Molving hives less than 3 miles

[Loolabelle1]

We need to move our hive and have hopefully found a site. However, it is only just over 2 1/2 miles from home. I know the 3 mile rule but if we have to move, is there any way round this or do we have to leave until winter, which is not really an option. We also don't have the option of moving them to another location and then bringing them back again. One suggestion has been to make an artificial swarm and take the queen with non flying bees in a nucleus to the new site and then move the other half in the winter but we would prefer to move everything now as the neighbours are concerned.
many thanks

 

[BKF Admin]

I would just move the whole colony.
KISS as Poly Hive would say..

 

[Loolabelle1]

As it is under 3 miles, wont they just all end up back in the original location if we do it now

 

[Leigh]

I moved some of mine 2.09 miles (distance courtesy of GoogleEarth!) - had a very few come back (literally the odd one or two bimbline around where the hives were sited)....I guess they joined the other hives that were nearest. I'd be surprised if you had a problem with your move.

 

[Midland Beek]

In this land of plenty we have at the moment you need to hope that your bees are not having to fly far to forage; meaning that you might well get away with a move of 2-3 miles. If this were mid/late summer your bees might typically be flying longer distances to sources such as lime, heather, JK and HB, and this time would be a bad time to move a colony under 3 miles.

 

[steve_e]

I've also heard that if you put something over or close to the hive entrance when you've moved and opened up the hive in its new location (eg a crownboard or roof) it forces the bees to re-orientate themselves to a certain degree because of the different conditions at the hive entrance.

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

We moved our hives two miles in May last year. A small handful came back to the original site - the others were too busy collecting nectar. I guess one main consideration would be how freely the nectar is flowing around your new site.

 

[Loolabelle1]

Thanks for all your replies, very helpful.

 

[Lance Hutchings]

A quick one on this subject I want to move my hives that have been in situ for about 2 weeks to another part of my garden, probably about 20-30 yard max ... is this a no no then ? or can i move them late in the evening and hope they re-orientate ?

Thanks for answers from a newbee

 

[Stiffy]

We need to move our hive and have hopefully found a site. However, it is only just over 2 1/2 miles from home. I know the 3 mile rule but if we have to move, is there any way round this or do we have to leave until winter, which is not really an option. We also don't have the option of moving them to another location and then bringing them back again. One suggestion has been to make an artificial swarm and take the queen with non flying bees in a nucleus to the new site and then move the other half in the winter but we would prefer to move everything now as the neighbours are concerned.
many thanks

I think the rule is a good general guide, unless your bees are really having to travel a long way to forage I am sure they will be okay. If you are worried stuff some grass into entrance which will die back after a day or two and allow initially a slow trickle of bees to escape and have time to re-orientate.
S

 

[Rosti]

same as most are saying here. Just do it, I routinely move between sites that are just under 2 miles apart. I do what to see where they are foraging and wait until flight movement is 'away' not 'toward' but never really ahd a prob. If the forage is good the likelyhood of loads of +1 mile trips (its that overlap of orientation we are worried about) is pretty low. Good luck

 

[oliver90owner]

As it is under 3 miles

I agree with the rest (mostly). The three mile rule is not an absolute law; it is a rule of thumb, and as such is a good guide for those who do not, or cannot, read the signs.

Common sense needs to prevail.

RAB

 

[BobsBees]

A similar question

Question about moving stock (bees)

My home is where I do all my grafting, hive maintenance building etc.
I have an out Apiary about 2.5 Miles away as the crow fly's. No problems with returning bees so far!

I have now used as many bees for stocking my 5 frame Nuc's as is possible without harming the ongoing breeding of the 4 colonies that I have at home.

I have plenty of bees at the farm. (11 hives) But if I form a Nuc at the farm complete with a caged Virgin Queen in situ, I recon the girls will fly straight back to where they know, maybe 30 yards away, except for the nurse bees that is.

Now the question is if I move the Nuc back to my home. How many days before they forget where they came from. Because I can't have any more bees at home. But I could stand having them for a couple of days, then seal them in overnight and move them back up the farm.
Would this be OK?
Anyone know how good a bees memory is.
Bob.

 

[Rosti]

Question about moving stock (bees)

Now the question is if I move the Nuc back to my home. How many days before they forget where they came from. Because I can't have any more bees at home. But I could stand having them for a couple of days, then seal them in overnight and move them back up the farm.
Would this be OK?
Anyone know how good a bees memory is.
Bob.

Bob, a case in point that might help you. Earlier in the week I removed a tiddly colony that had established in the open top of a compost bin (been there perhaps 2 weeks tops and doomed). I had to remove and decided to see if I could build it to a colony. It was in desparate need of feeding. It was so weak that I was concerned that it would be over-run and robbed for its syrup feed if put in my apiary. I moved it all of 2/3 of a mile back to my garden instead (huge theoretical flight over lap with the original location). There was no sealing in over night. They re-orientated immediately and talking with the owners at the compost bin site there have been no returning bees. The 3ft / 3 mile rule is a good guide, but circumstances and sometimes needs must.