Shade or Sun ?

[Rich V]

My hives are located in an open field to the West, but protected on the East,and North by Pine trees. Here in Northern Illinois The winds frequently will blow steady out of the West at 40-50 MPH. for a couple of days with snow or rain. I thought of building a wind break around them, but that would shade the hives. Would the Sun be better for them, and take my chances with the wind? Or should I put up the wind break? Whats your thoughts?

Thanks

[Horns Pure Honey]

You need a wind break from the north and the west, not the east and the south. Sorry to tell ya that but it is the truth :)

[Finsky]

Wind brake is very good. You need not to build it so high that it makes bad shadow.

But shadows are bad too if hives are in shadow half a day.

I have hives on my gottage garden. At spring I have find how back yard was 1-2 week faster in spring development. But when I started to use terrarium heater on hive bottoms, I did not find any difference.

At winter bees consume much more food when they are in windy place. Wind blows through the entrance.

[thegolfpsycho]

I used to carefully search for spots to place my hives.  I wanted early morning sun and afternoon shade.  Anymore, I am leaning toward no shade at all.  Our temperatures here range from the low to high 90's most of the summer.  A week or 2 will go over 100.  It might be an illusion, or wishful thinking, but the higher heat seems to slow the mites down some.  The bees  are making decent crops, everyone is busy, and they are usually in good humor.  The less mites I have to battle, the better I like it.  I just  throw down a 4-way pallet, and set the hive or hives on it.  It's a little more uncomfortable for me when I work them, but it just makes the beer taste that much better afterwards!!  bahahahahahahaha

[Finsky]

It might be an illusion, or wishful thinking, but the higher heat seems to slow the mites down some.

God helps only those who help himself!

Give oxalic acid dripling and no need to think about mites. :P

Here just first snow is going down. I haven't yet gived oxalic acid. Here is traffic camera pictures, but when America has day we have dark.
http://www.tiehallinto.fi/alk/english/frames/kelikamerat-frame.html
.

[Michael Bush]

Sun all day would be my preference.  :)  The bees always seem to do the best that way.  I wouldn't count on it to help with the mites though.

[Rich V]

Thanks for your input. What I done is build a removeable wind break,out of stockade fence. I'll put it up in the winter months then remove it in the summer. It's high enough to protect the hives from the harsh West winds,but still lets some Sun shine over.

Rich V.

[Dick Allen]

It might be an illusion, or wishful thinking, but the higher heat seems to slow the mites down some.

Those are my thoughts, too. On some of the other beekeeping discussion groups, it seems to me that those who are claiming no mite problems are, for the most part, living in the more southern/warmer climates.

Here’s a quote from ‘Honey Bee Pests, Predators & Diseases’:

“In a long-term study in Brazil, the infestation level of bee colonies in a cool climate at an altitude of 1,400 meters was as much as 10 times as high as that of colonies kept iin a warmer region at 300 meters above sea level, even though the two locations were within 150 km of each other and the colonies were headed by sister queens.”

[Finsky]

Hi Dick

You are from Alaska at same longitudal level as southern Finland.

Welcome to discuss about northern beekeeping to Finnish forum.
http://bees.freesuperhost.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

[lee]

i look up oxalic acid and i don't want that on my honey. it say's it is Hazardous. just to let u know  :(

[Finsky]

i look up oxalic acid and i don't want that on my honey. it say's it is Hazardous. just to let u know  :(

"belief if not value of knowledge"

It is given at autumn and bees consume winterfood away before next summer.  You have same problem with all stuff.

[Dick Allen]

oxalic acid is hazardous as is formic acid in concentrated amounts. but, both oxalic and formic acids occur in small amounts naturally in honey.