# two hives. how far apart?



## Scrapfe (Jul 25, 2008)

Some beekeepers, like Michael Bush, put their hives so close together that they touch. Others leave a foot or two between hives. Others much more. Do what is easiest and best for you when doing inspections. Bees are not worried about peeping Toms. Besides they may forage over 80,000 acres.


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## pascopol (Apr 23, 2009)

If you have only two hives, it does not really matter, if you put them next to each other they may "drift" from hive to hive, which might be beneficial if one of your hive gets weak. You may also put them farther apart. 

I would not be worry about this, there is so many more important issues keeping bees in those days....


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm#hivestand

Mine are all touching...


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Cheek to jowl is alright. But I like them side by side in pairs, not rows. It is easier for me to work hives from their side. All of mine are four hives on a pallet, w/ two facing one way and two the other.


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## ezwicky (Jan 10, 2012)

thanks everybody. side-by-side actually works best for my yard in the place i want to put them. good to know that this will be ok.


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

side by side is good. If you have room 3-4 feet between hives gives more working room and helps with drifting. later if you wanted to two more could be added to each outside. this would result in two pairs. depends what your goals are. kind of like a garage you never have enough room. good luck


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

sqkcrk said:


> on a pallet, w/ two facing one way and two the other.


 I see that seems to be the norm
I often wonder why they are not north,east,south,west
If this was so I can't see working them being a problem
Could you explain (education not confrontation)
Tommyt

here a picture says a 1000 words
link if pic is too big 
http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy34/Tom_Tommyt/4onapallet.jpg


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Because then you are always standing in front of a bunch of older agressive field bees. You slow them down and they start harassing you. I like to work from the side or back of the colony


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

tommyt said:


> I see that seems to be the norm
> I often wonder why they are not north,east,south,west


I have only seen one beekeeper who uses this design. I haven't had the chance to ask him, so I will ask you. What happens when these pallets are loaded on a semi and half of the entrances are blocked. I'd be concerned about ventalation during a thousand mile trip.

This design also forces me to work half the hives from their narrow end, which I don't care for. I like working frames facing the length of the frame, not the end.


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## Katharina (May 2, 2011)

I prefer to have them in one row, all facing the same direction, and 1 foot of space in between. It seems to be easier for me to work them that way. I maintain some hives (not mine) at an organic farm set on pallets, and I really hate it. It is to low for work and my back gets a lot of strain bending over them. Not an issue if you are 20 years old. I'm just to old for it. At home I have concrete blocks with pressure treated timber over it. The hives are 1 foot above ground. I also have a work bench I use, so I never have to lift boxes off the ground. In addition I use a hive lifter a club member made for 25 bucks (same as seen in catalogs). That makes working hives a breeze and no back strains. I work the hives with my husband and we work as a team moving from one hive to the next.


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

there is no right answer for hive spacing. based on my experence groups of two work well. they can be slide together for winter in northern states. six inches plus between the two hives reduces drifting. there should be enough room to allow the beekeeper to bend over without hitting the hive behind him. It is harder to work a hive from the end. every frame you take out has to be turned to view it. hives should be worked from the side. another system that works well are having hives in groups of eight. for example two facing north two east two south and two facing west. this forms a circle 10-12 feet. this system allows the most hives in a small area. for working bees it is very efficient as walking is reduced. we have never noticed any difference between hives facing north south etc. when its warm enough they fly well.


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## MrHappy (Feb 10, 2012)

I'm just starting myself, but one of the other problems I see with the 4 different directions is that since the hives aren't square, they would stick out on the entrance sides. I plan on putting mine about a foot apart as I've seen a few mentors have theirs since they have been doing it for 30+ years and have never had a problem. If you only have 2 and they are side by side then you can always work from the side. I'd have the second pair 4-5 feet away for work space though.


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