moving a hive

[bulldog]

how often do bees do their orientation flight ? if i move their hive at night will they do another orientation in the morning, or will they just fly out of the hive and not be able to find their home again ? i don't plan on moving them more than a few feet from where they are now.

[Highlandsfreedom]

I have heard the saying 1 foot or 1 mile but nothing in between.  But if a bee hive is up in a tree at 18 feet and the tree falls over and the bees stay it wouldnt hurt.  We dont give the girls enough credit.  Where do you plan on moving them?

[bulldog]

right now they are sitting on cinder blocks and not perfectly level, i have some blocks next to it, maybe 3 feet at most to one side, that have been levelled. since it is a top bar hive it has to be level i've heard.

[iddee]

Move it. They won't have a problem.

[AllenF]

Some say lay branches over the front when you move them.  I don't do that any more.  Just move them.

[harvey]

I listened to Iddee and have moved four swarms about 3/4 mile,  all have done fine.

[Michael Bush]

>how often do bees do their orientation flight ?

The ones doing their orientation flight are new bees, not field bees.  They do it every warm afternoon.  To force orientation you need to do one or more of the following:

1) put an obstruction in their path to make them pay attention.
2) bang the hive around enough that they feel the need to check out where they are
3) confine them long enough that they feel the need to check out where they are (72 hours is the maximum useful time and 24 is helpful, but in hot weather it can be deadly...)