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  • From: Phil DeGuzman <phil.deguzman AT gmail.com>
  • To: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: "Starks, Walter" <Walter.Starks AT facilities.unc.edu>, April Rhodes <rhodap1974 AT gmail.com>, "ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org" <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Hive move
  • Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2015 17:27:22 -0400

My experience with a "local" hive moved was a nightime operation...me
thinking it best to move them when foragers were home. They were none too
pleased😄

After relocating I did provide a half gallon of light syrup, closed the
entrance for one full day. I placed pine boughs at the entrance once I opened
the entrance. Apparently this forces the bees to reorient to the new
location. I did have about 200 bees per hive who went back to the original
hive location. But the hives survived.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 26, 2015, at 16:00, Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Make sure you remove all evidence of the old site when you move them
> (particularly, remove the entire stand; it may serve as a landmark or have
> pheromones on it.) Ideally any wayward foragers will go into Search Mode
> when they return to the spot and nothing is there, then find the nearby
> hives.
>
> As Walter indicates, don't agonize over it much. Just move them, with the
> caveat I mention above. At least that works for me. In my experience,
> losses on a move like you are talking about are more hypothetical or
> "potential" than actual. If some bees return to the old spot, scoop them up
> and dump them in the new home. No problem.
>
> Folks who try to do elaborate measures they see on you-tube cause a whole
> lot more harm than what we are suggesting. I've seen entire hives killed
> from people doing some of that nonsense.
>
> Randall
>
>> On 3/26/2015 2:42 PM, Starks, Walter wrote:
>> I moved all 3 of mine about 100 feet a few months ago. Did it just before
>> full dark. Closed the entrances, wrapped a strap around each one and
>> loaded them on a wagon one at a time. Some people say to block the
>> entrances with leaves or pine straw when you re-open them. I tried that
>> with mine. Perhaps it made some difference. Not really sure. The bees just
>> pushed the pine straw out of the way and proceeded with business. I
>> probably lost about 20 foragers from each hive. Not bad really. I'm sure
>> you'll see at least a few that return to the old site.
>>
>> ______
>>
>> Walter
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Mar 26, 2015, at 2:09 PM, April Rhodes <rhodap1974 AT gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> I need to move my hive about 50 feet to a more sunny area on my property.
>>> From what I've researched, it looks like I should get out early in the
>>> morning before the bees start leaving the hive to forage (or at dusk when
>>> they've all returned), then close off the entrance, load the hive on a
>>> wagon (all boxes at one time if possible), and pull it over to the new
>>> location. Is it as simple as that? Or is there a better way to do this?
>>> Thanks in advance!
>>> -April
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