Get the buzz

4 things every bee needs

BEES’ NEEDS can impact where you place your hives and how you manage them.

1Food

Many beginner beekeepers don't think about what their bees are going to eat before they get them.

Good quality, reliable food sources throughout the year aren't a given. In towns and cities there can be a lot of concrete, and not much forage. Even in rural areas, extreme weather and seasonality can limit the availability of flowering plants and trees.

To ensure your bees have food sources throughout the year, your garden needs to be made bee-friendly. Plant pollen-rich flowers, herbs, vegetables and trees. Include ones that flower through winter as there is often little or no food when it's cold.

Encourage your neighbours to do the same.

2 Water

Bees don't store water. They bring it in when it's needed and use it to: • cool the hive • control humidity • produce larvae food • aid digestion It's vital to supply a consistent source of fresh, clean water close to the hive. If you don't, bees will find one, which can be irritating to neighbours who find hundreds of bees in their ponds, dog bowls and bird baths.

The perfect hive position is near the edge of a stream or pond.

But if you need to provide water, have an easy-clean container near a hose. Put rocks or wooden ramps in it so the bees have a platform to stand on while they drink, to prevent drowning.

3 Dry and sheltered conditions

Maintaining optimum conditions in a hive takes bees a lot of time and effort.

Wind can blow rain into the hive, dislodge covers, and knock them over.

Place your hives out of the wind if possible, behind a hedge or in the lee of a hill.

Excess moisture in the hive can cause mould, making it harder for the bees to produce honey, and may be the cause of diseases. Use a ventilated bottom board to help avoid this.

4 Space to expand

As your bee population grows, it will need more space. This is most noticeable in spring, when bees come out of the cluster they form in winter and start building numbers, ready to produce honey.

If bees do not have enough space to expand, they are likely to swarm and you will lose half your colony. This will be a big setback for honey production over summer.

Always have extra hiveware on hand so any expansion in numbers can be managed immediately. Waiting a week for a new hive can be too late.

On hot days bees will crowd a water source - ramps and rocks in the water provide a safe drinking platform