Hi - I’ve recently split my hive and am ready to move my nuc into its new hive. The new hive will be set up about a meter from where the nuc is currently sitting - can anyone give me guidance on the best way to do this so the bees don’t get lost? I’ve read you should close their entrance for 72 hours if you are moving within their flight radius but am not sure. It’s spring and warming up where I live so I’m reluctant to close them off for that long in warm weather. Thanks in advance
I don’t think it is too far. Within a meter or so the bees will find home. I would just install the nuc in the brood box and reduce the entrance.
Hi I would either install the nuc in the new hive box in its current location and then just move the hive in a couple of moves over a few evenings or just start moving the nuc til it gets to the new location same way and then just swap them out into the new hive box. No temperature issues then. 1 metre probably not an issue when you only have one but when you have multiple hives can become an issue.
If you just use a bit of hession or I use perferated mesh you can block the entrance while you move them.
I always have a piece of perferated mesh attached to the nuc so you can open and close the entrance with ease. Just swing it up or down as required. Search for this topic on the forum,lots of options.
Good luck.
I wouldn’t lock the bees in the nuc, especially with the warmer weather, but in this situation that is an overkill.
As you only have the one hive and a nuc to become a second hive I would locate the hive where you want it to be and once the day has warmed above 22c do the transfer. In the mean time rotate the nuc 20/25 degrees each day till it is in alignment with the new hive. If the entrance is going to be due North then rotate the nuc till its entrance is facing due North.
I would make the new hive as a brood box only and restrict the entrance till they have built up the number of bees in the colony till the frames are covered in bees. What I would do is prune from a small foliage shrub like a wattle some pieces to place in front of the entrance, as the bees fly back and forth it will help them to orientate and getting the scent of their home hive they will home in on it without a problem.
Give them 2 weeks to settle then begin a weekly inspection routine.
Hope that help you Stacey