you never experienced the "hot" side of the hive, go out and put your hand on the side of the hive after the sun hits it all day. Better yet, put your hand on the metal top! (And some suggest no use for an inner cover, which allows a buffer to the heat.) It may be 95 outside, but the sides and top of the hive can cook an egg easily. That 3/4 inch wood we all use has an r-factor of about 1. And that heat transfer works both ways. It allows massive heat loss in winter but massive heat transfer inwards in the summer.

As a side note, installing swarms in hives placed in sunshine is a quick way to lose swarms. That has been noted for many years in books. They actually favor shade locations. Of course we all know with the introduction of many pests, they now are healthier in full sun. But keep in mind a bees natural instinct to seek shade. 


Yes, bees do build comb in areas of a hive they deem best based on heat, etc. So to answer your question and as fish_stix commented, it is normal.

[HomeBru]

I have one hive, my strongest, that prefers the left (east) side. They beard all along the left, the queen lays on the left, they washboard on the left, etc... I always thought it was because I'm left handed!  :-D