Robert Cessac asks about spacing hives in an apiary.
 
Bees in hives placed in straight lines tend to drift into the hives on both
ends of the lines during foraging, especially if the hives are all one
color.  Canadian research demonstrates that hives are best placed in a "u"
configuration to reduce drifting.  Generally speaking the hive entrances
should face from east to south, away from prevailing winds.  I place my
hives two to a homemade pallet and face each pallet at 22 or 45 degrees to
the next.  I do not put the pallets in a straight row, nor behind another
pallet, but set them randomly about the apiary site.  I plan four to six
feet between pallets so that I can work each set of two from the side of
the hives (not the front or back).  If forced by the size or shape of the
apiary site to put the pallets closer together, I try to have ten to twelve
feet between rows of pallets but each pallet turned slightly in relation to
the next.
 
The hives should be set on level ground so that you do not have trouble
walking and carrying the equipment to and from the hives.  (A safety
issue.)
 
You might want to put the pallets in two crooked rows so that you can drive
your truck between the rows to reduce walking with heavy supers.  The rows
should be far enough apart that the bees are not greatly impacted by your
truck being in their flight pattern.
 
James C. Bach
Yakima WA
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