How long is a bees memory?

Putnamsmif · Sep 9, 2014

Collected a swarm this evening. Due to work I had to leave them in the hive where I collected them. And I'm not going to be able to get over there tomorrow until the evening again due to work commitments. I can't leave them where they are because they are too near the landowner's house. My apiary is about 500 yards away.

So… if I go get them tomorrow evening and bring them home to my garden how long before they've 'forgotten' where they will be all day tomorrow and I can then take them back to my apiary?

user 6228 · Sep 9, 2014

Putnamsmif said:
Collected a swarm this evening. Due to work I had to leave them in the hive where I collected them. And I'm not going to be able to get over there tomorrow until the evening again due to work commitments. I can't leave them where they are because they are too near the landowner's house. My apiary is about 500 yards away.

So… if I go get them tomorrow evening and bring them home to my garden how long before they've 'forgotten' where they will be all day tomorrow and I can then take them back to my apiary?

indirectly its been shown that's its at least a few days

AndyTh · Sep 10, 2014

Previous discussion in thread "Moving Hives" on about June 5th 2013 concluded bees memory is greater than 3 weeks.

enrico · Sep 10, 2014

You have to do all you can to make them realise they are somewhere different! Entrance facing a different way, obstructions at entrance, etc that way most will reorientate on leaving. But to answer your question I moved a hive over a month ago, the drones are being kicked out and going back to the position of the old hive!!!
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