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Author Topic: moving hives  (Read 2187 times)

Offline BTVmailmomma

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moving hives
« on: April 25, 2009, 10:23:08 pm »
OK, so I've been told by the powers that be that I must  move my two hives about 200 yards from where they are. I've thought and asked about all the best ways to handle this and have decided that the surest way to keep my colonies from getting lost is to move them eight miles away for a month and then back to "my" bee yard to the preferred location. I thought I would do this in the fall, but they were way too heavy. Both hives survived the winter and one may be strong enough to split. Would I split before the move? after? or during the transition? I have never split a hive before. (actually, this is only the start of my second year). So then, I'm not sure of the actual protocol for moving them. I should seal the entrances with wire mesh, but will they escape out the bottom? I guess not if I leave the varoa screen in place. Should I duct tape the hive body together? How late in the day should I do it? If I determine that the queens have moved out of the lower hive body, can I leave that one behind?

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: moving hives
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2009, 10:26:20 pm »
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmoving.htm

Just move them and put something in front of the hive to get them to reorient.  In a day or two they will be settled down to the new location.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline abeeco

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Re: moving hives
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2009, 02:38:02 pm »
although it is a hassle, I might also suggest putting a box at the old site to collect the stragglers.  Even with an orientation aid, I have seen a suprising number of bees return to the old site.  It sounds like you may not be in the biggest rush.  Maybe move the hive, make your split with a few frames of bees at the old site, and after a few days, move the split too.  If you want to let them raise a queen, make sure it is not too early for your area/ buy a queen for the split.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: moving hives
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2009, 06:12:16 pm »
I would NOT put the box at the old site until the end of the day.  Move them in the morning with nothing at the old site.  Then put a box there close to dark.  Otherwise a lot of bees that would have gone looking for the new hive will just hang out in the empty box.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin