Beehive Placement
The idealistic beekeeper's checklist includes the following criteria for hive placement outlined below. Many hobbyist and urban beekeepers, however, don't have a backyard, property, or apiary location that meets all of these requirements. Never fear! We've encountered numerous feral colonies and honey bees thriving in locations that don't meet ANY of these requirements.
That being said, below are some guidelines for choosing the ideal spot for your hive.
Safety
When working with thousands of stinging insects, your first consideration should always be safety. Place your hive somewhere with low foot traffic around hive entrances, away from the house, play areas, and places where people walk barefoot. If you find that people are fearful or afraid, we recommend placing the hive out of sight behind a visual barrier such as a fence, wall, trees, or tall plants. Most stings we hear about occur after stepping on a bee while barefoot in the grass. By facing the entrance of the hive toward a tall barrier, the bees will adjust their flight path above the ground except in areas with plentiful forage.
Easy Access
If your hive location is crowded or difficult to work in, this is a major issue. Be sure to place your hive with 2-3 feet of open space around the back side, opposite the entrance-side, so you have enough space to stand, squat, and inspect comfortably. If you have an observation window, you will likely spend a lot of time knelt down with friends and family eagerly observing your bees’ progress. A clear, comfortable workspace also makes routine hive checks easier and helps you stay calm around your honeybees.
Level Ground
When deciding where to place a beehive, level ground is one of the simplest ways to set your colony up for success. Bees follow gravity and build their comb perpendicular to the ground. If your hive is on a slope, the comb will be equally sloped. Make sure you either place the hive on level ground, or place garden tiles, rocks, cinder blocks, or scrap wood under the hive to make it as level as possible. This also helps reduce ground moisture and makes it easier for you to access the hive without fumbling up and down a hill.
Early Morning Sun
Bees must have a body temperature around 95°F to fly. They gain this heat from sunlight, or generate it themselves by vibrating their flight muscles rapidly. If there is more sun, the amount of energy spent warming up their flight muscles is minimized. In the northern hemisphere, placing your hive with south or southeastern morning sun exposure helps get the hive active earlier in the day. Full sun can be helpful in cooler regions, while afternoon shade is a great idea in hot summer climates. This gives your bees more time to gather nectar, pollen, and resources from nearby flowers.
Proximity to Water
Bees collect water to regulate hive temperature and to mix with pollen to make bee-bread. Bees are highly efficient insects who aren't going to fly 50 yards to a bird bath or pond if your neighbor’s pool or dog water-bowl is 5 yards away, especially during heat or humidity.
Be sure to place a water source with gently sloping sides, or stones to land on, within 50-100 feet of your hive. Bees learn the scent of their water source, and by adding an aroma like lemongrass oil, rosemary, or tea, you will increase the likelihood they will use that source exclusively.
Watch our Encyclo'bee'dia video about
how bees use water to stay cool
Wind Barrier
Ideally the hive will be placed in a location that is protected from harsh winds billowing into the hive entrances during the winter. Any obstruction blocking strong winds from the hive, such as a fence, trees, bushes, or the side of a building, is good for temperature regulation and can prevent hives from tipping in heavy storms. Our hives are very sturdy and we've had no issues with them being toppled by winds in our neck of the woods. In climates with hurricanes or other severe weather conditions, however, you may consider weighting or strapping your hive down in preparation for big storms, especially if the hive sits in an exposed spot on your property.
Legality
Many cities require permits for hives that have legal guidelines for placement on the proposed location. For instance, in Portland, hives must be out of public view and 15 feet away from public walkways. Some municipalities still outlaw beekeeping, or make the licensing process incredibly difficult for the beekeeper. Check with the city, county, and state laws prior to placing your hive, especially if you are placing beehives near property lines, sidewalks, neighbors, or areas with known predators. Keep in mind that a number of areas have antiquated laws explicitly banning the use of any hives but Langstroth or frame beehives.
FAQs
The best place to put a beehive is on level ground with morning sunlight, afternoon shade in hot climates, a clear flight path, and protection from strong winds.
A beehive should be placed away from heavy foot traffic, near water and forage, and with the entrance facing a fence, bushes, or open space instead of a house.
A beehive can be near a house if the flight path is managed, but it should not sit under a roof drip line, beside a busy door, or in the middle of daily activity.
The best location for a beehive is a stable, dry spot where the entrance can face south or southeast, with wind protection from the north or west.
Common beekeeping mistakes include placing two hives too close together, setting the brood box on wet ground, ignoring pests, and installing a nuc or swarm before the site is ready.
