Kathy said:
 The 22 acre area I'm speaking of is an apple orchard,

If the above apple orchard is a typical apple orchard I would not recommend
a permanent yard within two miles. Most in our area use around 14 sprays of
poison to control insects. The poison drifts onto the clover , dandelions
etc. under the trees and bee kills result.

It is ok to move in and out of apple orchards as long as the orchard owners
are aware of your hives  being in the area  and can warn you of pesticide
spraying.

Bee kills might still result from two miles but with penncap M bees will die
before they return to the hive.

Many not typical orchards (organic and IPM) actually keep hives in the
orchard year around but as beekeepers they are aware of the bees and do not
use sprays like Penncap M.  which is a number one killer of honey bees. I
wish Penncap M had never been invented.

Sprays which are put on after the bees stop flying and dry before the bees
return in the morning usually do not result in bee kill *BUT* when a major
honey flow is on bees will be killed as bees  work until till dark and
return at sun up and the morning dew keeps the sprays wet.

The term *hives per acre* only applies when trying to get a crop pollinated.

Most areas  will handle a few to around ten hives of bees in the U.S.
*unless* areas of miles of row crops which bees do not work and many times
those areas will support beekeeping *if* there are areas of clover etc.
alongside the fields.

Choose wisely your bee yards .

Hope I have helped .

Bob

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