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Author Topic: Can I move my hive like this?  (Read 3875 times)

Offline johnnybigfish

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Can I move my hive like this?
« on: January 03, 2008, 12:00:33 am »
 I have a hive out front of my house, away from my other 2. I caught them last summer and put them in the front so I could see them from my front window. Now, I found out my wife wants me to keep all my hives in the back woods about 40 yards from my house, Now,...Since its wintertime(Tx winter) when its cold, Can I just pick up the hive and carry it out back? you know, block the front and cover the cracks that bees sneek out of and go with it? Then do the "Limb Thing"?

your friend,
john

Offline Sir Stungalot

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2008, 02:31:24 am »
Sure John, just plug 'em up and move them. I do it all the time. On a cold day (and we seem to be having plenty here in Texas this week) it is easy.  I just ram a whole bunch of grass into the entry so they have a hard time getting out for a day or so them I remove it. If it is a cold day when you remove the grass, even better- they will not have much urge to forage.  The hardest part of moving a hive is just lifting them.  I always hear all these things about moving hives 2 inches at a time and all that....jeeze...

Here is a cool trick I use in the summer when it is hot and the bees are booming. Just as the sun is going down, I plug the hive and do the actual moving. Once in its new location (the next morning) I lift the cover, give them a good shot of smoke to drive them down off the top frames. I then place an old window screen (still in its frame) over the top of the hive and instead of putting the regular cover back on, I instead, put a empty super (with out the top) on the screen. This allows the bees to get plenty of air and stray cool AND I can sprinkle some water on them thru the screen. After a day or so, I just remove the screen, put the top back on, unplug the entrance and run. This seems to work like a charm and I have almost zero bees return to their old site. Perhaps since they can sort of see the position of the sun, tree branches ect., they realize they are now in a new location.

BTW...before anyone chews me out for not recomending the 2 inches at a time thing....I realize that is for very, very short moves.   I have had to scoot a hive over a few feet and had some very confused bees. In that case, I do move them just a bit at a time.
Hope this helps....

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2008, 07:36:10 am »
>before anyone chews me out for not recomending the 2 inches at a time thing.

I won't.

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

The main thing is to get them to reorient.  If they've been cooped up for 72 hours or more they will reorient.  If they are flying when you do it or within the last 72 hours, many probably won't.  The other thing is you don't want it so cold that bees fall down on the bottom board and are too cold to climb back up.
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Offline Hayesbo

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2008, 10:31:59 am »
Excellent question and answer!! Thanks.  I have been trying to figure out how to move 2 hives about 1 mile for months.

When I bought my 4 hives I put them in two groups of two about a mile apart. I didn't know how many bees 4 hives would generate in flying nuisance terms. They are on family properties so I needed to be as considerate as possible. (I moved into a restricted neighborhood before I realized I needed to keep bees. The neighbors probably wouldn't mind, but I do try to follow most of the covenants.) After a summer of two hives, we realized that we could have put all 4 at the same location to make it easier for me without trauma to my parents. The hives are not even in sight of the house, but they have a garden, fruit trees and many, many flower beds to attract the bees. I didn't want their house to look like a horror movie on a bright hot summer day. That is how my sister describes my house on honey harvest days.   Thank God they are only robbing there for a few days at a time or the neighbors would have fits.

I have two feral hives in the woods behind the house somewhere. I am hoping for some swarms to visit me come spring. Then I was wondering how to move them to the other properties once captured If I missed them moving inot the bait hives. This information of short move technique is really going to help.

Concerning the feral hives, Is there any problems using feral bees as workers in existing hives if I use the proper hive combining techniques? One of the feral hives has very dark bees, the other has an italian mix. (my non professional opinion, of course.) I figured, if I play my cards right, I might get two easy swarms in the spring.

Thanks all,  Steve

Offline Cindi

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2008, 11:19:53 am »
Michael, my intention is to make you blush, hee, hee  ;) :) And I hope it so does.

Every time that I read your posts where you request that someone go to your site and read a topic to help them out, I go there too.  I read it.  I have never seen a more down-to-earth, comprehensive bit of writing in my life.  You have done the most marvelous job of explaining techniques, so indepth, that in my mind's eye, it takes me right beside you.  You showing me one-on-one how to do or understand concepts.  I take my hat off to you and you must be deeply commended for all the work that you have done to create the most beneficial learning tool for so many beekeepers.  You have excelled in this work, and again, thank you for sharing all your information for those who love to listen and learn. Have a wonderful and greatest of days. Cindi
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Offline asprince

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2008, 11:46:08 am »
I would like to second that. I think I have visited most of the sites on the internet that concern bees. Yours is the most comprehensive and well written. I admire you for your work and patience with us wantabees.

When you make major additions to your site be sure to post a notice here. In the past it has prompted me to revisit.

I personally would like to see additional pictures showing more details about topics.

Steve
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Offline Paraplegic Racehorse

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2008, 12:10:58 pm »
Heyesbo:

If they swarm, why combine them? Just set them up in their own hives and let them go to town! You should have no problem with feral swarms, hiving or moving. In fact, you may wish to move them the same day you hive them by capturing them and then hiving them in the place where you want them. It is often argued that swarms are a good thing to get new hives from precisely because they are "survivor" stock from your locality.

MB:

I must agree with Cindy. I have probably learned more through your site (and Dave Cushman's) than any eight or nine others. Thanks.
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2008, 08:14:47 pm »
Heyesbo:

If they swarm, why combine them? Just set them up in their own hives and let them go to town! You should have no problem with feral swarms, hiving or moving. In fact, you may wish to move them the same day you hive them by capturing them and then hiving them in the place where you want them. It is often argued that swarms are a good thing to get new hives from precisely because they are "survivor" stock from your locality.

MB:

I must agree with Cindy. I have probably learned more through your site (and Dave Cushman's) than any eight or nine others. Thanks.

Feral swarms, if not AHB, are a preferred comodity IMO.  The feral hives are probably already mite resistant, which should make your parasite treatment program much simpler.  Capture the swarms, get them started, and send some samples to the State University that leads the agricultural education in your area for AHB testing.  If the test come back AHB negative use them as a source of survivor queens.
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Offline Moonshae

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2008, 08:31:49 pm »
Every time that I read your posts where you request that someone go to your site and read a topic to help them out, I go there too.  I read it.  I have never seen a more down-to-earth, comprehensive bit of writing in my life.  You have done the most marvelous job of explaining techniques, so indepth, that in my mind's eye, it takes me right beside you.  You showing me one-on-one how to do or understand concepts.  I take my hat off to you and you must be deeply commended for all the work that you have done to create the most beneficial learning tool for so many beekeepers.  You have excelled in this work, and again, thank you for sharing all your information for those who love to listen and learn. Have a wonderful and greatest of days. Cindi

I have a feeling that if Michael didn't have his site to refer people to, his fingers would fall off from his typing the same thing over and over again...
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Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2008, 08:40:06 pm »
  Thanks Michael and Sir!!
 I decided to do this this weekend, but since its gonna be almost 70 degrees I'll wait till the next cold spell. I'll be in my shop with the door open building frames and boxes if it get as warm as they say.
  Michael,...I have to agree with Cindi and the others here about your site and your information you offer us!..When you're good' you're good!!..And You are GOOOD!!!
Ok,...Gotta go and thanks again for all the help you've given me!
your friend' john

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2008, 10:35:22 pm »
Thanks for all the Kudos.  It's always nice to be appreciated.

>When you make major additions to your site be sure to post a notice here.

I haven't done anything radical, but I have added a few articles on taking Scientific Studies with a grain of salt, and a few other topics that I can't remember right now.  Plus I've been changing the look and feel of all the pages to have an index on the left with the main headings so you can jump to the part you want to read.  I don't have them all done yet, but I had a lot of them done that way including some of the queen rearing books.

>I personally would like to see additional pictures showing more details about topics.

So would I.  I just can't figure out how to do it and photograph it at the same time and, I'm afraid, I'm on my own in the beeyard.  If someone would like to come and visit for about a week and take a lot of pictures...

>I have a feeling that if Michael didn't have his site to refer people to, his fingers would fall off from his typing the same thing over and over again...

Which is actually why I started it...
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
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Offline Jerrymac

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2008, 11:01:09 pm »
Hummm. A week long visit
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Offline Hayesbo

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2008, 10:37:09 am »
Heyesbo:

If they swarm, why combine them? Just set them up in their own hives and let them go to town! You should have no problem with feral swarms, hiving or moving. In fact, you may wish to move them the same day you hive them by capturing them and then hiving them in the place where you want them. It is often argued that swarms are a good thing to get new hives from precisely because they are "survivor" stock from your locality.

I am looking to boost the worker stock as quickly as possible to get that honey crop. I will be replacing the vicious queens in the spring with something more gentle. I am ready to try beekeeping without the bees trying to kill me. Really, the last time they came after me, I ran and jumped in my truck. When they couldn't get in, several started pushing against the sides trying to turn it over. They almost succeeded! And the names they called me! Glad my mother couldn't hear it she'd a cryed.

On the theory that a 60k bee hive will produce more honey than 2 30k bee hives. I am just looking to boost the numbers of workers as fast as possible. I will probably experiment with the brood pheremone also if it isn't cost prohibative.

I didn't know you could send off the bees to test for AHB. Thanks for the idea Brian. I was concerned that one or both of the feral hives that I know of would have AHB traits or bloodline. One of the reasons I didn't want to just hive them and go with it.

Thanks all, Steve

Offline Cindi

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2008, 11:12:20 am »
> I personally would like to see additional pictures showing more details about topics.
quote from Michael
Quote
So would I.  I just can't figure out how to do it and photograph it at the same time and, I'm afraid, I'm on my own in the beeyard.  If someone would like to come and visit for about a week and take a lot of pictures...

Ooooh, if only I could take a week off from here, I would be there in a heartbeat.  I could return home getting close to becoming a master of the bees, hee, hee, that would make my life, not just my day  :( :) :)  But unfortunately "someone" is not my name.  That is the name of my Husband and he would never come to take pictures of bee stuff, hee, hee.

In all seriousness, Michael, I wish that someone could come and help you to take pictures of your work.  Any forum friends here got some spare time to go and help Michael?  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline mudlakee

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2008, 05:26:32 pm »
I wish I lived a few miles closer.  Tony

Offline rantcliff

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2008, 07:02:24 pm »
Rats, I did it wrong.  I moved my hive a couple of days ago.  I covered the entrance to move it (about 25 feet) at sunset but opened it up as soon as it was moved.  The next day was warm enough for the bees to be out and about.  There were many congregating on the entrance, looping around outside the hive (I assumed taking new orientations flights) and a handful looping around where the hive used to be (I assumed just some losers  :)),  Now I am worried that I may have lost a substantial number in the move!  The next day the temperature dropped to the 30's and 40's so I haven't seen any activity for the last couple of days.

It is supposed to warm up this weekend so I'll take a peek and let you know.  I am logging the details on my blog - http://antclifffarms.blogspot.com/


Offline Jerrymac

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2008, 07:21:57 pm »
Twenty five feet? They probably found the hive. If they go to the old location and the hive isn't there they circle in ever widening circles until they hit it.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2008, 10:27:42 pm »
The lost ones circle in a spiral outwards until they smell the hive.  That doesn't take long at 25 feet.
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Offline rantcliff

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #18 on: January 04, 2008, 11:52:59 pm »
You guys are amazing - thanks!   :) :) :)

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Can I move my hive like this?
« Reply #19 on: January 05, 2008, 07:31:08 am »
Looking at the shadow in the picture i am guessing pic was in late pm?
If that is an am photo make sure to turn your entrance to south or south east to keep cold north wind out.

 

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