Subject: Re Moving Established Hives

From: [email-masked] ("Norman Lunnun")
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 1994 22:36:09 GMT

Larry Renolds ask about moving hives.
The rule I use is under 3 feet or over 3 miles.
I have just moved 5 hives to over 3 miles from their original spot,in 
about 6 weeks time I shall be able to move them back to  the spot I  want 
them to spend winter in,I need to do this although this is within 400 
yards of their original spot.
Bees fly upto about a three mile radious of the hive,so moving them over 
three miles stops a bee finding it's way back to the original site.
I should imagine moving them when the climate is cooler would be more  
benaficial as the bees are not so active and not flying so far.
 Norman Lunnun,Uttoxeter.UK.

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From: [email-masked] (Allen Dick 546-2588)
Date: Thu, 29 Sep 1994 04:40:11 GMT

If it's an off season and you are sure the bees have been confined for 
three days with no flights, say due to rain, cold weather, etc.  and if 
it isn't a lot of trouble, move them to a new spot.  Remove any hive 
parts, comb, scrapings, etc from where the hive was.

Then be sure to be there shortly after they begin flying in any numbers.  
Within a few hours after is fine.  Moving them may cause enough flight to 
gauge if it is warm enough.

If they come back and_cluster_and_stay_on the place where the hive stood,
just move the hive back there and try again later if you like.  No harm 
done. Then try the two or three miles trick. 

If they just fly around the old location a lot _and_then_go_away, don't 
worry.  It worked.

A _few_ bees will be lost no matter what you do.

Another trick to get across a yard in flying (slight flow) weather is this:

First move the hive a foot to one side.  Wait a day or so, then move it 
two or three more feet.  A day later, see how much farther you can go.  
The bees get used to having to look for their hive and you can move it in 
fair sized steps.  Just let the bees show you how far. 

It works for me.
-- 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper
Rural Route One, Swalwell,  Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Phone/Fax: 403 546 2588      Email: [email-masked]