Shade is helpful, but use caution... Hive Beetles prefer the shade also, so we monitor their presence and if we see more than 15-20 during a hive check, we may need to take action.

 
However, being in the shade helps the bees conserve energy, so keeping strong colonies is normally all that is needed to keep beetle populations in check. A strong colony can manage the a small beetle population by keeping them cornered in the spaces above the frames, just below the inner cover/top cover. Visit the Hive Beetles / Worms page for more on this topic.

As "hive stands" are concerned, there are many options and basically anything will work that provides a semi level flat surface that gets the hive up off the ground a foot or two. This protects the base from water damage and from getting dirt and debris splashed on the boxes and bottom boards during a hard driving rain. 

Adding mulch to the area around the stand will help with weed/grass control and make it easy to include any type of ant control if ever needed.