Apiary Etiquette "The 12 Golden Rules of Bee Yard Behavior"
	Rule 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
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There is an all-important set of rules you need to follow when working in your apiary.  These rules, which I call "Apiary Etiquette", are primarily for your safety, and following these practices habitually will make yours and the honeybees' lives much happier.  Understanding the rules makes forming the right habits easy, and they will quickly become second nature to you.  So don't be intimidated by the number of rules; they're all just natural, common sense once you understand them and why they're important.

Smoking the entrance	Rule 1: Smoke the hives before opening them Using the smoker is an absolute must if you are going to be opening the hive (where any frames are exposed).  Lifting the top cover to inspect the feeder or refill syrup does not qualify as opening the hive if you do not expose any frames.
Shooing bees away	Rule 2: Approach the hives from the back or the side Guard bees stand at the entrance of the hive, watching out for intruders.  Don't give them an opportunity to put the colony on alert.  Always approach the hive from the back or the side, and do all your work there -- never from the front, except for a brief entrance inspection in lieu of opening the hive.
Flying in and out	Rule 3: Don't stand in the bees' flight path Honeybees don't appreciate running into unexpected objects in their flight path.  If they run into you, they may get mad and be more prone to sting.  (See Rule 2)
Easy does it	Rule 4: Move steadily and smoothly You should always avoid sudden, jerky movements when you are close to the hives.  Bees are especially good at noticing movement.  If you move around steadily and smoothly while you are in the apiary, you will not attract their attention.
	Rule 5: Avoid any strong or unnatural odors Bees are especially sensitive to smell; their sense of smell is critical to the operation and social structure of the colony and to their ability to detect nectar sources.  Since bees have been designed with an excellent sniffer, they will easily pick up strong, foreign odors near the hive.
BeeCARE Full Body Suit	Rule 6: Dress properly for the job Various jobs call for different dress.  Opening the hive requires that you don your bee suit, bee hat and veil.  If you have aggressive bees, you may also want to wear your gloves.  But just performing a periodic inspection of the hive or refilling syrup should not require putting on all your garb.
Removing a frame	Rule 7: Maintain a firm grip on everything Never drop any hive components, and don't drop anything on or into the hive.  When you are working the hive, don't wear gloves unless the bees are especially irritable that day.  You can maintain a much better grip on things with your bare hands.  If you have ill-tempered bees and must wear gloves, take extra care to ensure you are holding things securely, especially the frames.
Closing up	Rule 8: Never bump the hive As shown here, I am careful to maintain a slight gap between my body and the hive whenever I am around it.  This practice, and keeping the apiary ground free from clutter so you don't trip on things, ensures that you will not bump the hive and cause the bees to go on alert.
Some of our hives	Rule 9: Keep the apiary clean Whoever said, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" never mowed, trimmed and cleaned an apiary on a hot summer day while wearing a bee suit!  Nevertheless, keeping your apiary clutter-free, both at your feet and your head, pays dividends in convenience, safety and comfort each time you visit your honeybees.
Smoke before opening	Rule 10: Don't open the hives unless you need to One of the most fundamental practices to ensure the best honey production and the most docile bees is to absolutely minimize the number of times you open up the hives.
A beautiful day	Rule 11: Open the hives only early and in good weather Never attempt to open a beehive when a storm or cold-front is imminent, and never open a hive in the evening when it is becoming dark, or at night.  Bees are especially defensive at these times, and the field bees are also coming back into the hive before bad weather or nightfall.  The odds are in your favor that you will be greeted with stinging bees.  Just don't do it.
Pay attention to them	Rule 12: Watch the bees' behavior and react accordingly Your goal in the apiary is that you seem invisible to the bees, and they act as if they don't even notice you.  Of course, they will notice you when you open the hive, but if you properly apply smoke first and follow these rules of apiary etiquette, they will first be preoccupied with engorging on honey, and then they will be too docile to care under most circumstances.  Monitoring the bees' behavior will ensure your safety and the success of your apiary visit.

Maintaining the Apiary
Opening and Inspecting the Hive
Periodic Apiary Inspections
Preparing to Visit the Apiary

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