max and min moving distance for hive

[milkermel]

OK so I know that there are distance between which the bees will accept moving but this has only been talked to me on a horizontal level. Not sure how it works on a vertical??

Let me try and explain! After my total muck up a couple of weeks ago I am now in possesion of 2 new broods! didnt have the time to put proper stands in place but I now have 2 new queens laying and will need to make homes more perminant! they are currently on a low plastic crate only 10cm off ground. I have slab and 3 breeze blocks for each new hive but want to make sure I dont confuse my bees by suddenly raising their home by 20cm!!! They might get a headaches bashing into the breeze blocks!!!

so just wanted to get the advise from you lot as to whether it will be ok just to move them up or if there is some other way to do it?

 

[oliver90owner]

Less than 3 feet or more than 3 miles. I think your move will be OK.

Regards, RAB

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

If 20 cm is about 8 inches in old money, then they will surely be fine. But you coould always put up a landing ramp to help the more aged and infirm ones (I know there are times when I would appreciate one!).

 

[dickbowyer]

On the same note, was worried that 2 hives I moved 2.6 miles (as measured on Google Earth) which I had taken over from retiring Beek would loose flying bees a few weekends ago but none retuned to old apiary! So is 3feet/3 miles just a rule of thumb?

 

[grizzly]

Yes i think it is, i have also moved hives less than 2 miles with none returning to old site, and no visible losses in flyers.

I think there are more issues when moving a hive within throwing distance of your current site, thats when you need to pay more attention.

With regard to height i have not had any issues in raising a brood a foot or so.

 

[BKF Admin]

I think it's a lot less than 3 miles.
I dont think they had Google earth to calculate the distance 100 years ago.
I have got away with a mile many a time.

 

[oliver90owner]

It will depend on where they have been foraging recently. If forage from old and new positions overlap - you are in trouble. Simple to check. Leave a nuc hive, with empty frames, on the old site. Returning bees indicates too close. Unles you get a swarm, that is!!

In the old days the bees obviously roamed a little further than the modern bees.

It is an age-old rule of thumb. Bees will manage with more than a metre and less than 5km, but there may be problems (in cold or wet weather, for instance, for the short move). Same with turning hives - 45 degrees a day is good, right angle a day is OK but a 180 turn all in one go and you could lose a lot of bees.

Regards, RAB

 

[BKF Admin]

It will depend on where they have been foraging recently. If forage from old and new positions overlap - you are in trouble.RAB