Ok. I thought this would be simple! Just move my hive about 75 yards. Then someone said “no! 3 feet or three miles!” What? Then youtube. Then like so many bee issues with so many opinions…confusion. Some say that is bunk. Some move them and put branches in front of the hive so they will reorient. Some move them and leave them in the hive for 3 days then open it. Good grief. All I need to do is move my hive!! What say yee???
I personally would just get on and move them. Shut them in at night move and leave them closed up for a day or stuff enough grass into the entrance that they will take a day or two to chew themselves out.
If you do it this way you need to leave a nuc box to collect the stragglers that fail to reorientate. Better still move them at the beginning of a weeks bad weather.
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If you don’t need to, don’t move them. It always disrupts them even if it’s only two feet. If you DO need to move them, then move them.
Just from past reading and research, put a barrier tree branch, tall weeds etc in front of the entrance the bees will reorient because the surroundings have changed dramatically and it should be pretty painless. I have never had to move my hive yet so I can’t speak to the effectiveness of this personally but many people claim it works like a charm
I tried what I saw on youtube & it worked for me. Move the hive, closed up for 3 days. Use branches before opening. Works really well. Make sure the bees have plenty of stores, good ventilation & shade.
If you want to move a hive a shorter distance, I reckon the best way to move them is backwards, say one or two feet at a time. That way the bees only have to fly a bit further to get to the entrance. I moved my native bees from the front yard to the back yard doing that.
Thanks to all!! Ill give it a whirl!!