New site

[Lois]

I am new to beekeeping as you know, I have been happily looking after my girls in my garden but have come to realise that I need to move them somewhere better if I am to expand my production (I don't want to get too big anyway) so, I asked a local smallholder/gardener if he fancied having my bees on his land, lovely and airy with lots of places to site my bees, he said yes straight away, bonus no.1. he also told me that he used to be a beekeeper, bonus no.2. we have sorted out a place to put them, an old pig sty, its sheltered from the wind and catches a lot of the sun. Idyllic for the girls I hope.

My question is, this place is just under 3 miles away with a woodland separating us, a large woodland, will I need to move them miles away and then move them back or can I just move them there?

thanks folks.

 

[Poly Hive]

Should be fine just to move them there.

PH

 

[Lois]

bloomin' 'eck you're quick Poly!

 

[mikebeecham]

I started off believing in the old 'less than three feet or more than three miles' rule, but then the old-time beekeeper who mentored me told me he has successfully moved hives less than three miles many times. His trick is to cover the hive entrance with grass and thin twigs so the bees can't just fly out. This makes them pause and realise they have moved. They then re-orient themselves. The grass can be removed after a couple of days, but usually the bees will do it for themselves.

 

[Lois]

Well, I moved them last Thursday with no problems except that I didnt block up the entrance well enough and a few were making escape bids when I got them out of Hubbys van! Luckily I had them covered with a blanket just in case. I left them for a few days and then checked at the weekend, Oh they were a bit cross but nothing I couldnt seem to handle, it was fairly early on a cold windy day (about 11 o clock) and they were buzzing noisily round me and my smoker wouldnt work very well, owner error I expect.
I will check them again this weekend, probably Friday on my way home from work.

 

[VEG]

What no pictures?

 

[Lois]

Ok I will take some then.

 

[BKF Admin]

Ok I will take some then.

We love pics !

 

[margob99]

Good luck with the new site, Lois! I've been thinking the same, and have been scouting for a place nearby for future hives. One place that I hit upon was the nearby Cemetery/Memorial Garden. Great place for a hive, but when I spoke to the Horticultural Manager/Head Gardner, I ran smack bang into the usual generic lack of knowledge about bees. His concern was Public Liability; and people getting stung to death. While I could counter both arguments, I get the feeling people don't really believe it, and you really have to work on them over a long period of time, with newslinks, articles and other information, really softening them up and educating them before you even get a look-in. I keep thinking, for public gardens like these, I should consider putting together a sort of "Motivation Document" setting out clear educational information and a proper motivating argument for why bees would be a positive thing for their environment! If anyone has put together material like that in the past and would consider sharing it, please do contact me!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Margo.......i believe there would be no worse place to site hives of bee's than in public gardens.

 

[tonybloke]

even the ones in the Chelsea Physic Garden are well cordoned off from the public.

 

[Rosti]

RHS Harlow Carr (Harrogate, N. Yorks) also have display hives within the gardens but on one of the 'side' routes. Run by Harrogate & District BKA. Similar set-up to that described by Tonybloke. Circa 3m height fine netting surrounds the main hive/s. There is also an observation hive slap bang in the middle of the gardens, close to a cafe and display area, that entrance is about 2.5m high but straight into an area of high human 'traffic' (thats not active at the moment but was last year). I am not a member of HDBKA but they have run at Harlow Carr for many years with that format and also use the facilities to good effect with demonstrations and general promotion to the public. The set-up seems to work well and must be well received, without significant problems, it would not have been there so long otherwise.