In arranging the hives in an apiary it is necessary to take into
account the method of wintering to be followed. If the bees are to
be wintered in the four-colony cases to be described later the hives
should be kept in groups of four all the season (fig. 1), for if
colonies are moved more than a foot just before packing and then
moved again as they are unpacked there is a considerable amount of
"drifting"--that is, bees from some colonies join other colonies during
flight, and the result is an actual reduction of the number of colonies
and of bees in the apiary. A failure to keep the colonies properly
arranged for their winter stands during the entire summer is a common
cause of failure in using the four-colony cases. Whatever type of case
is used for outdoor wintering, the bees should occupy the same place
during the entire year.
Since the outside of the winter case is quite different an appearance
from the hives the bees often are somewhat confused. To prevent
drifting from this cause it is a good plan to set a large stake between
the two entrances on each end of the four-colony winter cases; this
will serve to help the bees in orienting themselves during flights
in winter and especially in spring. If it is possible to plant some
shrubbery among the hives it is a good plan to have the plants arranged
so that they will act as markers for the bees during these early
flights (fig. 3). They will not be amiss during the summer, and, if
properly placed, they need not interfere with movement through the
apiary during the summer's work, while they add to its attractiveness.