Moved bee question

[ail901]

I have moved a nuc about 15 meters very early Sunday am, couldn't do it bit by bit. I did change the orientation of the new positioned hive and positioned a bourd against the entrance to alert them to a new position and hopefully orientation before moving off. I also put a new nuc in the old position in case of stragglers

Sunday evening there were a few returned bees to new hive old position so I tipped them into old hive new position. Returned just after dark and there were no more bees in old position

There are 3 hives in between ( ie I have leapfrogged them)

Monday lunch I find that there are bees entering new hive old position, I having looked inside to see how many, will have time tonight to have a proper look

Question is what if the likly outcome and what do you suggest I do

It's too hot to lock them in for the day, should I leave the new hive old position and or remove altogether

Thanks in advance

 

[Dishmop]

If only a few bees remove new hive from old position altogether.

 

[Skyhook]

Not the best thing to do, I presume you had your reasons.

All you can really do now is return the bees from the new hive at dusk, then stop the entrance with grass. It should take them a few hours the next day to get out, which should help locate them to the new position- possibly shade the nuc with something?

Some are bound to go back, and will probably end up begging their way into the nearest hive. In mid-summer this wouldn't be so bad as you would only lose flying bees but still have a healthy poulation of house bees. At this point the likelihood is that nearly all the bees are flying bees so you could lose quite a lot.

.

 

[oliver90owner]

Question really for before doing the move.

Was there a possibility of temporarily moving the adjacent hive to within, say, a metre? Without, of course, moving that hive by more than a metre.

If that were possible, this problem could have been completely avoided with just a little forethought.

If that possibility is still open, those stragglers would find a new colony.

Nucs can afford to lose bees even less than a full colony.

Proper planning makes the whole process easier for beekeeper and bees. Better that precautions are put in place before than actions afterwards.

 

[richardbees]

ail.
I don't think it much matters about leaving that empty nuc in the old position - the returning bees may rest there but will probably find their way to the nearest hive.

By now you have lost the bulk of your overwintered flying bees but hopefully with this warm March there's enough nurse bees, stores and brood / replacement bees on the conveyor belt.....