Moving hives

[Mymwood]

Had the seasonal bee insp visit on monday, very informative and my hives that I have had for a week passed with flying colours. Phew!

But.. the spot where I had placed them was not so good a the flight path took them across a footpath and a horse all weather surface. Daughters horse got stung, I got stung..etc.

So, decided to obey the 3 mile rule and have moved to a spot about 11 miles away next to a small orchard. Move went well, even though I did it alone, with no leaks.

I was concerned about how to keep the hives upright? In the end, due to the weight and distance from van I used a sack truck and bunjied the hive to it to keep it attached. But, inevitable it tilted and rocked quite a bit. Will these do any lasting damage??

Q2. Even though I did the moved late evening and closed the entrances with sponge as there was no bee traffic at all, the following morning I found 40-50 bees at the spot where one of the hives had been. Where were they? An all nighter maybe? Numbers crept up during the day to about a 100 at which point i put a flloor, super and roof to give them somewhere to shelter. If I shut them in as i did the main hive and move them to join their pals would that suffice?

Q3, cant find this in the books. On arrival at new site bees unfamiliar with local feed supplies. Give sugar syrup??

Mart

Should add that I plan to move them back to our small holding (wales valleys) in about 3 weeks to a spot where they, and we, will be safer!

 

[Poly Hive]

Q1. No.

Q2. You can if you like but consider another 22 miles of fuel. They will find another hive if you leave them alone.

Q3. Bees will orientate in the morning after the move and then the scouts will scout and there will be pollen and nectar (assuming any to be had) arriving the same day.

General answer to all the above. Relax.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

Q1 Probably not if you chose the best way for the frames to run, what type frames you have and how many were installed, but there should be no lasting damage - even if the queen succumbed!

Q2 Probably but is 100 bees worth the round trip?

Q3 Of course they will be unfamiliar with the forage but early each morning, scout bees will 'scout out' the area for forage and relate that to the foragers back at the hive.The foragers will update that information as the day progresses.

Hope that helps.

Regards, RAB

 

[Mymwood]

reassuring...