Needing to move bees about 20 yards?

[D Coates]

I am planning on setting my bees a little more in the open and that entails moving them about 20 yards.  I've moved hives in the past but it was always 2 miles away let them sit a week and then move them to where I really needed them.  I've got 7 hives I'd have to do this with.  I'd like to avoid this if I could.

I've read about moving a hive a short distance and covering up the entrance with some branches to cause reorientation.  Is there anyone here who's actually done this successfully?  What are the tricks to doing it?  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[Kathyp]

i have.  just close them up at night and move them.  they will reorient the next day when they wake up.  branches will help.  a few will always go back to the old place, but most figure it out pretty quickly.

[iddee]

Well, let's see. Rules to live by:
1. Move bees minimum 5 miles, or only two feet.

2.If you drop a fork, throw salt over your left shoulder.

3. Never walk under a ladder.

4. If a black cat crosses your path, turn around and go the other way.

Now, move your bees and wait 3 days. All will have found home by the 4th night.

[D Coates]

I appreciate the responses.  I'll try it for myself.  It will sure will make thing easier than double moving them.  I had a friend who's more of a beehaver who had hives right next to his house.  The wife requested them moved, she doesn't like the bees.  He did so and for about 3 weeks his family was stung multiple times if they went anywhere near where the hives used to be.  I never saw it for myself though.

[iddee]

Yeah, right. I had a farmer tell me he saw a milk snake milking one of his cows, too.

[RayMarler]

Whenever I have to move hives a short distance, I move all but the weakest few.  I then wait a couple weeks and move the rest.  Placing branches or sticks or anything that will partially obstruct their flight when leaving will help a lot.

[Scadsobees]

I like Ray's idea best.  That way even if it isn't "home", at least they have somewhere to go.

A couple a week until you are down to one, then move that one 2 miles.  Or just end up with a nuc there that will build up super fast!!  :)

[Two Bees]

Over the past two weeks, I moved six hives using the trick that Kathy mentions.  Just close them up close to evening and move them.  I placed a board on the bottom board to block their direct exit and they reoriented in just a couple of days.

[annette]

Moved a hive about that distance 2 years ago. It took about 3-4 days before all the bees figured out where to live.  There were clusters of bees on the ground looking confused for days, but they eventually made it into the hive.

[jsmob]

  We moved from one house to another that was 5 or 6 doors down and across the street. I did the same thing with the hive. Moved them at night. Blocked them in. And when they where in their new spot, I let the bees out and put a small branch in front of the hive. Very few bees went back to the old spot.
The method works well.

[Hemlock]

I just did it Sunday...Well, started Saturday night really.
One hive, but only 35 feet.  Sealed them up & moved then in the dark (I hate that part).  Left them closed up all night.  I did place several big sticks directly in front of the entrance (leaning up against the hive).  They also got a new batch of syrup in the HTF.  Went out early the next morning & opened them up again.  The greater majority performed Orientation flights.  20 or 30 went back to the old entrance location.  I caught them and put them back on the hive.  I saw no bees at the old location after dark on Sunday.  When I came home for lunch today only one bee was at the old location.

When I originally bought the hives they were moved 15 miles in this way.  I didn't know better so just repeated the process.

Good Luck!

[Two Bees]

I think the trick is waiting until that have all returned to the hive for the night before you move them.   That way there are very few, if any, bees coming back to the old location.   Blocking the entrance with some kind of obstacle forces them to reorient.

[D Coates]

I moved 5 hives this weekend.  It was about 45 degrees so they we're all home.  I capped the upper entrance and put green cedar branches over the bottom entrance.  It warmed up later to 52 degrees and I stopped by to see how they were faring.  There were a total of 2 bees at the previous locations.  On the hives themselves there were about 20 bees on each hive that appeared to have gotten chilled and were on the outside.  There were other bees that had reoriented that were coming and going with no trouble.

I wasn't able to move the last hive as they already had quite a bit of traffic coming and going.  I'll move them if a cold snap hits or wait until dark.