Moving 2 hives

[HeatherM]

A series of splits left 3 hives in the following orientation (arrowheads indicate entrances):

--> <-- <--
1     2     3

They seem to be settled from the splits and subsequent requeening ~2 weeks ago so we'd like to move 1 & 2 to ease entry into the hives.

We're thinking of taping them up at dusk, moving them with a loader tractor (1 & 2 are on the same pallet), rotating either 1 or 2 so their entrances are not facing each other, then removing tape and placing branches/leaves near each entrance.

We were thinking of moving 1 & 2 a couple of yards from 3 but could move them further if that would be better.

Is this reasonable? Must we also move hive 3 to prevent bees from 1 & 2 thinking it is their hive?

Thanks for any advice!

[Michael Bush]

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

If you do something (a branch in front of the entrance is good) to get them to reorient, then SOME of them will remember where they came from.  Typically they fly back to the old place and when there is nothing there they remember and fly back to the old hive.  If there IS a hive there, they are likely to go into that hive instead.  If they don't reorient then they fly back to the old place and spiral out until they find any hive and move into that hive.

[Hi-Tech]

I'm no expert on this and there is no way to predict which bees will reorient, I would block off the entrances (after dark) to each hive you are going to move. Then I would either move all three or leave my weakest hive in the original location and move the other two. That way the weak hive will gain the bees that didn't reorient. Put a lot of brush in front of the entrances of the ones you moved (not just a twig or two) and remove the entrance blocks the next morning early.

[BeeMaster2]

If you are using tape, remove it immediately after the move. This is not important if you have screen bottom boards but is if you have solid bottoms.
Jim

[Hi-Tech]

good point Jim, and I should have mentioned it. I have all SBB and use screen to block the entrance when moving