Moving Hives under 3 miles

[Gunzo]

Hi,

looking for some sound advise on moving established colonies this year.

The new location is just under 2 miles away and was looking to move the hives in batches of 2 In March
method I intend to use is
1; wait for a weather spell of consecutive rain days close hive up at night and pull inspection board for ventilation
2; strap up the first pair and move to new site
3; leave entrance blocked for 24hrs (not sure about that part)
4; open entrance to small opening and place branches over the front to allow bees to hopefully reoriantate.

I will still have bee hives in the original apiary so hope any forigers that do go home beg in to the next hive.
repeat the process until they are all moved. And any final foreigners stay in the hives that stay in the original apiary

 

[hemo]

I don't worry too much about distance and place a nuc for any bees that may happen to return, do it now before they get too large and forage too far whilst the weather is still cool and changeable.

 

[Ian123]

At 2 miles you’ll be fine not an issue

 

[Apple]

We have moved bees 1 mile with no problem..... from one side of Kit hill to the other!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Next week is getting colder, I'm moving one nuc and a three box hive 1/4 of a mile.
I've not had any problems thus far moving colonys around from three sites that are the above distance apart. ( this time of year)
For me it will get done before they start to build up to much.
@Apple it works fo us moving at shorter distances on the titterstone.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

2 miles, in March, not an issue, not even any need for closing up for 24 hours or the magic twigs

 

[Apple]

2 miles, in March, not an issue, not even any need for closing up for 24 hours or the magic twigs

Magic Twigs.... we use Magic faerie dust!

Chons da

 

[Gunzo]

Magic Twigs.... we use Magic faerie dust!

Chons da

YouTube is full of magicians but hoped for more sense here

Diolch

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

YouTube is full of magicians but hoped for more sense here

Diolch

we specialise in comedians

 

[Anduril]

I have moved hives 500 metres without any problems in November and February, as you are keeping bees at the original site then there is no problem at all.

 

[Curly green finger's]

2 miles, in March, not an issue, not even any need for closing up for 24 hours or the magic twigs

Magic Twigs.... we use Magic faerie dust!

Chons da

You can keep your dust we use radioactive dolorite.
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[ChrisS]

I've just moved one hive 10 yards across my garden. They soon got the hang of the new location.

Roger Patterson says that you can also move a busy hive at the height of summer - move it 3 feet, wait an hour, move it another 3 feet etc etc. The flying bees learn very quickly.

 

[oliver90owner]

This problem is just another where the beekeeper needs to THINK about the situation. The three foot,three mile rule is a ‘rule of thumb’ - in that it will work in all (sensible) situations.

The THINKING beekeeper will take into account all the important factors (position, orientation, topology, foraging, weather, time of year, etc) before hopefully making a sensible, considered decision. For instance, moving a hive less than three feet can lose all the flying bees if the beekeeper moves it back, the other side of a solid fence. Remember, as they say ‘there are always exeptions to the rule’.