Best time of day to shut up hive before moving site

[Grif]

I am about to move a hive to an out apiary. The plan is to block the entrance in the evening, separate off the 2 supers onto a separate floor with separate roof for ease of transport and block this entrance also, and move the hive to the new site early the following day and reassemble into one. wondered if there is a recommended time in the evening to shut them up. Is 6 or 7 pm late enough?

 

[For want of a better word]

Do your setting up maneuvers in the late afternoon.

You will need two travel screens, particularly if you are using pollys or solid floors.

Place a floor next to colony and place supers onto this with a travel screen on top, strap well together, and place a quilt over the screen to shade.
Similarly with the brood box on its original stand.

Have a piece of foam made up ready to block entrances + some wide duct tape and a water mist spray.

When all the bees have gone to roost... could be as late as 8 to 9 PM... here in sub tropical Tamar Valley... may be earlier in the frozen norf..... quietly press in foam rubber, and tape into place.

Make sure all gaps are covered with tape, and straps... at least two are secure!

Bees can now be locked in for a day or so... but mist the travel screen with clean warm water occasionally, and before covering over again for the move.



Yeghes da

 

[MartinL]

I am about to move a hive to an out apiary. The plan is to block the entrance in the evening, . . . . . . . . wondered if there is a recommended time in the evening to shut them up. Is 6 or 7 pm late enough?

Probably not!

Have a look and see what they're up to after this time, you will still have a few flying at this time of year.
I'd be for clearing the supers & move them during the day before, move the brood box with all the bees to the new site either early the following day or same evening you block the entrance. Only problem would be a warm humid evening if they are relaxing on the landing board.

 

[For want of a better word]

Probably not!

Have a look and see what they're up to after this time, you will still have a few flying at this time of year.
I'd be for clearing the supers & move them during the day before, move the brood box with all the bees to the new site either early the following day or same evening you block the entrance. Only problem would be a warm humid evening if they are relaxing on the landing board.

MIDNIGHT... with a red lamp!

Believe it or not I have had to do that!
Did see a beek use a CO2 fire extinguisher on a colony to get them in before a move... seemed a bit harsh, but that was in London!!

( was a short burst... it worked... foam had to go in a bit sharpish!)

Yeghes da

 

[Finman]

.
22 is good time.

I shut them in the morning when I pack them for transport.

 

[user 6228]

Can be as late as 3am before they all go inside. It's at these times I'm glad I can say they are not my bees, and go back to sleep

 

[YorkshireBees]

I have blocked in colonies last thing at night in the dark but also come across some that were bearding out the front on a warm evening so got up at Sunrise and block them in then!

 

[Grif]

8 pm was an ok time to shut them in last night. Not a very warm evening. Don't think I missed many stragglers at all. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Finman]

.
If you move a hive at midday, you may leave one super on site which collects flying bees. Them move later the super.

 

[thenovice]

I am about to move a hive to an out apiary. The plan is to block the entrance in the evening, separate off the 2 supers onto a separate floor with separate roof for ease of transport and block this entrance also, and move the hive to the new site early the following day and reassemble into one. wondered if there is a recommended time in the evening to shut them up. Is 6 or 7 pm late enough?

did this yesterday in kent. arrived at 9pm and bees were still flying... had to wait until 10pm until most were in... in your case, I would take the supers beforehand and come back to collect the main body after midnight as suggested above.