Moving a Colony

[davidharradine]

Hello

I am moving from London, where I have 2 hives, to north Yorkshire, and will be taking my colonies with me. Any advice on whether it's best to move them now or later in the spring? And if anyone's moved colonies that far before (about 200 miles) and has any travel tips (I'll be in a car, obviously...) that'd be grand.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[onriver]

Congratulations on your move - did it years ago and have never regretted it I've shifted nucs rather than colonies nearly as far and it has worked well, no matter when, provided you minimise the stress of the move - lots of ventilation to the closed up hive (travelling screen if possible, water spray available through journey to calm everything down..)
They are going to become active no matter what you do or what what the external temperature is - you just need to reduce the impact of that disturbance and ensure they have the resources to cope - stores for example.

 

[RoseCottage]

Hi,
take a read of the following:

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10209

All the best,
Sam

 

[itma]

I am moving from London, where I have 2 hives, to north Yorkshire, and will be taking my colonies with me. Any advice on whether it's best to move them now or later in the spring? ...

The journey is one thing, but I'm wondering about start and end points.

Spring is later oop North, and its earlier in cities (especially London) than in the countryside.
So, it occurs to me that you'll be 'going back in the season' if you move after Spring has sprung in London (when your colonies would be growing fast) but before there is equivalent forage in Yorkshire. Which could mean that you'd need to be feeding (carbs and protein) for a while after arrival ...

Hence my suspicion/guess/feeling would be that now could be a better idea than late Spring. And then let them sync with the season in their new home.
But I suppose it might be a different matter if you were to be moving in right next to a field of Rape!

 

[drstitson]

good point ITMA

 

[rockdoc]

For what its worth, I moved two hives from east Kent to Devon a good few years ago. This was during the summer and, provided I stopped a few times to spray them, it went well. That journey was over 250 miles during the day. Now I would travel during the night to minimize stress and avoid traffic!
One other point which springs to mind and which others will no doubt bring up is the movement of disease. However clean your bees appear, there may a reasoned debate around whether to move that far or not. Its only a thought.

 

[davidharradine]

Thanks all - really helpful & good food for thought.