Before you start beekeeping, you need to choose a good location for the apiary. Choosing a location is very important for successful beekeeping and again – many are ignoring it. Today we will present you where and how to set up your apiary.
Where to place the beehives?
When choosing a place for beehives, you should first of all follow the rulebook issued by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Serbia, which prescribes the rules for setting up beehives in relation to populated places. We strongly advise you to read it first.
Previous experiences of beekeepers state that it is best to choose a place that is sheltered from winds and drafts, away from fast and large rivers, without standing water, without feces, garbage and other waste. Pay attention to the distance of your location from major roads, factories, airports, high-voltage networks, as well as wine cellars. As for favorable conditions, bees should be provided with a surface rich in honey flora and supplied with clean, fresh water. One of the important parameters should certainly be the availability of appropriate bee pasture – forests, meadows, orchards and complexes of agricultural holdings.
Most beekeepers decide to set up their apiary near the house where they live, which has its advantages and disadvantages. You will certainly be very present and up-to-date when it comes to maintaining your hives, but be careful in the number of hives in one area! It is recommended that there be no more than 50 hives in one location with a diameter of 3 km.
How to set up a beehives?
Suitable terrain for beehives is slightly sloping land, which is properly maintained. It is good to sow grass or fruit trees of lower growth, as well as young trees, which, in addition to bee pasture, will also provide shade during summer days. Excessive sun exposure can be harmful to bees, but also great shade affects their activity. That is why the so-called variegated shade is recommended. Avoid paving and cementing the terrain where you want to place the apiary.
In winter, gusts of wind and cold can be a major problem for beekeepers. It is necessary to provide shelter in the form of green fences, trees, planks with a sufficient distance between them to enable moderate air circulation. It is recommended that the hive flights face southeast.
The shape of the apiary depends from beekeeper to beekeeper, but the hives should be at least 10 cm apart, and the distance between the rows at least 2 m. For good air flow as well as protection from snow and ice, it would be good to raise the hives 30-40 cm from the ground.
Cleanliness should be flawless! Do not allow the remnants of honeycombs, wax, honey, sugar syrup, paper and the like. Take good care of the hives and bees and be up-to-date and thorough with your notes or beekeeping diary.
Bees are very gentle insects and any novelty and change can bring them great stress. Therefore, carefully choose the location of your apiary to move them as little as possible. Do your best to provide them with the most natural environment possible, without any stress, and we believe that with all these tips we have brought in this post, your apiary will work diligently and bring large quantities of products.
