Where to Place Your Bee Hives

If you want to successfully keep bees and produce honey and beeswax, it is important that you select the proper location. Placing the bee hives in the right place will lead to more harvest, as well as a safer environment for both the bees and people. There are a number of locations that can be ideal for your goals. It is equally important that you understand the nature and characteristics of your own bees to know the exact site.

Doing Research

First of all, you need to research and read more about local and state laws regarding proper beekeeping before you invest in beehives. A number of local communities ban beekeeping in some areas. You should register as a beekeeper with the right state agency first. Contact the local Agricultural Extension Office to get more guidelines and instructions on how to legitimately keep bees in your area.

Learn about the different kinds of bees and their specific roles in preserving the hive. You should study bee flight patterns. The hives should be located in places that encourage flight patterns to drive bees away from neighbors and other people and animals.

Choosing the Spot

Once you have done enough research, you should pick a sunny spot to position the beehives. Keep the bees in the shade and you will have a problem with very aggressive types. If you live in the city, you should put the hives in a sunny location close to nectar and water. You should pick the right spot that is near shrubs and other flowering plants. You can provide more nectar to the bees by staying close to gardens and fields.

Providing Water

Beehives should be found near a good water source. Make a water source if the natural source is polluted or unavailable. Bees like standing water that has some organic matter. Install a pool or mini pond near the hives so that bees do not have to travel long distances. Put rocks and other flotation devices in the water source to keep the bees from changing the source or drowning.

You have to force the bees to fly up and out of the way of humans and pets by surrounding the hives with a 6-foot fence. Hide the hives by planting shrubs in the surroundings. Ideal beekeeping needs the beekeeper to protect the bees and neighbors from harm.

The Ideal Bee Yard

If you are aiming for quick access, a close water source, minimal wind, enough sunlight and good drainage, you can create the perfect bee yard. Face the beehive to the southeast. The bees can get an early morning wake-up call and begin to forage early. Position the hive so that it can easily be accessed during harvest time. Some beekeepers realize that they have to carry hundreds of pounds worth of honey uphill and on uncomfortable terrain. You have to give a windbreak at the rear end of the hive. You can plant a few hemlocks behind the hives or install a fence made of burlap and posts.

More Ideal Elements

Choose areas that have dappling sunlight, but avoid the full sun to prevent the colony from working harder to regulate the hive temperature during hot months. You should avoid very shady areas to avoid moisture. The hive should always have good ventilation. Stay away from places where the air is still and damp. The peak of a hill is not a good location too, since winter can destroy the hive. The hive should be placed level from side to side. The front of the hive should be slightly lower than the rear, to keep rainwater out.

Relating Honey and Location

The kind of honey is usually categorized by the main flowers where the bees collect nectar. A colony positioned in the middle of a big orange grove will lead to orange-blossom honey. The same goes for clover honey, etc. If you are aiming for a particular flavor, you should position the hive near your ideal plants like blueberry, apple blossom and buckwheat.

Take some time to observe the different flavors and determine if you achieve the type of flavor you always want. You can plant more floral sources until you reach your goal. Different kinds of nectar can be brought by the bees depending on the availability.