Moving Hives

[lorrick]

Hello All
I have been given a spot to put my hives about 3/4 mile away from where they are now in my garden, due to my 2 hives swarming and managing to catch both swarms and put them in new hives I have 4 which is a bit to many for the garden. My question is that I have a farm about 7 miles away where I can put them temporally for a few weeks before moving them back down towards me, 2 hives have 3 supers on, if I use clearing boards so I can make the hives more manageable to move is there a point that the bees will feel to cramped and do something silly when I get them to the other I will put the supers back on again when I get their, until moving them back, as I will leave the hives on the trailer at the farm, so not have to pick them back up again to bring back.

Regards
Richard

 

[oliver90owner]

Are you moving all of them?

Where precisely are they in relation to each other, if not moving them all.

Given some detailed thought on the subject could save the double move. Planning and thinking is worthwhile.

Now if moving them all, that is a different matter, but even at 3/4 of a mile as the bees fly, there may be redeeming features that might allow the single move.

The 3 mile rule is there to include everyone from the most to least clever.

 

[richardbees]

I suggest you leave the 2 hives with supers on (presumably the hived swarms) in your garden.

Move the other 2 hives (presumably the left behind QCs, new bees and bias) to your new site 3/4 miles away. Block the entrance when they've finished flying - don't leave a new Q behind returning from her mating flight!.

 

[Danno]

Richard, let me know if you need a hand with loading etc.

 

[lorrick]

Thanks Danno I will,

Hi Oliver 90
I was looking to move all the hives in one go, they are in pairs either end of the garden, One hive that swarmed is on a B/B and not a lot going on as trying new frame with eggs as I think Q less to try and get a New Queen, One of the swarms that came from it is on B/B and 1/2 with 2 supers as making honey like going out of fashion, the other pair is made up of second swarm on B/B only and the other is one of last years colonies on B & 1/2 and two supers on it. The new site is about 3/4 to 1 Mile away as the crow flies across two fields, it is a small meadow surrounded on 3 sides with trees,

 

[oliver90owner]

If you are moving them all, then away and back might be the most sensible.

Moving one of each pair to the new site and collecting any returners in the remaining colonies was one strategy to avoid moving them all away.

If they were moved over a hill and into a heavy-flow new crop, there may be few returners.

If they were all very close together you may have been able to move three of them to the new patch and only needed to move a single colony away.

Every case has merits and demerits. All I was saying was there were alternatives if not moving them all at the same time, which was not entirely clear in your OP, so some thought might show up an alternative workable plan.

RAB

 

[lorrick]

Thanks Rab
I can see what you mean, I never thought about having one hive behind and collecting any stragglers, I will in that case move the four of them in one go, as all the OSR has finished around here and it will probably bee better to move them before the new crop of nectar starts.

Thanks fore the advice.

 

[Danno]

Richard, I noticed spring beans all around your village as I passed through the other day. I wish I had some around here.

 

[lorrick]

Richard, I noticed spring beans all around your village as I passed through the other day. I wish I had some around here.

Went over your way yesterday and saw them, I had not noticed them before, I wonder how long they would be in flower for and whether it is worth asking the farmer if he is planting any next year, in fact I might ask the local farmers who are planting what where and see where the best foraging will be.
Cheers

Richard