Moving colonies to an out apiary.

[DontWorryBeeHappy]

I have always kept my bees in my garden (it's large) but our children have had the nerve to want to set up a trampoline in what is currently my apiary. Bee's and bouncing kids don't sound like an ideal combination to me!

Luckily I have had two offers of sites for out apiaries so I have decided to move my colonies. One location is only about two miles away from my current apiary as the bee flies, the other is well over 3 miles away. Both sites are ideal for an out apiary.

I don't want to move my girls at this time of year for fear of breaking the cluster but once the weather warms up is there a preferable time of year to move them?

My plan is to move them early evening, once they have all got back from work. Are there any other considerations I should be addressing?

I appreciate the three feet or three miles rule and I know I need to keep the more local bee's indoors but I can't for the life in me remember how long I need to keep them locked up. Anyone got a better memory than me? (everyone probably!)

Once I move the other bees to the distant apiary can I open the hive immediately?


Thanks for all of your advice in advance.

 

[wessexmario]

I would have thought that if the trampoline had one of the usual fine mesh safety nets then it wouldn't be a problem with bees nearby, wouldn't they just fly around it?

 

[Thymallus]

For what it's worth a friend of mine had had to quickly move some hives about 1 1/2 miles from their original site (it's a long story why).
Believing the 3 mile rule, he left empty hives on original site for any returnees. Not a single bee came back. I now take the 3 mile rule with a large pinch of salt.

 

[Swarm]

As above and I don't see the harm in doing it now, just take it carefully.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I now take the 3 mile rule with a large pinch of salt.

I think it all depends on surrounding terrain and forage availability - if there's enough forage in the near vicinity they won't range very far in search ofpollen/nectar thus won't 'overlap' into a foraging area they visited from the original site. Bees tend to orientate to an extent every day regardless of where the hive has been moved or not. The danger comes if they stumble across an area they visited from the original site and their homing sense get's put back to the former location. two miles is pretty far IMHO as long as they are't moved during a particularly lean period which will induce the bees to move further. The alternative is to move at this time of the year when the bees won't be venturing far regardless. puting a board or some twiggy branches over the entrances help as well

As above and I don't see the harm in doing it now, just take it carefully.

 

[richardbees]

I suggest you do it now to whichever site you prefer as there isn't a problem with the 3 mile rule - all last year's foraging bees are no more.

Remember to transport the hive so the frames are aligned 'fore and aft'.

Richard

 

[DontWorryBeeHappy]

Thanks guys, as always this site is a font of knowledge. Perhaps I have taken my books and the three mile rule too literally, either that or my bee's don't read the same bee books.

I keep hearing about twigs at the entrance but I don't know the reason. Can you educate me? (well a little anyway, I doubt you have time to fully educate me, lost cause and all that !)

 

[DontWorryBeeHappy]

Wessexmario, I appreciate what you are saying about the mesh and in theory you have a point but my boys wont stay inside it for long. They have had a go at beekeeping and know the precautions but then again 10 year old boys tend to forget the rules when having fun. I don't want a hive knocking over and angry bee's greeting them. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I keep hearing about twigs at the entrance but I don't know the reason. Can you educate me? (well a little anyway, I doubt you have time to fully educate me, lost cause and all that !)

Bee appears at the entrance. Normally she would just fly out, especially if there is something for her to forage on. She will then use her landmarks to fly back to her home but it's not there.....you have moved it! She will be lost.
Bee appears at the entrance and it is suddenly a forest; everything is different. She wiggles her way out and re-orients outside the hive to remember the new place she came from.
That's the theory

 

[wessexmario]

in the wild, bees nest in trees.

trees fall down, it happens quite a lot (especially hollow ones!), so bees have evolved to recognise that if it looks a bit different outside, then home has probably moved a bit...

 

[DontWorryBeeHappy]

So simple when you explain it this way. Thanks again.

 

[richardbees]

I keep hearing about twigs at the entrance but I don't know the reason.

I prefer lightly stuffing the entrance with grass...

The idea is that they don't just fly out on autopilot but realise "outside" has changed and they need to re-learn their route.

The 3 mile rule is based on bees maximum foraging distance being one and half miles. So; If they have already foraged from the original site their new flight path could intercept the remembered old flight path - and they fly back to the original site.

Ted Hooper explains it a lot better but I'm always fascinated to watch bees returning to where the hive entrance was - even though I've just moved the hive 2 feet.

Good luck, richard

 

[einsteinagogo]

I moved all my colonies last year, in September, to an Out Apiary, within 1 mile of the original site, I cut branches off trees with plenty of leaves, (my pear and hazel trees) closed them up of an evening, moved them the next day in daylight, put branches with leaves covering the entrances, and opened them up.

left nucs at the original site to catch any returns, not a single bee returned to the original sites. I checked every evening.

I did not have another site to take them three miles....and back....

it worked for me! I didn't believe this would work, so I tried with 1 colony at first, and was very surprised the tree branch, with leaves worked very well.