Why should beehives be faced to the southeast?

Facing beehives to the southeast is beneficial primarily because it allows the bees to be active earlier in the morning. In the early hours, the sun rises in the east, and by orienting the hives in this direction, the bees receive the morning sunlight sooner. This warmth encourages the bees to start foraging and performing other hive activities earlier in the day, which can be particularly advantageous in the spring when temperatures are cooler.

This orientation also helps to maximize the bees' foraging time during optimal weather conditions, leading to increased productivity. The warmth from the morning sun also assists in raising the internal temperature of the hive, promoting activity within the colony.

While other options touch on important considerations such as overheating, predator avoidance, and afternoon shade, they do not have the same direct impact on the bees' daily activity patterns as the southeastern orientation does, particularly regarding getting bees out earlier in the morning.