Moving hives about half a mile

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melias

House Bee
Joined
May 13, 2011
Messages
157
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Location
West Berkshire
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
5
I have to move 4 hives about half a mile prior to the end of December. I've heard that in the winter one can move hives this distance if you temporarily obstruct the entrances with sticks and leaves once they've arrived at the new location. Has anyone had experience doing this?

The hives are very heavy with winter stores so it would save a lot of time and energy if it wasn't necessary to move them more than three miles first, then move them back to their new home.
 
If it's really cold and the bees aren't flying then they will reorientate when they next go out regardless of whether they've been moved or not, so try and time it for a cold snap but be aware that if it's very cold you have to be very careful when moving them to avoid disturbing the cluster.
In this weather it will also be no big deal if they are shut up for a few days - this will also help them to reorientate.
The magic twigs may help as well.
 
I plan on moving two colonies at weekend to a new site. The weather is forcast to be fairly mild so hopefully disturbance will be minimal.
 
I moved one in early summer. Seal up the entrance and strap it up to make sure nothing moves around and then move the hive. Leave shut for a couple of days (probably not an issue at this time of year), and put a leafy branch in front of the entrance before opening, dense enough to force them to wriggle through and require a re-orientation. Don't leave a nuc or anything like that at the original site - some bees fly back, but they quickly remember they've moved if there's nothing there to keep them. You will lose a few bees, but I only lost about 50 in high season.
 
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I moved one in early summer. Seal up the entrance and strap it up to make sure nothing moves around and then move the hive. Leave shut for a couple of days (probably not an issue at this time of year), and put a leafy branch in front of the entrance before opening, dense enough to force them to wriggle through and require a re-orientation. Don't leave a nuc or anything like that at the original site - some bees fly back, but they quickly remember they've moved if there's nothing there to keep them. You will lose a few bees, but I only lost about 50 in high season.

How on earth can you be so precise -or maybe you give names to all your bees and 50 failed to answer a roll-call? :hairpull:
 
How on earth can you be so precise -or maybe you give names to all your bees and 50 failed to answer a roll-call? :hairpull:

Listen - I'll be having a pint later with a man who buys a packet of onion seeds and then counts them to make sure he hasn't been short changed from the amount started on the packet!!
 
How on earth can you be so precise -or maybe you give names to all your bees and 50 failed to answer a roll-call? :hairpull:

I found about 50 dead at the original site - they were interred under individual gravestones engraved with their name, rank and serial number.
 
Listen - I'll be having a pint later with a man who buys a packet of onion seeds and then counts them to make sure he hasn't been short changed from the amount started on the packet!!

Must be Welsh then.......or half Scottish, one could say as bad as each other but then maybe not?
 
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