Beehive Placement


Choose a space that works well for your situation, with the most important factors in most cases being: Ease of access, early morning sun, and for the urban and suburban beekeeper, concealment/protection from neighbors. You'll want plenty of room to get behind the hive to inspect the colony, or peer in the window if you are using a horizontal top bar hive.

The idealistic beekeeper's checklist includes the following "requirements": Southeastern exposure, early morning sun, afternoon shade, wind barrier, dry, flat ground, close to a water source, easy access and concealment from neighbors. However, many beekeepers don't have a place that meets all of these requirements - never fear, honey bees are incredibly adaptable creatures. We've encountered numerous feral colonies in locations that don't meet ANY of these requirements and they were thriving.

If you are in a neighborhood that may not share your passion for beekeeping, we recommend placing the hive in a fenced area. To prevent the bees from using your neighbor's yard as a freeway, you may want to face the entrance of the hive toward a tall object such as a fence, hedge or the wall of your house. This will force the bees to adjust their trajectory and fly upward and high above your neighbor's houses.

Lastly, you will want a space that is close to a water source (preferably not your neighbor's pool). Bees are highly efficient insects - they aren't going to fly 50 yards to your bird bath if your neighbor's pool is 5 yards away - much to the frustration of your neighbor. Be sure to place a water source with gently sloping sides within 50-100 feet of your hives so that they can access the water for cooling and/or mixing with pollen to create bee bread.

7 Important Considerations For Hive Placement

1. Easy Access

While there are many "requirements" on the traditional "hive placement checklist," I think one of the most important factors to consider is ease of access for you, the beekeeper. The bees are adaptable, and can overcome just about any inconvenience you throw their way. If the location makes it difficult for you to enjoy the hive, and especially if it makes it difficult for you to work in the hive, this is a major issue. You will want a location that is free of obstructions on the backside of the hive (the side with the window), with at least 2-3 feet of space so that you can stand and squat comfortably. I assure you that you will spend more time than you know knelt down with friends and family while eagerly looking through the window to see the progress your bees are making. Try and provide enough space for at least 2-3 people to fit comfortably while looking through the window. 

2. Level Ground

Horizontal top bar hives are foundationless, and the bees build their comb perpendicular to the ground. If your hive is on a slope, the comb will be equally sloped. Make sure you either place the hive on level ground, or place garden tiles, rocks or scrap wood under the legs to make it as level as possible. This also makes it easier for you to access the hive without fumbling up and down a hill. 

3. Early Morning Sun


4. Safety


Wind: Ideally the hive will be placed in a location that is protected from harsh winds billowing into the hive entrances during the winter. Due to the leg configuration and weight, our hives are very sturdy and we've had no issues with hives being toppled by high winds.  

5. Water


6. Forage


7. Legality

