three mile rule

[Bob Bee]

What's the best advice on moving hives within the three mile rule.

I now have to move a colony just under two miles. The landscape will be very different, plenty of woodland in between and its over the brow of a big hill ?

 

[drstitson]

if it were me - i'd just do it.

 

[oliver90owner]

You may well be OK. As long as the bees have not been (and/or will not be) foraging at, or near, the brow of the hill.

All instances are different, so the three mile rule is 'a rule of thumb' to cover virtually all scenarios.

Just nreeds common sense to apply any variation to the rule. That means, if in doubt, don't!

So if you are on here looking for support for a border-line decision, don't expect to get a definitive answer.

RAB

 

[Bob Bee]

if it were me - i'd just do it.

I will, I don't have any other options.

 

[Bob Bee]

You may well be OK. As long as the bees have not been (and/or will not be) foraging at, or near, the brow of the hill.

All instances are different, so the three mile rule is 'a rule of thumb' to cover virtually all scenarios.

Just nreeds common sense to apply any variation to the rule. That means, if in doubt, don't!

So if you are on here looking for support for a border-line decision, don't expect to get a definitive answer.

RAB

As I simply have to do it, I thought id run it past the forum, so often full of little gems of wisdom........

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

lean a crown board accross the entrance or cover with long grass etc - the confusion of getting out will force them to re-orientate themselves (hopefully

 

[RoseCottage]

Only you can assess your situation but have a read of this link and see if it helps you,

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10209

All the best,
Sam

 

[Poly Hive]

As above, it will also help if you put a strong marker on the hive before the shift, a white star, a square or similar shape to give them a stronger location, and hence a good hint of where home is after the move.

I would also lean a board of some sort over the front so they are forced to have a "think" as to where they are and make them realize matters have changed.

PH

 

[itma]

Considering the bee's navigation, I would expect that having the hive pointing in a distinctly different (90°+?) compass heading (SW instead of SE for example) from the previous orientation would also help to force a realisation that "we're not in Kansas any more".
Especially if combined with keeping them shut/blocked in until dusk, so that they start the new day in a 'different' setting.

Its just something that occurs to me, never seen/heard it mentioned.
Should be easy to do. Worth bothering with?

 

[alanf]

I now have to move a colony just under two miles. The landscape will be very different, plenty of woodland in between and its over the brow of a big hill ?

A strategy I was shown is to leave an empty hive on the old site to collect stragglers. The least you will find out is how the move went. You might have to eventually reunite the remainder on the new site or with another hive on the old site but you won't have lost all the bees.

 

[Chris B]

Many year ago I moved a big strong colony 2 miles and placed an empty Apidea on the empty site. Next day I collected no more than 200 worker bees in the Apidea.

 

[Bob Bee]

Only you can assess your situation but have a read of this link and see if it helps you,

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10209

All the best,
Sam

Nice analysis Sam, thanks.
I'm ok with the board/grass scenario, we always did this when moving bees to and from the the heather back in the day. I also like the idea to leave an empty hive on the site, which I had toyed with, but hoped I wouldn't need, insurance perhaps. Oh and the south/east orientation couldn't do any harm. Will report back.

 

[Bob Bee]

As above, it will also help if you put a strong marker on the hive before the shift, a white star, a square or similar shape to give them a stronger location, and hence a good hint of where home is after the move.

I would also lean a board of some sort over the front so they are forced to have a "think" as to where they are and make them realize matters have changed.

PH

Actually moving them within 50 yards of a 50ft windmill, thjey should be able to orientate to that

 

[The Cumbrian]

I am puzzled. I thought the idea of putting the marker on the hive was for them to get used to it before the move and then it would make then find the hive more easily on their reorientation flights.

Am I wrong?

 

[johnmcc]

I had to move one of my hives about thirty feet early this summer (change of use of area) and used a tip from a US forum. After I'd closed and moved the hive I cut a very twiggy, leafy branch from one of my trees and leaned it against the front of the hive, more or less completely obscuring it (branch about four feet long and three feet at widest from a conifer). When I let the bees fly again after an hour or so there were a few bees at the old site for the first three days - but nothing to worry about - and that was it. It worked - the bees had to almost fight their way out of the hive, and quickly re-orientated. I'd certainly use this trick again if I had to move a hive.

 

[YorkshireBees]

lean a crown board accross the entrance or cover with long grass etc - the confusion of getting out will force them to re-orientate themselves (hopefully

I moved 2 hives earlier this year (needed to) and taped a crown board (lent against the front of the hive) in position for a few days.

Had very few if any bees returning to the original position and those that did could just join the remaining hives.

The other hives that I will move can wait until they cluster and then be moved very gently!

 

[Poly Hive]

Might be the way I put it Cumbrian.

I meant put the marker on first, let them get used to it, a couple of days, then when the hive is moved they have it as a good point of reference for them on the hive.

PH

 

[The Cumbrian]

Might be the way I put it Cumbrian.

I meant put the marker on first, let them get used to it, a couple of days, then when the hive is moved they have it as a good point of reference for them on the hive.

PH

Thanks that is what I thought you meant.

 

[Bob Bee]

Nice analysis Sam, thanks.
I'm ok with the board/grass scenario, we always did this when moving bees to and from the the heather back in the day. I also like the idea to leave an empty hive on the site, which I had toyed with, but hoped I wouldn't need, insurance perhaps. Oh and the south/east orientation couldn't do any harm. Will report back.

They moved fine except the hive had one of those (French ?) tubular plastic floors which seemed to leek bees as we moved it, perhaps not assembled properly, so there were about 100/150 bees that went into the empty box on the original site. Left the box in place for 48 hours just in case of returning bees. Moved it without issue or extra returning bees.

 

[itma]

They moved fine except the hive had one of those (French ?) tubular plastic floors which seemed to leek bees as we moved it, perhaps not assembled properly, so there were about 100/150 bees that went into the empty box on the original site. Left the box in place for 48 hours just in case of returning bees. Moved it without issue or extra returning bees.

So you think that there were few or no returners, just escapees through the 'happykeeper' floor (that got out while the hive was being moved off-site) ?

That would sound like the tricks/care worked well!


My own move seems to have gone equally well. Moved soon after dawn, having been shut in after darkness fell. Different orientation, leafy branch in front of the reduced central entrance (previously at the side with the block angled), and a new site surrounded with trees and a 12/15' high hedge (rather than their previous 5' hedges).
Only about "half a dozen" homing bees reported to have made the journey back, about a mile and three quarters in a straight line. After 48 hours, I've removed the branch first thing this morning.