In summer let their aspect be south-east:—early in spring, and again in autumn, due south is the best point to be in front: therefore, as spring advances turn the front of your boxes eastward, and as summer declines move them back again to their spring aspect; or, in other words, when there is not more than twelve hours' sun, let the front of your boxes be due south; and during the time that the sun is more than twelve hours above the horizon, let it be south-east.
Always have the cheerful rays of the morning sun fall upon your boxes: but contrive to throw a shade upon their front for a few hours in the middle of the day, when the weather is very hot. Such a shade will be grateful to your Bees.
Elevate your boxes twenty inches or two feet above the ground: and always keep the grass or ground, under and near them, neat and clean, and entirely free from all nuisances.
A constant supply of water in the immediate vicinity of your apiary is highly desirable; if therefore you have not a natural supply of that element, so necessary for Bees, contrive to let them have it by artificial means—by placing it in or near your apiary, in large, shallow dishes, or in wooden troughs, partially covering the surface with reed or moss, and be careful to replenish them, so that your Bees may always find it there.
Suffer not ants to burrow near your Bees. Ants are enemies to Bees, and will annoy them, if they get among them.
Spiders also are Bee-destroyers; therefore, brush away their entangling webs, whenever and wherever you find them about your boxes.
Fowls should not be permitted in an apiary.
Early in spring let the entrance be not more than an inch, and increase it gradually to its full extent, as you find occasion: contract it again towards the fall of the year; and, if the moths be troublesome in summer evenings, nearly close it every evening; but take care to open it again either early next morning, or as soon as the evening flight of the moths is over. This attention is more particularly due to weak stocks, and affords them great protection against the attacks of moths, which are among the boldest, the most persevering, and, when once they have got into a hive, most destructive enemies to Bees.
Destroy wasps and wasps' nests wherever you find them in the vicinity of your apiary. The destruction of queen-wasps in spring is the most effectual method of diminishing the number of these formidable Bee-enemies; because the destruction of a queen-wasp in spring is tantamount to the destruction of a whole nest afterwards.
Light in the domicil of Bees, if not actually prejudicial to them, is, at any rate, displeasing to them; therefore, be careful never to expose your Bees unnecessarily to its glare: never leave the window-doors open, nor suffer careless visitors to do so.