When to site a bee hive...
I'm lucky to have a small field near my house that's not cultivated. It was a perfect place to site our hives.
Over time, we've encouraged more wild-flowers and we're lucky that the area around us is not heavily cultivated, so there are lots of hedges and wild corners for bees to forrage.
Zora's hives are on the roof of her building and you might be surprised to know that towns and cities can be great places for hives. Many areas that have a lot of farming are actually too well cultivated to have many wild areas - and there can be lots of pesticides used.
Towns and cities in contrast can have lots of parks and domestic gardens providing bees with lots of flowers.
Over time, we've encouraged more wild-flowers and we're lucky that the area around us is not heavily cultivated, so there are lots of hedges and wild corners for bees to forrage.
Zora's hives are on the roof of her building and you might be surprised to know that towns and cities can be great places for hives. Many areas that have a lot of farming are actually too well cultivated to have many wild areas - and there can be lots of pesticides used.
Towns and cities in contrast can have lots of parks and domestic gardens providing bees with lots of flowers.
You'll see that rooftop beekeepers don't need to set lots of flowers on the rooftops themselves - often they look quite bare. The bees will forage in a five mile radius of the hives.
This arial view will give you a good idea of just how much greenery and gardens ther are in cities!
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Here's a little video of my rather idyllic 'bee field' - the field next to our house was not developed and we've left it grow even wilder and the bees just love it. Our hives are under some trees where they get shade from mid-day sun, and probably more importantly for us the south-west winds (we live near the coast). if you have any problem viewing it, click here. |
Find out more:
Ros and Anna make a research visit to an Apiary • Where to put a hive? • The HIVE in detail
Inside the Hive • Bee Foraging • Extracting the honey
More about the book:
Back to home
Ros and Anna make a research visit to an Apiary • Where to put a hive? • The HIVE in detail
Inside the Hive • Bee Foraging • Extracting the honey
More about the book:
Back to home