Best time to turn hive?

drbryanj · May 22, 2007, 10:14:53 AM

When I first started my hive, the only place I had was with a north exposure for the entrance. My neighbor has now cut down all of his bushes. I can rotate the hive and get a southeastern exposure. Should I turn the hive? When is the best time of day to turn the hive?

Jerrymac · May 22, 2007, 12:17:19 PM

If all you are going to do is turn it then just do it anytime. They will find the entrance. They will probably think it is a new entrance and the old one is blocked.

Shizzell · May 22, 2007, 01:42:52 PM

Just a word of advice though, don't rupture the hive in the morning right before everybody in the hive is about to leave. They tend to get mad.

Jake

Robo · May 22, 2007, 02:26:47 PM

For piece of mind, you can turn them after dark and place some hay/weeds/bush in front of the entrance that they will have to avoid when exiting. This will cause them to reset their bearings before they fly off. You still we see some going to the old location for a couple days, but they will eventually migrate to the new location.

Brian D. Bray · May 22, 2007, 05:06:17 PM

A southeast exposure for the hive is actually better than a northern one in the Northern Hemisphere.
North is the cold side of a tree, this is were you find the moss and fungus growing on the trunk. South is the warm side of a tree. With a southeast orientated entrance the sun will shin into the hive entrance much more readily and the bees will fly up to an hour earlier than with a hive pointing north.
My hives are orientated directly south due to several considerations, location of neighbors, trees, and fences.
My mentor always said to point a Hive east or south and southeast was best.

Mici · May 22, 2007, 05:13:44 PM

go outside exactly at 11.00 o'clock and point the hive at the sun. this is said to be the best.

Robo · May 23, 2007, 08:56:36 AM

Quote from: Mici on May 22, 2007, 05:13:44 PM
go outside exactly at 11.00 o'clock

Is that AM/PM, standard time or day light savings :-P

Mici · May 23, 2007, 09:43:00 AM

Quote from: Robo on May 23, 2007, 08:56:36 AM
Quote from: Mici on May 22, 2007, 05:13:44 PM
go outside exactly at 11.00 o'clock

Is that AM/PM, standard time or day light savings :-P

HA!, we have 11.00 and 23.00 so...ain't my fault if you have stupid clocks :-P hehehe, just kiddin'

about...the summer time and winter time..i gave it a thought, i guess summer time, on the other hand it doesn't matter all that much