Moving Hives

[Big John]

I need to move my bee hive (just have one on this site) about 75ft, I know to put something in front of it so they will have a different flight path, I guess my question is would it be best to move it now, winter, or wait until spring?

[1of6]

I've done this two ways.

1)  Moved it all at once, used the branch method.  Works well it you make it convincing (blocked pretty majorly), but I'm starting to wonder if the branch becomes part of the landmark associated with the new location.  It seems like that might be the case.

2)  Moved a little at a time.  I moved one hive the whole way across my yard in town by moving it 2 to 4 feet per day.  I simply took an extra two cinder blocks and went up to the hive in the evening after all the bees were back in, lifted it to the new block a couple feet over, then picked up the old set of blocks and leap-frogged them over to the other side of the hive, so they'd be ready for the next evening.  No re-orientation problems encountered, but it takes a while.  OH, and you can't use this method to move one hive past another.

Branch method works well.  I'd do it now rather than later, that way it was out of the way before they cluster tight.

[bassman1977]

I guess my question is would it be best to move it now, winter, or wait until spring?

Either/or.  My suggestions are this...

1.  If you can wait until winter, this would be a good time.  Less of a chance to have bees flying around and not really a necessity to seal them up for the move.  My wife and I moved four hives last winter and it was a piece of cake.  Just pick them up and move them...no need to put branches in front of the hive unless it will be warm enough for them to fly the next day.

2.  Now.  They might be heavy from the flow.  You would know the best.  If they are, I might be more inclined to wait unless of course they had to be moved right away.  You would then need to do the branch in the entrance trick.

3.  Spring.  Depends on how early you do it.  They could be light as a feather from going through most of their stores.  Late spring and you could have heavy hives.  You would need to do the branch trick.

Hope that helps.

[Big John]

 :-\I could wait untill winter, but it would be harder for me, the reason I need to move them is because of my health (heart problems) getting harder to go up the hill where they are at. If I moved them now does anyone think they will have a problem. 2 deep brood bodys one full the top one 7 frames full.

[bassman1977]

I'm sure they will be fine.  Do it late at night when most bees are at home.  You might notice stragglers for the next few days at the old location.  You can take an old hive box, if you have one, capture the stragglers and put them into the parent hive.  Or...just leave them to die.  It probably won't make much difference if you do the move late at night.

[Michael Bush]

I'd move it now and get it over with.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmoving.htm

[hankdog1]

i'd move them now using the branch method if your health is the problem you definately want to make it to where it is easy for you to give the bees the attention they need.   :)