Getting your hive placement right from the start makes a big difference for colony health, ease of management, and how easy your seasonal work is. This guide covers entrance orientation, anchoring in high winds, apiary layout for multiple hives, ground preparation, and painting options — for setups ranging from a single backyard hive to a 15-hive apiary.

For specific elevation, height, and anchoring details, see Hive placement and elevation.

Face your hive entrance south, southeast, or east for best results. This gives bees:

Tip: In cold climates, a south-facing entrance maximizes solar gain during winter, helping bees take cleansing flights on sunny but chilly days.

The Primal Bee hive's high-density EPS insulation provides exceptional thermal regulation, handling both full sun and partial shade far better than standard wooden hives.

If you'd like personalized site advice, the team is happy to help — reach out with details about your location and setup.

Primal Bee hives have been tested in hot, arid environments — including the Negev Desert in Israel, which shares many characteristics with Arizona's climate. Thermoregulation is bidirectional: the same high-density EPS shell that retains heat in winter prevents overheating in summer, reducing the energy your colony spends on cooling. Cooling a hive takes as much colony energy as heating one, so this matters in both extremes. Boundary: extreme heat events still stress colonies, and regional management practices still apply.

Tip: For more detailed information about desert performance or to discuss your specific setup, reach out to the team.

Use the included safety strap tightened firmly around the assembled hive. For high-wind areas, add a second anchor point:

Pro tip: Several beekeepers have reported success attaching metal gate handles bolted into a concrete pad, with straps clipped to these for a fully rigid anchor. This eliminates movement entirely, even in significant wind events.

The Primal Bee hive measures 15.7" × 23.4" (40 × 59 cm), which falls between a standard 8-frame and 10-frame stand:

Note: Always confirm the fit with your specific stand before committing. Any stable, level platform that supports the hive's full 15.7" × 23.4" (40 × 59 cm) footprint will work well. Many beekeepers use pallets, concrete blocks, or custom-built stands for a perfect fit.

The hive body should sit securely on your base platform without significant overhang or underlap. The bottom board is designed to provide a stable, flat footprint. Because specific platform dimensions and setups vary, share your setup details with the team and we can walk through it with you.

Keep the hive as level as possible to encourage straight comb drawing — bees use gravity as a guide. Unlike wooden hives with solid bottom boards, the Primal Bee hive's screened bottom board naturally drains excess moisture, and the entrance design prevents rain from entering. A drainage pitch isn't needed.

In areas with heavy snowfall, add a simple roof or small cover above the entrance to prevent snow from blocking it. Elevating the hive on a stand also helps maintain clearance above typical snow accumulation.

A landing board isn't needed with the Primal Bee hive. If you'd like one temporarily — for example, when a large volume of bees returns during initial colony orientation — pull the Varroa tray forward to serve as a makeshift landing board. This is usually only necessary in the first day or two after installing your bees.

Use a black woven or non-woven landscape fabric that allows rain to drain but blocks small hive beetle larvae from burrowing into the soil to pupate. A dark color heats up in the sun, increasing larval mortality. Cover the fabric with a thin layer of pea gravel to improve drainage and further reduce beetle and ant traffic while protecting the fabric from UV.

Space hives at least 6" (15 cm) apart — roughly one hive-width of space between them. This reduces colony drift and robbing and gives you room to set down equipment while working. Visually differentiating hives with different colors or painted shapes near the entrances also helps bees orient to their own hive.

Drifting — where bees return to a neighbor's hive instead of their own — is common in apiaries with rows of identically colored hives. To minimize it:

Robbing — where bees from one colony invade another to steal stored honey — is most likely during a nectar dearth or when a weak colony can't defend itself. To prevent it:

Tip: The Primal Bee hive's modular entrance reducers make it easy to quickly restrict access to the smallest setting when robbing pressure is high.

No — Primal Bee hives are built from waterproof, UV-resistant material and can be placed directly in the field without painting. The hive performs well outdoors without any coating.

Use water-based paints only. Water-based primers, paints, and polyurethane top coats are all safe for the hive.

Important: Avoid anything containing oil or alcohol solvents — these can damage the EPS (expanded polystyrene) material the hive is made from.

Surface discoloration is a natural result of UV degradation over time with prolonged sun exposure. The rate of color change varies with climate and how much direct sunlight the hive receives. This is purely cosmetic and doesn't affect hive performance.

Tip: Applying a water-based paint or polyurethane top coat will slow the fading process.

Use the included safety strap tightened firmly around the assembled hive. For high-wind areas, drive two rebar stakes or ground anchors into the earth on either side of the hive stand and run bungee cords or additional strapping from the strap to the stakes. If on a concrete pad, use eye bolts epoxied into the concrete and clip the strap to them. Several customers have reported success attaching metal gate handles bolted into a concrete pad, with straps clipped to these for a fully rigid anchor — this eliminates movement entirely, even in significant wind events.

South, southeast, or east-facing entrances are recommended. This gives bees morning sun and a warm landing spot as they return from foraging. In cold climates, a south-facing entrance also maximizes solar gain during winter, helping bees take cleansing flights on sunny but chilly days. Avoid west and southwest orientations, which can cause overheating in hot climates.

Add a simple roof or small cover above the entrance to prevent snow from blocking it. Elevating the hive on a stand also helps maintain clearance above typical snow accumulation.

The hive body should sit securely on your base platform without significant overhang or underlap. The bottom board provides a stable, flat footprint. Because platform dimensions and setups vary, share your setup details with the team for help.

The Primal Bee hive measures 15.7" × 23.4" (40 × 59 cm). A 10-frame stand (approximately 16.5" / 42 cm wide) will accommodate it with a little extra room, while an 8-frame stand (approximately 14.25" / 36 cm wide) would be too narrow. Verify the exact dimensions of your stand against the hive's 15.7" (40 cm) width before purchasing. Many beekeepers use pallets, concrete blocks, or custom-built stands for a perfect fit.

A 10-frame plastic hive stand (16.5" × 22.5" / 42 × 57 cm) should work, as the hive fits within those dimensions with a little room to spare. The 8-frame stand at 14.25" (36 cm) wide would be too narrow. Always confirm the fit with your specific stand before committing — any stable, level platform that supports the hive's footprint (15.7" × 23.4" / 40 × 59 cm) will work well.

The Primal Bee hive's high-density EPS insulation gives it exceptional thermal regulation, so it handles both full sun and partial shade very well — far better than a standard wooden hive. In hot climates, partial shade (especially afternoon shade) can be beneficial, while in cooler climates full sun is generally preferred. Orient the entrance south or southeast for morning sun, and if your area experiences extreme summer heat, dappled or afternoon shade can help. For personalized site advice, reach out to the team — Dr. Jason Graham, PhD, runs complimentary weekly remote video office hours (Mon 10am PDT / Wed 2pm PDT via Google Meet) where you can talk through your specific situation.

Generally, a landing board isn't needed. If you'd like one temporarily — for example, when a large volume of bees returns during initial colony orientation — pull the Varroa tray forward to serve as a makeshift landing board. This is usually only necessary in the first day or two after installing your bees, and the hive works perfectly fine without one after that.

Primal Bee hives have been tested in hot, arid environments — including the Negev Desert in Israel, which shares many characteristics with Arizona's climate. Thermoregulation is bidirectional — the same EPS shell that retains heat in winter prevents overheating in summer, since cooling a hive takes as much colony energy as heating one. Location-specific performance datasets for individual regions aren't published; the canonical evidence is the broader field-trial program (10+ years, 12+ countries, three continents). Boundary: extreme heat events still stress colonies, and regional management practices still apply. For more detail, reach out to the team.

Yes — use a black woven or non-woven landscape fabric that allows rain to drain but blocks small hive beetle larvae from burrowing into the soil to pupate. A dark color heats up in the sun, increasing larval mortality. Cover the fabric with a thin layer of pea gravel for improved drainage and further reduction of beetle and ant traffic. For weed control, extend the fabric approximately 3 feet on either side of the hive layout. For small hive beetle control, extend it 6 feet or more if beetles are a concern in your area.

Space hives at least 6" (15 cm) apart — roughly one hive-width of space between them. This reduces colony drift and robbing and gives you room to set down equipment while working. Visually differentiating hives with different colors or painted shapes near the entrances also helps bees orient to their own hive.

Keep the hive as level as possible to encourage straight comb drawing, since bees use gravity as a guide. The Primal Bee hive's screened bottom board naturally drains excess moisture, and the entrance design prevents rain from entering — so a drainage pitch isn't needed.

Use 2–3 rows with 4–6 hives per row, depending on your site. Stagger the rows like bricks so back-row entrances aren't directly behind front-row entrances. Space hives at least 6" (15 cm) apart within rows. Include a work table or cabinet between rows for convenience. Differentiate hive entrances visually with colors and shapes to reduce drifting.

Reduce entrances to the smallest setting during dearth periods so guard bees can defend more easily. Never leave open honey, wet supers, or spilled syrup exposed near hives. Feed inside the hive through the feeder hole rather than externally. Keep colonies as strong as possible — weak colonies are the primary targets. If robbing has already started, temporarily close the robbed hive's entrance almost completely with a mesh or screen robbing guard until activity subsides. The Primal Bee hive's modular entrance reducers make it easy to quickly restrict access when robbing pressure is high.

Paint hives in distinct colors or add different visual markers (shapes, patterns) to the front face near the entrance. Stagger hive positions so entrances don't all point in the same direction. Space hives at least 6" (15 cm) apart. Arrange rows in a staggered, brick-like pattern rather than a straight line.

No — Primal Bee hives are built from waterproof, UV-resistant material and can be placed directly in the field without painting. Painting is entirely optional if you'd like to customize the look or add extra surface hardness.

Yes. The hive material is weatherproof and UV-resistant, so it performs well outdoors without any coating. Painting is optional — it's only needed if you want to enhance surface hardness or customize the appearance.

Painting can increase surface hardness and extend durability over the long term. It also gives you a chance to personalize your hive, and adding different painted shapes or colors to the front helps bees orient to their own colony — reducing drifting between hives in an apiary.

Use water-based paints only. Water-based primers, water-based paints, and water-based polyurethane top coats are all safe for the hive. Avoid anything containing oil or alcohol solvents, as these can damage the EPS (expanded polystyrene) material.

Yes — solvent-based paints can damage the EPS (expanded polystyrene) material the hive is made from. Always use water-based products exclusively when painting or sealing your Primal Bee hive.

Surface discoloration is a natural result of UV degradation — a normal process that occurs over time with prolonged sun exposure. The rate of color change varies with climate and how much direct sunlight the hive receives. This is purely cosmetic and doesn't affect hive performance. Applying a water-based paint or polyurethane top coat will help slow the process.

Yes, completely normal. UV exposure causes gradual surface discoloration on EPS (expanded polystyrene) over time. The fading is purely cosmetic and has no impact on hive performance.