moving bees less than two miles

[harvey]

I have to swarms that established themselves in bait hives I set up.  both of them are out in the woods however one is about a mile away and the other about a half mile.  I plan on moving them at night as I want all bees to be in the hive.  If I place a pine limb over the entrance can I move these bee's such a short distance and expect them to stay?  I really don't have the ability to take them three miles out and the bring them back. 

[riverrat]

move them it shouldnt be a problem

[Kathyp]

one suggestion if you are moving a swarm a short distance.  put an excluder between the bottom box and the bottom board.  that should help keep the queen from leaving if the hive decides  it likes another place.
if there is brood in that swarm trap, it should help anchor the hive.  treat the brood like a cutout if it's not in frames.
doesn't hurt to feed.

[AllenF]

Are they already in hives or just traps?

[harvey]

they are in hives A dadent deep that I used as a bait hive with ten frames in it.

[AllenF]

Cool, just move them.   I wouldn't worry too much about it.  If they look light in weight, feed them for a week to get them drawing out the comb.

[harvey]

would you put a branch or anything over the opening to cause them to re orientate?

[iddee]

Just move them, don't worry about old wives tales.
A branch doesn't hurt.

[harvey]

Ok I moved them,  Wasn't too tough,  They were not happy when I gottem home and pulled the window screen from the opening!!!  I did set a branch in front of each entrance and Now I guess I just wait and see.  I didn't open the boxes.  The tops and bottoms are screwed on.  I will wait till i get the wrest of my wooden ware hopefully by the end of the week and then transfer them onto a real bottom board.  I didn't get a picture of the bee's as it was getting dark.  The one swarm or hive looks like miniature italians,  small bees, the other swarm the bees are even smaller and a lot darker.   Other than muts any idea what they might bee?

[lenape13]

I would say they are bees, too!   8-)

[harvey]

Today after looking at them close in the daylight the bees look like miniature italians,  They are not black, dark but not black and they have similar markings as the italians.  Just real small bee's.  Brought another swarm home today too.  They look like italians and a good bit larger than the others.