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Apiary & Hive Placement

Overview

The placement of a hive can be key to the hive's success: Below are some considerations.

Primary Apiary Location Considerations

• The hive must be emplaced where legal. Check to ensure you have no local laws against keeping bees where you want to place the hive.
• The colony should not be positioned where it represents a risk to others. For example, do not place the entrance so that the bees will be flying directly across a sidewalk.

• The colony should have easy access to pollen and nectar.
• The colony should have easy access to water. For reasons we don't understand, bees seem to be attracted to swimming pools, so positioning the hive near a swimming pool is not recommended.
• The location should have wind breaks, especially in areas where winds can get quite high.
• Shade should considered. In areas where the weather gets quite hot, shade can greatly help the colony regulate heat.

• The best direction for the entrance is South or Southeast.
• Avoid existing animal trails. Simply brushing up against the hives (to scratch an itch) can knock the hive over and possibly cause damage to the hive.
• Place the hives on hive stands.

Secondary Apiary Location Considerations

Where the hives are emplaced:

• The surface should be level.
• The location should be free from flooding.
• The location should provide the beekeeper easy access to all sides of the hive.
• The location should be easy to access by the beekeeper, even after a period of wet weather. Transporting equipment in and out of the area is necessary throughout the year. Ensure that is easily done. (A wagon should be considered for this.)
• The location should be a good distance from where you keep your equipment (or where you will park your car). Sometimes a hive gets annoyed and some of the bees will follow you back from the hive. It is best to give them some distance to give up the chase.
• The location should be in an area where theft (of the honey) and vandalism are minimized.

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More Information

Published Articles

• “Selecting Land for Your Bee Colonies” by Peterson, Ettamarie. Bee Culture magazine, June 2023.

Web Sites

• Beehive Placement: Where to put a Beehive, from Carolina Honeybees
• What Is the Best Location for a Bee Hive?, from BetterBee
• Where To Place A Beehive? 13 Placement Tips, from BeeProfessor