We suggest placing colonies in groups of 3-5 to take advantage of the best locations. Good locations should slope to the east or south with entrances facing in these directions and should be protected from the wind. Colonies should be placed on pallets, cinder blocks, old tires, or any objects that will keep the bottomboards 6-8 inches above the ground. Hives with wet bottomboards will be cooler, which slows bees' flight. A hivestand will also keep colonies above grass, which may shade or block the entrance.
Bees often collect large quantities of water to dilute the honey they feed their young.
It is impractical to carry sufficient water into an orchard or to fill all wheel ruts and holes with dirt or sand and force the bees to forage outside of the orchard for water. But growers must understand that water contaminated with pesticides can kill bees that collect it. A problem exists if more than 10 dead bees are found in front of a hive in the morning. If too many bees die, it may be necessary to rent more bees. Beekeepers expect some losses and figure them into their rental fee.