Moving Hives

[SusanC]

Please could anyone give me some advice?

I am moving 2 hives this afternoon - what am I best to do leave them for 24hours then open them up or do this straight away

They are on open mesh floors

 

[Rich0909]

Hi Susan,
I would just open them up once at their new site - be suited up though in case travel has put them in a bad mood, most times I have moved bees there has been no immediate reaction when the entrance was opened though.
Presume you are moving 3 miles plus so they don't return to the original site? If not I would wait a few weeks yet until they are properly clustered in a long cold snap.

Rich.

 

[SusanC]

Thank you

Yes I am moving them approx 2.8 miles

 

[Rich0909]

I would think that would be ok at this time of year, I doubt they are flying long distance to forage now the temperatures are starting to fall.

 

[Norfolk]

Hi Susan,
I would just open them up once at their new site - be suited up though in case travel has put them in a bad mood, most times I have moved bees there has been no immediate reaction when the entrance was opened though.
Presume you are moving 3 miles plus so they don't return to the original site? If not I would wait a few weeks yet until they are properly clustered in a long cold snap.

Rich.

 

[enrico]

No problem at all. Open them straight away.
E

 

[masterBK]

Maybe wise to give them a good smoking as you remove whatever you are using to block the entrance so they don't come pouring out in large numbers

 

[busybee53]

How did the move go?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Maybe wise to give them a good smoking as you remove whatever you are using to block the entrance so they don't come pouring out in large numbers

I use a block of foam (jams nicely into the large vestibule of the under floor entrances) and I just whip them out and run - I'll probably get caught out one day!! my friend did this year when he helped me move some to their summer lodgings because:
a) although I'm no racing snake he is definitely built for comfort (if you like extremely large chesterfields) not speed.
b) I forgot to tell him to run
So maybe MBK's advice is wiser

 

[YorkshireBees]

Give them a few minutes to settle after a move but as the others have said open after that. No need to wait too long imho.

In my experience, even during warmer weather, if you let them settle for 5-10mins after putting the hives into position you barely see much action on opening up.

I would always wear my bee suit though!

 

[Heather]

really a MasterBK??... what an answer ' give them a good smoking'... poor bees.. Why not hit a few as they exit to deter the rest!

Just give them 1/2 hr to settle quietly then release. They will be fine.

 

[masterBK]

Poor bees? I think Heather is being a little too anthropomorphic. Beekeepers have been using smoke to control bees for hundreds of years and I imagine will continue to do so for even longer.

 

[Norfolk]

Give them a few minutes to settle after a move but as the others have said open after that. No need to wait too long imho.

In my experience, even during warmer weather, if you let them settle for 5-10mins after putting the hives into position you barely see much action on opening up.

I would always wear my bee suit though!

That's my experience also.
I used to use a long piece of foam, maybe 3/4" square and 18" or so long.
Easy to pull out when you arrive at your destination.
Once I got the hive set I would pop my veil on and open them up with any difficulties or anger from the ladies.

 

[Heather]

MasterBK- Beekeepers used to keep them in skeps too... but we have progressed to allow less disturbance to the bees.

People that guff smoke before they assess the need should try being gentle and patient. Only difficult bees need some smoke - and then a beekeeper should sort out the hive as there is a problem there.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

MasterBK- Beekeepers used to keep them in skeps too... but we have progressed to allow less disturbance to the bees.

People that guff smoke before they assess the need should try being gentle and patient. Only difficult bees need some smoke - and then a beekeeper should sort out the hive as there is a problem there.

 

[Hachi]

I was always told moving bee's when clustered should be avoided.

 

[victor meldrew]

I don't know whether you've viewed the IWF videos but the lass on there works the bees without any protection whatsoever!, she wears jewellery, however, she ALWAYS has her trusty smoker in operation and she uses it .
Only time I saw her geared up was at the OSR and even then only as a precaution as her veil was pushed back out of the way but her smoker was deployed .
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[REDWOOD]

Some bees need it some don't as some are not very protective of their home and honey and others are, sometimes the calmest of bees become aggressive and the aggressive become the calmest, I smoke every hive before entering and then decide whilst removing frames if they need a bit more. Never forget a simple honey bee is a wild animal and has a licence to kill

 

[REDWOOD]

I was always told moving bee's when clustered should be avoided.

In the hive yes on a tree no

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't know whether you've viewed the IWF videos but the lass on there works the bees without any protection whatsoever!, she wears jewellery, however, she ALWAYS has her trusty smoker in operation and she uses it .
Only time I saw her geared up was at the OSR and even then only as a precaution as her veil was pushed back out of the way but her smoker was deployed .
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I always have a smoker at hand but hardly ever use it. at one time it was one puff at the entrance before opening - with a lot now I don't even bother with that. it even works with the apiary's turbonutter......well you know the rest