Rotating hives

[moorparkbees]

Hello, can you rotate a hive so that the entrance faces a different direction or will this cause disorientation?

Thanks

 

[masterBK]

Initially causes them confusion as they land on the side of the hive where the old entrance used to be (or land on an adjacent hive if close) but once a few have walked around the outside of the hive and found the entrance at its new position the others soon work it out by following the footprint pheromone they left on the wodwork or home in on the nasonov scent fanned into the air from bees at the new entrance

 

[Poly Hive]

Move it a bit at a time over several days.

PH

 

[ShinySideUp]

If you suddenly move it to a different direction the bees may get hopelessly lost. Those under-hive hornet/wasp traps with side entrances would not work if this was not the case as bees might use those fake entrances as the way home.

I caught a swarm the other week and ended up with the queen and some bees inside the hive and the rest of the bees underneath clustered around the queen they could not get to. They stayed like this for 36 hours and did not attempt to 'walk around' until they found the entrance; I had to shake them all into another box together. Bees are wondrous but sometimes they are dumb as soup.

As was said, move the hive a few degrees at a time over several days until it faces the way you want it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hello, can you rotate a hive so that the entrance faces a different direction or will this cause disorientation?

Thanks

Depends how fast you spin it

 

[enrico]

Depends how fast you spin it

And there goes my pint of beer,, sprayed across the dining room table! Good one!!!!
E

 

[citrus]

Depends how fast you spin it

like the fair ground waltzers ... the louder you scream the fast we go !!!