This year the weather here has been sort of random, cool, warm, wet, hot, windy etc. You name it and it has shown up all Spring and no pattern has been set yet.I guess it is a good thing at this point that the bees have not arrived. It gives me a chance to more the hive around and select the best spot. Originally I had it placed against the far wall in the upper right corner next to a lavender bush.
On this past Wednesday my niece and fellow beekeeper (check the Wonder Farm link) and family were here and freezing in the wind. Today it is 91 deg. Go figure but once I went out to look at the hive site it was very obvious that the wall place was not the best. I have moved it under the volunteer palm tree in the middle of the concrete pad. It will have shade during mid-day, some filtered sun for the East in the morning and the palm trunk will offer some protection in the late afternoon.
I think I read somewhere that it is best to face them to the South so that is were it is now. Most of the time we have a West wind blowing in from the beach three miles away.
If bees prefer a different orientation, let me know.
3 comments:
Hey Uncle D! It's always fun to visit a blog and find that you're mentioned! At this moment my fabulous husband is putting nails in the last few frames. He painted the hive to match the house this weekend, and the copper roof is pretty darned cute--though I don't think the bees will notice.
I've heard that it's best to face the entrance of the hive to the east, so the morning sun will shine on the entrance and get the bees up and going. But then again, I'm just as much of a novice as you are, so who knows?
I'm driving up to Sebastopol to get my bees on Saturday. Whoop dee doo!
Tricia, good to hear of your progress. I will double check Dummies and find which direction is best. With my location, any way will work just fine. I have had some volunteers off the lavender bush but no queen to lure them in.
If your check the Backwards Yahoo Group, http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/BackwardsBeekeepers/?yguid=43932517, you can see a couple notes about what to do if your queen accidently ends up in the upper unit.
Are all of those nails straight? (private joke with the Handy Chris).
No paint planned here, it will au natural. Send me a shot of the finished hive and I would love to post it here.
Aha!! We were both half right, the preferred direction is Southeast just for the reasons you cited.
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