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1. The History of
BeeKeeping
2. Anatomy of a Bee
3. The Brood Rearing Process
4. Queen, Worker & Drones Behavior
5. Races of Bees
6. Nectar and Pollen Plants of Pacific Northwest
7. Beekeeping Equipment & Hive Assembly
8. Selecting the apiary site
9. Packaged Bees and how to care for them
10. How to Manage Bees
11. Swarming, causes and control
12. How to hive a swarm
13. Removing and Extracting the Honey Crop
14. Wintering the Hive
15. Colony treatment for bee disease & mite control
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LESSON 8:
Selecting the Apiary Site
There are several factors you should consider when selecting a site to place your hives. One of the most important is will there be a sufficient food source near the bees. Bees can forage usually 1-1.5 miles away from the hive fairly easily, so make sure there are food sources within that radius. Open fields with clover are excellent sources as well near fruit trees and blackberry bushes for example. Take the time to examine your area to see what kinds of plants are available. Spring sources of nectar and pollen from sources like willow, fruit trees & dandelions are very helpful for colony build-up during the spring.
Next you want to inspect the actual land where the hives will be placed. First, make sure there is adequate wind protection for the hives. Trees or hedges at ground level in the direction of the prevailing winds are a must. Second, don't select an area that is in the shade too much. Long dead grass around the hives can add warmth to a hive and allows for faster colony development. When the weather gets really hot later in the summer it can be necessary to move the hive into a partially shaded area so the bees don't overheat.
When actually placing your hive on the site you have chosen there are a couple of things you should do. First, the entrance should be facing the morning sun. Second, the hive entrance should be leaning forward just a bit like in the picture.
Other factors to consider when selecting a site are:
- Avoid Flood areas
- Can animals get to the hives (ie bears or cattle)
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