Are you planning to have your first nuc, or do you need to move hives? You'll need to find a suitable location for your bee colonies to thrive. This article covers the criteria that determine the quality of an apiary as well as the specific features of seasonal and urban apiaries.
The choice of the apiary
Beekeepers can choose to place their bee colonies in a fixed apiary year-round, or move them during the season to follow the bees' life cycle and maximize their productivity. These are referred to as spring apiaries, production apiaries, and winter apiaries. Regardless of the type of apiary chosen, certain principles must always be respected.
Presence of resources
Since flora is the sole source of food (nectar and pollen) for bees, it is essential that the environment around the apiary contains a large quantity of flowers and honey-producing trees. Ideally, the majority of resources should be within a 1 km radius of the hive to reduce the effort required for harvesting by the bees.
Drainage
The apiary should ideally be in a slightly elevated location, where the ground is dry and water does not accumulate. Also, avoid placing an apiary on the edge of a watercourse. Humidity is particularly harmful to bees, as it can cause mold to grow on the hive, in addition to promoting disease and brood mortality.
Sunshine
To encourage the hive to warm up and encourage the foragers to emerge, it is best to have a sunny apiary early in the day. To maximize warmth in the morning, you can orient the hive entrance to the southeast. Hives can be in the shade for part of the day, but avoid placing them in a place that is covered all day (e.g., in a forest), as this could slow colony development.
Wind
Strong winds cause bees to drift and also cool the hive. Therefore, it is important to choose a location that is protected from prevailing winds, either by natural elements (e.g., the edge of a forest) or by artificial installations (e.g., a building, a windbreak fence, a bale of hay).
Access
The location chosen for placing the hives must be easily accessible by vehicle, and the path must be firm enough to support the weight of the vehicle. In addition, there should be enough space around the hives to move easily with beekeeping equipment.
Seasonal apiaries
The wintering apiary
This apiary is used to bring a large number of colonies together in one location to facilitate winter preparation tasks. The colonies will also spend the winter in this location, outdoors. The wintering apiary should ideally be located in a location with significant snow cover to improve the hives' insulation and further protect them from the wind. In addition, the site should be very sunny to encourage colony activity in the spring.
The development apiary
This apiary is used in the spring to maximize the growth of colonies that have been overwintered indoors in vaults. This apiary is replaced by the wintering apiary when colonies are overwintered outdoors. The development apiary should be in a location where natural pollen is abundant early in the spring. The first pollens come mainly from alders, willows, poplars, and maples. This site must also be particularly well-drained in the spring to facilitate access by vehicle. Finally, a site should be chosen that is away from large fields where neonicotinoid-coated seeds will be used.
The production apiary
This apiary is used during the summer to obtain a better honey harvest. This location is surrounded by a large quantity and diversity of plants with high honey-producing potential. The production apiary must also be located in a warm and sunny area to encourage bee activity.
Urban apiaries
Choosing a suitable apiary in a city or suburb is a little more difficult because there are more regulations to follow. First, it's essential to check with your city to see if the installation of bee colonies is permitted on its territory. If so, you must choose a location that complies with the specific provisions for bees in the Animal Health Protection Act (P-42). In this sense, it is prohibited to place a hive containing a bee colony within 15 meters of a public road or a dwelling (article 11.13).
Next, if the hives are placed on a tarred (building roof) or asphalt surface, there is a risk that the heat will bother the colonies. To reduce the temperature, you can install a structure that provides shade over the hives. Finally, the urban apiary should be away from sources of stress (loud noise, excessive vibration) and out of sight of curious onlookers to reduce the chances of vandalism.
Article taken from the AADQ beekeeping column published on February 2, 2024