REGARDING           RE>hive color and placement
 
 Bob Maccione writes:
"1:  I would like to put the hive in an area with some pine trees.
This area doesn't get a whole lot of sun and I'm planning on putting a wind
break on the north side.  Is it a better idea to put the hive in a sunnier
area?"
 
I have had hives in both sunny and shaded locations, and I feel that the bees
need shade, especially if it gets hot in the sun in your area.  All of my
hives are now in groves of trees (one is in the middle of a woodlot), and they
all do very well.  I have had nasty bees in full sun as well as in the trees,
and I have had gentle bees in both places.  When it gets hot, the bees in the
sun hang out on the hive fronts and wait for cooler weather, while the ones in
the shade just keep on working.  Think about it a second - where will bees go
when they swarm?  Usually to a hollow tree in a shaded location.