Author Topic: Moving Bees To New Location This Time Of Year  (Read 1257 times)

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Offline Jen

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Moving Bees To New Location This Time Of Year
« on: October 17, 2018, 11:55:36 am »
A new beekeeper this year has his bee yard about an hour from where he lives. He has found out that he cannot tend to the hives as much as he should due to their distant location. I would like to suggest that he move the bees to his land near town as soon as possible so he can watch them more closely this winter. We here on the California coastline are desparetly lacking winter stores so we will be feeding continuously all winter long.

These two hives are one deep brood box each, no supers of honey. We did an inspection 2-3 weeks ago, both are queened, capped brood present, some honey. We are doing the first OA treatment today.

Temps are 30-40 nights, 65 average days.

Is this a good time to move bees to a new location? There isn't any more food where he lives than where the hives are presently. They are not in cluster yet.





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Offline Some Day

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Re: Moving Bees To New Location This Time Of Year
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2018, 12:32:48 pm »
Move them after dark.  Field bees will home. 

Offline apisbees

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Re: Moving Bees To New Location This Time Of Year
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2018, 03:54:23 pm »

It is a good time to move the hives. closer to home makes it easier to monitor and to feed when they need more. It gets cool in the afternoons so you do not need to wait until night for the bees to head back to the hives. in the late afternoon if you move the hives with out all the bees back in the hive the ones left will be old field bees that are near the end of their life. or go early in the morning and screen them in before they start to fly. just avoid the early afternoon when the new young bees are doing their orientation flights.
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Moving Bees To New Location This Time Of Year
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2018, 03:56:37 pm »
Apis posted just moments before me.  Here's my two cents worth.
Try not to move them when they are clustered.  If possible, arrive before daylight, close off the entrance with screen or similar, and then move them as the day warms up.  It sounds like those colonies will have to be closely watched for emergency feed.  I would guess they don't have excess honey.  Considering the circumstances, moving now is your best option.  You can choose the time of day.  :)