3 ft 3 mile Rule

[Karsal]

I have been keeping bees for over a year now at the bottom of our garden 20 odd yards from our house. Started with one hive but had two Nucs given me in September last year and they have thrived. One hive though is a bit aggressive and some of the bees have started to annoy us when gardening and even greeting us and following us. Also there are children in the gardens around so they had to go.
Friday evening the weather here was awful so I shut the bees in with foam at the entrance. A kind neighbour has some land on a small hillside 400 yards from our home so decided to move them there. The hives were moved Sunday and last night after 72 hours of confinement they were released. I had put lots of twigs and branches in front of the hives to get the foragers to reorientate.
They exited the hives at 6.30 pm so had a hour or so to get used to new location. They flew around gaining height each time in ever increasing circles.
Walked home to find about 2 dozen had beaten us back. However this lunchtime there were about 50 or so around the hive stands and a couple with pollen. But not many considering the hives ar full of bees on every frame.
Walked up to the hives this evening. Lots of bees flying and scores of foragers returning with pollen baskets full to their new location.
Looks like the move has worked!! It's been worrying considering the 3 ft 3 mile rule seems to be written in stone.
I hope this helps by sharing my experience.

 

[einsteinagogo]

I do this, stuff entrance with grass, and pile lots of branches with leaves over the entrance, so they don't come roaring out....

I often leave a box at the original site, to keep them warm if any return, but with many colonies, I've had none return to original site.

 

[dexter's shed]

need to try this myself as want to move my apiary in my woodland to a better position

 

[Dadnlad]

It certainly does work

We successfully shifted 4 hives from the end of our allotment to a copse in a friendly farmers field less than a mile away this spring, using leafy branches piled in front of the hives

 

[einsteinagogo]

need to try this myself as want to move my apiary in my woodland to a better position

use freshly cut branches with fresh leaves, beech and acorn work well!e.g. broad leaf, if they are broad leaf.

 

[Torq]

I did this a few weeks ago and though the move worked and only a few bees returned to the original site, thousands of bees died during the confinement, probably enough to fill a nuc. It was a brood box with 2 supers on a very strong but aggressive colony that just had to be moved. It wasn't starvation as there was plenty of stores so I put it down to overheating and insufficient ventilation. It was a wet weekend where the temps never got above 8deg but the sheer volume of bees must have brought the temperature up sufficiently to cause the deaths, larvae were also ejected.

I'd do it again but next time there'll be a full mesh crownboard with the roof raised sufficiently for good ventilation. Fortunately the queen survived and was back laying with a couple of days.

 

[einsteinagogo]

I did this a few weeks ago and though the move worked and only a few bees returned to the original site, thousands of bees died during the confinement, probably enough to fill a nuc. It was a brood box with 2 supers on a very strong but aggressive colony that just had to be moved. It wasn't starvation as there was plenty of stores so I put it down to overheating and insufficient ventilation. It was a wet weekend where the temps never got above 8deg but the sheer volume of bees must have brought the temperature up sufficiently to cause the deaths, larvae were also ejected.

I'd do it again but next time there'll be a full mesh crownboard with the roof raised sufficiently for good ventilation. Fortunately the queen survived and was back laying with a couple of days.

Most of the time, I always move bees with travelling screen mesh, put on the day before, and then crownboard, and roof.

At night, when bees have stopped flying seal up with foam, and gaffer tape all joints, and also seal the travelling screen mesh, and floor to hive.

I remove roof and crownboard, and then secure using two hive straps at right angles.

transport to vehicle, with windows open, and water spray to hand to spray the top of hive.

But difficult when you've got nasty bees, I must admit.

Are you going to re-queen ?

 

[Torq]

Most of the time, I always move bees with travelling screen mesh, put on the day before, and then crownboard, and roof.

At night, when bees have stopped flying seal up with foam, and gaffer tape all joints, and also seal the travelling screen mesh, and floor to hive.

I remove roof and crownboard, and then secure using two hive straps at right angles.

transport to vehicle, with windows open, and water spray to hand to spray the top of hive.

But difficult when you've got nasty bees, I must admit.

Are you going to re-queen ?

Will be going for a screen next time.

Funny thing is that they are not as aggressive since the move. I'd always been wary of them as they cloud you when you open them up and cover your hands when manipulating so they always got a quick inspection. But now I take a slightly different approach to them, I take my time. They will still cloud at first but after a few mins they calm down, then using smoke and patience they inspect as well as any of my other colonies. So I'll keep her and just know that they need time not a quick smash and grab inspection.

Incidentally I think she's a daughter of one of my other queens that I caught in a bait hive. She's a great layer and her workers are very productive so I might chance a split from her, who knows they might be little angels

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So a few lucky strikes and everyone believes they've invented a failsafe system.
Glad this ain't in the beginners section - enough b*llox advice being given on there as it is

 

[Torq]

Based on my experience I'd hardly say it's fail safe. But there are situations where we have no choice but to move a hive and have no where over 3 miles to move it to at short notice. I had to move mine as they were near a cattle pen and the visiting vet does not like bees!

 

[einsteinagogo]

Will be going for a screen next time.

Funny thing is that they are not as aggressive since the move. I'd always been wary of them as they cloud you when you open them up and cover your hands when manipulating so they always got a quick inspection. But now I take a slightly different approach to them, I take my time. They will still cloud at first but after a few mins they calm down, then using smoke and patience they inspect as well as any of my other colonies. So I'll keep her and just know that they need time not a quick smash and grab inspection.

Incidentally I think she's a daughter of one of my other queens that I caught in a bait hive. She's a great layer and her workers are very productive so I might chance a split from her, who knows they might be little angels

slow and careful.... not crash bang wallop.

 

[peteinwilts]

3 feet 3 mile rule is not set in stone. it is a rule of thumb. 'if' the bees do not need to travel far for their food source, they may not need to move that far.

alternately, if you move a hive in an apiary, it will cause confusion, but the majority will make their way home, despite a good number drifting to other hives if they are present.

Keeping bees locked in for three days was the first way I learnt how to perform a -Q AS, and still do it when using mating NUC's.

 

[Karsal]

3ft 3 mile Update

After releasing the bees from the three hives Monday evening I had about 50 or so return to their original hive positions the following day Tues.
Wednesday was a warmish day and about 200 returned and Thursday saw another 50 or so.
Today Friday and weather has been reasonable and there are about 30 bees.
So all looks well and at least I don't have to worry about neighbours and their children getting stung. It was fine all last year with the one hive but three were a bit to ambitious to keep at the bottom of our garden even though the neighbours were happy for me to do so.

 

[einsteinagogo]

After releasing the bees from the three hives Monday evening I had about 50 or so return to their original hive positions the following day Tues.
Wednesday was a warmish day and about 200 returned and Thursday saw another 50 or so.
Today Friday and weather has been reasonable and there are about 30 bees.
So all looks well and at least I don't have to worry about neighbours and their children getting stung. It was fine all last year with the one hive but three were a bit to ambitious to keep at the bottom of our garden even though the neighbours were happy for me to do so.

best course of action, well done. Bees in the garden can be troublesome with neighbours!

Now you can inspect at your leisure, without looking over your shoulder.