1st (of many) ?? whilst I start to plan get ready for next season!

[Dingus Magee]

Hi there

I had a quick check to see if anyone has asked this already, but if they have...I've missed the post :p Apologies, then, if this is repeating another's query:

Having identified what I feel to be a sheltered, non frost-pocket site for my apiary, I'm planning to position my hive(s) on an area paved with small paving slabs, partly because they're there already and also because I felt that it would be easier to keep. I aim to have herbs and flowers in planters about the area, with native hedgerow plants growing against the fence that will eventually be bordering two sides of the apiary site.

Soooo...is it acceptable to have them on concrete...?

Y'all did say that I could ask silly questions at the start :p

Thanks meantime

DM ;)

[gavin]

No question is silly (at least, not so far ... ). Does this answer your question?! We went to some effort to have them almost flat but slightly tipping forward so as to deflect moisture out of the hive if on a solid floor (which most will not be).

http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/entry.php?129-Community-Service-Order

They are bedded on and sunk into gravel, with gravel all round. Don't have to be, but it helps keep weeds away and the hive in a dry atmosphere.

G.

[Dingus Magee]

No question is silly (at least, not so far ... ). Does this answer your question?! We went to some effort to have them almost flat but slightly tipping forward so as to deflect moisture out of the hive if on a solid floor (which most will not be).

http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/entry.php?129-Community-Service-Order

They are bedded on and sunk into gravel, with gravel all round. Don't have to be, but it helps keep weeds away and the hive in a dry atmosphere.

G.Great...thanks for that. The whole apiary area will be paved rather than each hive standing on a slab, but that set-up in the clip looked real neat :) Just wanted to check that there wasn't any particular reason not to have them on a natural substrate. I can commence the first part of the operation now...thankyou :)

DM ;)

[Adam]

I have two colonies in the car park at work so they are on big slabs of concrete. One colleague noticed that there were loads of dead bees on the ground last year. All drones. Obviously it was chucking out time and it was so easy to see compared to grass.