Advice on positioning the apiary

How to position hives correctly

The positioning of the hives is a very important factor for our apiary . The place where the bees will develop must be carefully chosen and must comply with some basic requirements to allow the activity to continue in the right way.

Our choice will greatly affect the health and productivity levels of bee colonies . Let's analyze together what are the important features to consider when choosing our beekeeping station .

Nomadic or sedentary beekeeping?

First, you should determine the type of beekeeping you intend to practice. In the case of nomadic beekeeping, the activity often requires moving and here the choice will be oriented according to the type of flowering you want to pursue. As for the sedentary beekeeping , however, a single place will be selected where the station will remain fixed. When choosing such a place, it is important to take into account some factors to allow the bees to develop optimally.

Positioning of the hives and orientation

As a basic and priority rule, the hives must be oriented towards precise cardinal points that allow the bees to better manage the sunlight . We have repeatedly specified that the entrance to the hives must face south or south-east . The hives with the entrance well exposed to the sun, in fact, have an advantage over others, as the bees wake up earlier and immediately begin to gather on the flowers for the collection of nectar .

A good positioning of the hives equates to a higher production rate. There are also other important considerations for choosing the perfect place to place the apiary .

Important factors for colony development

In addition to the orientation to the south east, there are other determining factors for the development and health of the swarms.

There are common notions that all beekeepers know. Among these there is certainly the choice of a ventilated and temperate place, possibly shaded during the hottest hours of the day.

Among the main factors affecting the choice of positioning are:

• The presence of plant species : the apiary must be located in an area rich in nectar sources where bees can forage. If the food source is too far from the hives, the bees would find it very difficult to fly away from the hive and their productivity would be very limited. Those who do not practice nomadism and are a permanent beekeeper must be satisfied with the blooms offered by the area where the apiary is located. For this reason it is necessary to be informed about the blooms and plant species present in the area.
• The distance from polluted areas : it is very important that the apiary is located away from roads and sources of pollution. The exhaust gases of the cars but also the strong vibrations and noises emitted by the busy areas, would constitute considerable stress for the colonies.
• The availability of water : like any living being, bees need to hydrate themselves and therefore water. It is advisable to place the apiary near water sources but not in humid areas.

Another important precaution is the distance of the hives from the ground . As we have already pointed out, humidity is not good for bees and for this reason it is advisable to distance the hives from the ground which would otherwise suffer the stagnation of moisture from the soil. In addition, each hive should be spaced at least 40 centimeters from each other.

Regarding positioning in rows, we always advise against placing hives in long, straight rows. This in fact could give rise to the phenomenon of drift in which some families are more populous than others. In fact, it happens that foraging bees, returning to the hive, choose the wrong hive.

Some beekeepers have noticed that the hives placed more in the center were more populous than those placed at the ends. The drift phenomenon makes all the swarm balancing work in vain.

If you want to facilitate the orientation of your bees, arrange the hives along curved lines in a semicircle, in a circle, but also in a horseshoe.

Another good practice is to draw small identification symbols that bees recognize. It has been shown that bees more easily distinguish figures such as the X, the circle, the rod and the empty square.

Regulations in force

Always remember to check that the positioning of the apiary fully complies with current regulations. The national legislation provides that an apiary must be located no less than 10 meters from public transit roads and no less than 5 meters from the borders of public or private property.

As regards, however, the distance between apiaries, the law allows the regions to determine it within a maximum radius of 200 meters (for apiaries consisting of at least 50 hives). Each region has therefore set the limit independently.

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