5.1 Apiary site identification

An apiary is a place where bee colonies are kept in hives, and the site chosen for it strongly affects honey yield, colony health, the safety of people and animals, and the long-term success of the enterprise. A good site gives bees food, water, shelter and peace, and gives the beekeeper easy and safe access. A poor site leads to absconding colonies, low yields, stinging incidents and losses to pests or theft. This topic teaches how to identify, assess and prepare a suitable apiary site.

Meaning and importance of apiary site identification

Apiary site identification is the process of surveying an area and deciding whether it meets the needs of honey bees and of the beekeeper before any hive is placed there. It combines field observation, talking to the landowner and neighbours, and checking the surroundings for hazards. Time spent on this step is cheap compared with the cost of moving hives later.

Example: A farmers' group wanted to start beekeeping on part of its land. A survey showed that the first spot it favoured was in a frost pocket far from water, so the group chose a sheltered slope near a stream with blue gum trees and flowering shrubs, and its colonies settled quickly.

The main reasons for careful site identification are:

• Colony occupation and retention: Bees stay in hives that have food and water nearby and are not disturbed. Poor sites cause colonies to abscond, meaning the whole colony leaves the hive.
• Honey yield: Colonies near abundant and varied forage build up faster and store more honey during the nectar flows.
• Safety: A site away from paths, homes and livestock reduces the risk of stinging incidents.
• Colony health: Dry, ventilated and shaded sites reduce damp, overheating and pest attacks.
• Ease of management: Good access allows regular inspection, harvesting and transport of equipment and produce.
• Protection from losses: A secure site lowers the risk of theft, vandalism and damage by honey badgers, ants and elephants.

Factors to consider when identifying an apiary site

Several factors work together, and a site should be judged on all of them rather than on one attractive feature. Some factors, such as forage and water, are essential for bee survival. Others, such as access and security, decide whether the beekeeper can work the site profitably. Each factor is explained in the sections that follow.

Bee forage

Bees need nectar for energy and honey, and pollen for protein to rear brood. Forage plants should be plentiful, varied and flower at different times of the year so that food is available through the seasons. Foraging bees normally work within a few kilometres of the hive, but the nearer the forage, the less energy the bees waste in flight.

Examples of useful forage include acacia, eucalyptus, croton, Grevillea, calliandra, sunflower, citrus, coriander and many wild flowers. Farmers' crops that flower, such as beans, sunflower and fruit trees, also feed bees while benefiting from pollination.

Water supply

Bees use water to dilute stored honey, to feed larvae and to cool the hive in hot weather. A clean water source such as a stream, dam, trough or purpose-made water point should be within a short flight of the hives, ideally a few hundred metres. If no natural source exists, the beekeeper provides water in a shallow container with floating sticks or stones so that bees can land without drowning.

Shelter from strong wind

Strong winds make it hard for bees to fly and can topple hives. Natural windbreaks such as hedges, trees, hills or buildings protect the apiary. The entrances should not face the prevailing wind. Open ridges are therefore poor sites.

Shade and sunlight

Hives need protection from the hottest afternoon sun, but a site that is permanently dark and damp is also unsuitable. Light shade from trees or a simple roofed structure keeps the brood nest from overheating. Morning sun on the entrance helps bees start foraging early, so entrances are commonly directed towards the morning sun.

Accessibility

The site must be reachable by foot, motorcycle or vehicle so that the beekeeper can carry hives, protective clothing, smokers and harvested produce. It should not be so close to a busy road or path that traffic, dust and vibration disturb the bees.

Safe distance from people and animals

Bees defend their hives, so the apiary should be placed away from homes, schools, markets, paths, cattle sheds and animal watering points. A common guideline is to keep hives at least 100 m from dwellings and livestock where land allows. Distances should be increased where the colonies are known to be defensive.

Security

The site should be where it can be watched or fenced. Theft, vandalism, bush fires and damage by wild animals are real risks. A site near a homestead, a school compound or a guarded farm area is easier to protect than a remote open field.

Freedom from agrochemicals

Pesticides and herbicides sprayed on crops and flowering weeds poison foraging bees, and spray drift kills foragers and weakens colonies. An apiary should not be sited next to fields that are regularly sprayed with insecticides, and neighbouring farmers should be asked about their spraying calendar.

Pests, predators and nuisance animals

The site should be assessed for ants, termites, honey badgers, monkeys, rodents, wax moths and, in some areas, elephants. Termite mounds and ant nests close to the hive area are warning signs, since these pests attack hive stands, wood and the colonies themselves. Where such animals are present, the beekeeper plans for protection such as hive stands with ant guards, hanging hives or fencing.

Topography and drainage

A gently sloping, well-drained site is best. Low-lying ground, river banks and valley bottoms flood or collect cold air, which makes hives damp, chills colonies and may wash hives away. Very steep ground makes the site hard and dangerous to work.

Land ownership and neighbours

The beekeeper must have permission to use the land, ideally in writing, and should inform neighbours about the project. This avoids disputes and complaints about stinging.

Characteristics of a good and a poor apiary site

The table below compares an ideal site with a poor one for the main factors, so that a beekeeper can quickly judge a site during a visit.

Procedure for identifying and assessing an apiary site

A systematic procedure ensures that no important factor is missed. It is best carried out during the flowering season and again in the dry season if possible, so that the beekeeper sees how the site changes through the year.

1. Define the purpose and scale: Decide how many hives are planned and whether the aim is honey, wax, pollination services or a mixture. This sets the area and forage needed.
2. Collect information on the area: Ask the landowner, local farmers and the county agriculture or livestock office about land use, rainfall pattern, flowering seasons and spraying practices.
3. Walk the proposed area: Cover the whole site and the land within about 1 to 2 km. Note the plants in flower, the dominant trees and the crops grown, and judge whether forage will be continuous.
4. Locate the water source: Identify where bees can obtain clean water and measure or estimate the distance from the proposed hive positions.
5. Check for hazards and pests: Look for termite mounds, ant trails, signs of honey badgers or monkeys, footpaths, livestock routes, power lines and flood marks.
6. Assess wind, shade and slope: Observe the direction of the prevailing wind, the position of the sun in the morning and afternoon, and how rainwater drains after rain.
7. Check access and security: Confirm that equipment and produce can be carried in and out, and decide whether fencing, a watchman or siting near a homestead is needed.
8. Confirm permission and inform neighbours: Obtain permission from the landowner, preferably in writing, and tell nearby residents about the apiary.
9. Record and decide: Write down the findings on a site assessment sheet, mark the chosen positions on a sketch map and decide whether the site is accepted, improved or rejected.

Preparing and laying out the apiary site

Once a site is accepted, it is prepared so that it is safe and easy to manage. Preparation covers clearing, fencing, defining hive positions and arranging protection, but the installation and stocking of hives are covered in other topics of this chapter.

The main preparation tasks are:

• Clearing the ground: Remove tall grass and bushes around the hive positions, because overgrown vegetation hides snakes and ants and makes working difficult. Do not clear the surrounding flowering trees, which are the bees' forage.
• Setting out hive positions: Mark positions with enough space between hives for the beekeeper to move and work. Hives are usually staggered or arranged in different directions rather than in one straight line so that returning bees do not drift into the wrong hive, with entrances away from paths and the prevailing wind.
• Providing a barrier: A hedge, fence or wall about 2 m high in front of the entrances forces bees to fly upwards, away from people and animals.
• Fencing the site: A strong fence keeps out livestock and thieves, and in some areas elephants, which can be deterred by beehive fences or similar methods.
• Setting up water: Install a shallow water container with floating material where natural water is not close, and keep it filled during dry weather.
• Planting bee forage: Plant flowering trees, shrubs and herbs around the site to improve food supply in future seasons.
• Preparing a working area: Provide a clean, shaded spot for smoker lighting, tools and protective clothing, plus a path for carrying produce.

Example: A hotel on the coast that decided to keep bees on its grounds chose a corner behind its kitchen garden, planted a hedge in front of the entrances and set up a shallow water tray with stones, so that bees did not visit its swimming pool.

Additional hazards to avoid when siting an apiary

Some places are unsuitable even if they appear convenient. Besides the hazards already covered under the factors above, the following should be avoided because they create risks for the beekeeper and the hives:

• Under power lines: Wires and tall equipment endanger the beekeeper when working, and falling lines can damage hives.
• Under dead or unstable trees: Falling branches can crush hives and injure people during inspections.
• Areas with frequent bush fires: Smoke and flames can destroy hives and cause colonies to abscond.
• Beside noisy workshops and machinery: Constant noise and vibration irritate bees and make colonies defensive.
• Near salt licks and animal troughs: Bees are attracted to these points, which brings them into contact with livestock and the people who tend them.

Site assessment record and monitoring

After the apiary is established, the site continues to be assessed because forage, water and land use change with the seasons. Keeping simple records helps the beekeeper explain changes in yield and make sound decisions about adding or moving hives.

A site record should include:

• Location details: Name of the site, owner, map sketch and the number of hives placed there.
• Forage calendar: The plants that flower in each month and any periods when food is scarce.
• Water status: Whether the water source is reliable in the dry season.
• Hazards and incidents: Pest attacks, stinging incidents, theft, fires and spraying by neighbours.
• Colony performance: Occupation of hives, absconding and the quantity of honey harvested from the site.
• Actions taken: Fencing repaired, forage planted, hives moved or water provided.

Example: A primary school running a beekeeping club recorded that its colonies left during the dry months when the nearby stream dried up. By adding a water point and planting flowering trees, the club retained its colonies in the following year.

Chapter Summary

This chapter explored the essential steps in conducting beekeeping starting with the identification of a suitable apiary site, emphasizing factors such as location, forage availability, and protection from adverse conditions. It then detailed the different types of bee hives commonly used, including the Langstroth, Kenya top bar, and box hives, highlighting their construction features and suitability for various environments. The process of installing bee hives was explained to ensure proper setup for colony establishment. Stocking procedures were covered to guide the introduction of bees into the hives effectively. The chapter also examined the harvesting of diverse bee products, beginning with honey and extending to propolis, bee venom, creamed honey, Manuka honey, comb honey, honeycomb, beeswax, bee pollen, and royal jelly, each with its unique extraction methods and uses. This comprehensive approach equips learners with the practical knowledge necessary for successful and sustainable beekeeping operations.