# Hive location needing assistance **URL:** \ **Category:** Beekeeping - Basics\ **Created:** [July 6, 2017, 12:37am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902 "2017-07-06T00:37:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![torch0395](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@torch0395](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/torch0395)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 12:37am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902/1 "2017-07-06T00:37:58Z")
The only real place I can put my flow hive is in my vegetable garden. I want to face the hive entrance away from the garden area to limit traffic. I am facing the entrance towards a privacy fence that is 6 feet tall, on the other side of the fence are massive trees about 30 feet tall . The hive would be 2 feet away from the privacy fence. Will the bees return to the hive the same way as they leave? I understand they will exit straight up but how about when they return? Should I place another wall on the garden side to ensure they must go upwards. Any help would be appreciated. I’ve done my research but I want to make sure my situation is valid. ---
**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902/2 "2017-07-06T00:56:29Z")
> [@torch0395](#): > > The hive would be 2 feet away from the privacy fence. Will the bees return to the hive the same way as they leave? I understand they will exit straight up but how about when they return? Hard to know without photos. But I would say that if your hive is enclosed by a 6ft fence all around, it won’t be an issue. If not, it might be. We have a hive in a Community Garden in San Diego CA, and we have never had a complaint. This is our setup: ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/2X/2/25017a511d333018a38c33d52a1d3237f707fcc2.jpg) We have another hive in a different location, which also faces a “flyover barrier” (City regulation terminology), but the bees have chosen to fly back into the hive well below the accepted limit. The reason is that the boundary is lower on one side, and they all choose to come home that way. It is on our property and it doesn’t bother us, so we haven’t changed anything. However, if it was inspected by regulators as a result of a complaint, we might have to make alterations. It is up to you to research and decide how to apply regulations. Your local bee club can be very helpful with this. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Bush](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/michael_bush/32/1024_2.png) [@Michael\_Bush](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Michael_Bush)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 11:58am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902/3 "2017-07-06T11:58:05Z")
I have often faced hives to a wall a foot away to keep traffic out of the yard with good success. ---
**Author:** ![torch0395](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@torch0395](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/torch0395)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 1:03pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902/4 "2017-07-06T13:03:01Z")
As per the actual fence. I want to still make it look aesthetically pleasing. If I use plexiglass on certain parts of the fence will it confuse the bees?? ---
**Author:** ![torch0395](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@torch0395](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/torch0395)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 1:03pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902/5 "2017-07-06T13:03:59Z")
When they return do they vertically arrive even if the back side does not have a fence? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Bush](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/michael_bush/32/1024_2.png) [@Michael\_Bush](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Michael_Bush)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902/6 "2017-07-06T16:00:06Z")
I never paid that much attention but they seemed to get to the wall and go up and once they start up, they keep going up as they go. If it was faced the other way they go straight out and don’t go up until they reach an obstruction… ---
**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902/7 "2017-07-06T16:34:12Z")
I have never tried plexiglass, so I can’t tell you for sure. The fence in my photo has insect screen attached to it. When I first put the nucleus into the hive, the orienting bees did tend to collide with it as it is hard to see. However, they soon learned how to fly over it. I would imagine that the same would be true of plexiglass. ---
**Author:** ![torch0395](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@torch0395](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/torch0395)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902/8 "2017-07-06T20:53:34Z")
When you faced the hive entrance towards a fence, how did you compensate for direct morning sunlight not being able to hit the entrance? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Bush](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/michael_bush/32/1024_2.png) [@Michael\_Bush](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Michael_Bush)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/hive-location-needing-assistance/11902/9 "2017-07-06T21:08:54Z")
Mine was facing the wall (on several occasions). I never had a fence. I did nothing about the sun not hitting the entrance. The bees did fine. My standard stand now holds 14 hives with seven in each row facing opposite directions. Half east and half west. Half of them never get morning sun. They do just as well. The barn I built now on the east side keeps those facing east from getting morning sun as well, but blocks the wind. A good trade off here in Nebraska. Here is my criteria for placing hives: [http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#locating](http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#locating)