Moving beehives about 300-400 feet to more secluded field

Packrat3wires · January 11, 2015, 11:35:29 PM

I would like to move my hives one field over on our farm. There is a natural spring very close. I would end up moving the hives between 300-400 feet. I live in west Kentucky and the temps have been at or below freezing for several weeks. Can I do this or will it disorient the bees when it warms up.

OldMech · January 11, 2015, 11:46:21 PM

I have found that the best time to move hives is in the winter while the bees are clustered. The older Field bees are not likely to survive, so in the spring, they will be orienting and taking cleansing flights all in a rush. If you are worried you can change the orientation of the hive in relation to the sun a little, and then lean a board.. Plywood etc across the entrance so they cant ZOOM straight out, they have to go around and realize something is different, so they re orient.

iddee · January 12, 2015, 12:12:43 AM

I would worry more about bumping or jarring a hive enough to dislodge the cluster. In the cold, they could not regroup and would die.

Michael Bush · January 12, 2015, 09:31:40 AM

I would do it on a day where that night is predicted to be above 50 F (10 C). Do something to get them to reorient. Thumping on the hive, putting a branch in front of the entrance etc.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmoving.htm#100yards

Packrat3wires · January 12, 2015, 12:43:21 PM

Would moving them when the night temperature is going to be above 50 degrees allow them to regroup in case I have jarred them in the move? I am confused on the thumping or stick to get them to reorient. I lost my hives last year because of the crazy winter we had in Kentucky and had to start from scratch. I have 3 hives so I am very worried about losing them to doing something stupid on my part..... Any and all help is appreciated.

BeeMaster2 · January 12, 2015, 01:30:19 PM

Not sure what Michael means by thumping on the hive to re orient. If you thump on it for several minutes with the hive closed, per Langstroth, you will put them in a swarm mode which will cause them to re orient.
As far as placing a stick in front of the hive, I place a leafy branch in front so that when they come out they stop and realize it is all different instead of coming out and taking off without re orienting. it works real well. Some will go back to the old site of they already knew the areqa but because they re oriented, they can find their way back.
Jim

CBT · January 12, 2015, 08:34:44 PM

I think you can use any of things told above or use hay, pine straw even dried grass in front of the entrance.

Michael Bush · January 13, 2015, 10:13:24 AM

>Would moving them when the night temperature is going to be above 50 degrees allow them to regroup in case I have jarred them in the move?

Yes. At 50 they will be flying and not clustering.

> I am confused on the thumping or stick to get them to reorient.

Anything blocking their flight path tends to cause them to reorient. Anything that gets them wound up and convinces them things have changes will reorient them. Doolittle and Miller would usually close them up, move them, thump on the hive until there was a good roar and then open them up.

> I lost my hives last year because of the crazy winter we had in Kentucky and had to start from scratch. I have 3 hives so I am very worried about losing them to doing something stupid on my part..... Any and all help is appreciated.

Then danger in moving them when the weather is cold is that they may not figure it out the first day and get caught in the cold. If it's 50 F or more the first night they have 24 hours to sort things out.