Moving bees at this time of year

[Nakedapiarist]

Well the allotment committee gave me the OK two months ago for keeping bees down there but the council took an age to actually put it into writing so I could do something about it.

At the moment I have honey coming in at a rate I'm struggling to keep up with - instinct tells me I'm best off waiting for the flow to slow before moving my bees.

Am I right?

 

[Hawklord]

I find the best time to move colonies is in Spring, when the colony is small and most of the stores have been used, this makes them lighter to lift.

 

[Nakedapiarist]

Would it be bad for the colony to move it before then? - Say mid to end of August or is it just bee keeper's convenience?

cheers

 

[YorkshireBees]

If you can physically lift them then you can move them at any time of year.

If they have a good flow at the current sight I wouldn't want to move them until the flow is over personally.

Ofc it's the easiest to move them in Spring when they are smaller and a lot lighter but it's not always the way.

 

[thenovice]

Well the allotment committee gave me the OK two months ago for keeping bees down there but the council took an age to actually put it into writing so I could do something about it.

At the moment I have honey coming in at a rate I'm struggling to keep up with - instinct tells me I'm best off waiting for the flow to slow before moving my bees.

Am I right?

Why the hurry? Move when season is over and honey harvested. or even better early spring when the hive is lighter. in this way the other allotment users get a gradual introduction to increasing bee population and you are less likely to spook them into complaints.

 

[alldigging]

Got an empty hive? Get it in place now where the occupied hives will go.

Then if anyone wants to complain about your bees they're doing it over nothing. Gets that out of the way anyway.

Leave it until they're easier to carry is probably the better idea though. If you're in no mad rush to get them moved.