So I moved the Bees.

[kopeck]

In order to find a sunnier location I moved my Bees last night.  I waited until the sun set (8:00ish PM) and went over checked out the hive.  I saw a few bees standing in the entrance, didn't' really see any flying so I blocked the entrance and moved the hive.  At it's new location I replaced the wooden entrance block with grass clippings and just for good measure I also placed a stick in front of the entrance.  I should also add that I'm still using a entrance reducer so it was all pretty easy.

So this morning I went out to check them (8:00 AM) and they had already worked their way through the grass, which surprised since packed it in there pretty well.  The Bees that were in the air were doing circles in front of the entrance which is them getting zeroed in again, right?

When I checked out the old location, which I left an empty hive (bottom board, deep, frames & foundation plus cover) there where like 100 or so bee hanging out, some in the air some sitting on the front of the deep.  Could these be just foragers that where late getting back last night or do I have some bees going to the wrong home?  I don't know how many were inside, I didn't have time to open it up.  I did notice that there were about a dozen confused ladies waiting for me to set the hive back up last night I know some of them are just bees that didn't get back in time.

Anyway my plan is to wait until real darkness tonight and go block the entrance on the temporary hive and then combine the two using the news paper trick in the morning. 

Does this sound like the correct game plan?

Thanks,

K

[Robo]

No need to use the newspaper method, they are presumably from the same colony.   Next time don't leave any equipment at the old site.   Some bees will return to the old site, but with nothing there, they will eventually find the new site.  By putting an empty super in the old location, they think they are back where they belong.

[kopeck]

No need to use the newspaper method, they are presumably from the same colony.   Next time don't leave any equipment at the old site.   Some bees will return to the old site, but with nothing there, they will eventually find the new site.  By putting an empty super in the old location, they think they are back where they belong.

Ah, I'll remember that!  Lets hope I don't have to move them again...

I just found Michael Bush's page on moving bees. Funny, I've read a lot of stuff on his site (very good BTW) and missed this one.

From what he writes I don't even need to do the news paper bit, just leave the temp hive beside the regular one at night and they will work it out them selves.

Thanks!

K

[Understudy]

Sounds like you did a succesful move.
I would remove the empty hive from the old location because I don't want to encourage the bees to return to it.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Michael Bush]

>The Bees that were in the air were doing circles in front of the entrance which is them getting zeroed in again, right?

Yes.

>Could these be just foragers that where late getting back last night or do I have some bees going to the wrong home?

They went back to the old home.  Some of them weren't paying attention when they flew out.

>From what he writes I don't even need to do the news paper bit, just leave the temp hive beside the regular one at night and they will work it out them selves.

They won't want to hang out in an empty box when there is a hive next door with a queen, brood, bees, and honey.