In a message dated 07/04/2006 07:36:42 GMT Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

I'm  interested to hear how other beekeepers determine the number of colonies 
to  place in one yard. 

I average 12-20 but am considering boosting some  prime yards to 30 or more. 




Read Dr Bailey's lectures on 'Beekeeping by Numbers'. 
 
The worst enemy of a hive of bees (apart from the beekeeper) is another  hive 
of bees. Left to nature (according to Seeley) bees space their colonies  
about half a mile apart and this correlates with their general maximum foraging  
range (they will forage a lot further but the great majority of their foraging  
is close to home.). This roughly correlates with Bailey's optimum of 1 hive 
per  square kilometre.
 
Colonies of bees are in competition.  Placed among a plentiful nectar  
yielding crop, it is to the beekeeper's advantage to space hives widely to  reduce 
competition and thus maximise individual income, but if pollination is  the 
object then it is better to place them close together as the competition  forces 
them to forage further from home, so more of the crop gets polinated well  
instead of localised patches.
.
If you are working commercially then you will have to take travelling time  
and fuel into account and decide to increase the number of hives per site. This 
 may compensate for the reduced crop per hive and increased stress related  
ailments that occurs when more than a very few hives are kept in one  place.
 
Beekeeper's back should also be considered: it may be better to inspect a  
few hives and then take a break while moving to the next apiary than to do 30 in 
 succession and not be able to walk the next day.
 
If you are constanly moving bees to chase nectar yielding crops then you  can 
probably justify having apiaries as plentifully stocked as you do, but  
remember that when the crop finishes flowerring the bees might as well be in a  
desert.  Permanent apiaries should hold only a handful of hives unless you  are 
in an exceptionally well favoured area with a constant succession of nectar  
bearing plants in good supply.
 
In summary: it's a balancing act.
 
Chris
 

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