Drifting behaviour and honey production of honeybee colonies maintained on pallets

Five layouts of 4 colonies each, were arranged on pallets to determine the amount of drifting that occurs between the colonies of each layout and to determine the relative honey production of the colonies of these layouts. There was no significant difference in the number of marked bees that drifted within 4 of the layouts but there was a significant difference in the number of marked bees that drifted within each of these four layouts and a fifth layout, where the hive entrances faced inwards. However, there was no significant difference in total honey production between the five layouts. Further, there were no significant differences in total honey production of colonies according to their position (which includes the direction they faced) both within and between layouts.