Hive Direction?

[Pete]

Hey there, i have read that you should make sure the opening of the hive should face the rising sun at all costs. The reasoning was that the bees would wake early as possible and be up making honey for longer than if it face south or west.

I do have mine facing the east directly but i would prefer to rotate it 45o and aim it directly at the fence, in the hope that the bees would fly up and over the fence. At the moment they fly at face height through my veggies patch.

whats the best practise on the actual hive direction and what do you do to get the bees flying higher? I ahve little kids who tend the veggies and i get a bit nervous.

Appreciate any tips or sugestions

[JP]

Go ahead and turn the hive, no big deal really. Yes, if they are presented with an obstacle such as a high fence, their flight path will be higher.

Natural hives don't always face the east. They are where they are.


...JP

[philinacoma]

I agree. I have 2 hives in the yard. One facing west, one south. The west facing has fences to the south and west and the house to the east. The North has a line of 5m trees. The bees fly straight up and over the neighbour's house. The south facing hive is down the back away from the house and does not have the same constraints, yet they still fly straight up about 3-4 m before striking out.

[doak]

Getting first sun on the hive body is more important than having the entrance facing the sunrise.
The warm up is just as important if not more so than the light up. MHO. :)doak

[Michael Bush]

>Hey there, i have read that you should make sure the opening of the hive should face the rising sun at all costs.

I have hives facing every direction, although most face east.  I can't say the east facing ones do any better than the west facing ones or the south facing ones.  I don't think I have any north facing ones,  well maybe I had a couple but I moved them before winter...

[Pete]

Thanks, i will turn it 45o towards the fence and see how we go. Is it best to do this in the evening, get all of the bees inside with some water and close the front off, or do it next time i open the hive?

[JP]

Thanks, i will turn it 45o towards the fence and see how we go. Is it best to do this in the evening, get all of the bees inside with some water and close the front off, or do it next time i open the hive?

Since you are just turning the hive and not moving it any distance to be concerned with reorientation on the bees part just go ahead and turn it, anytime is good for you.

They will reorient to the change, it may take a half hour or a couple of hours but they will do it just fine, no worries.


...JP

[Finski]

.
That is in Australia. In hot conditions it is good even if entrance is on shadow side, so in Australia to south. Sun shines from NORTH.

[mick]

Ive had them facing north, south and west all the same it seems. I try to point them in the oppo direction to the prevailing wind in the backayarda.

[westmar]

hi
    out her the ferail bees and natives are facing south west. mine face where they land,when i put them down.