Do bees work in two or more dimensions

Just a quick one. When shifting a hive laterally it is best to move the hive 30-70mm(1-3") at time and allow the bees to adjust to each shift.
What if I want to lower the entrance,or raise it, say 150mm to 300mm (6-12")? Should this also be do in small steps.

Hi Busso, yes it works the same way vertically in my experience. Just an observation of mine is, I found that when moving a hive in short increments, it’s best to move it in reverse. That way the bees are still in line with the entrance & only have a bit further to fly to reach it. Another observation is, what ever position of the entrance a bee takes off from, that’s the spot she returns to. You can do a simple test & hold a piece of cardboard over half of the entrance. Bees will return to the cardboard, then move across to the opening.

Thanks Jeff.(plus 20 characters)

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No worries :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :wink:

Like Jeff, I have also found that the orientation of the hive when moving in small steps is very important. I spin my hives to face the opposite direction from where they are going and then drag them up to 3 metres each day… 3 x more than the recommended amount… works a treat.

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