There have been numerous posts recently regarding moving hives be it
a few feet or a few miles. We devised a system some considerable time ago
which I feel I should share, as it works.
        We go to the hive when all flying has ceased and staple some
hardware cloth across the entrance, to provide full ventilation our inner
covers are screened to prevent bees exiting. The hive is moved to the new
location, even if it is just a few feet, sealed as we just described, and
then left alone for 1 full sun cycle. Then after 24 hrs we remove the
entrance screening and drop handfulls of grass, straw or twigs across the
entrance, this will confuse the bees when exiting the hive. What this does
is to prevent field bees coming to the entrance and taking off without
regard to their new location.
        We use this system on nuc's and full sized hives and on checking the
old location we never see bees looking for their old home.
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   * David Eyre          9 Progress Drive, Unit 2,  *
   * The Beeworks,    Orillia, Ontario, L3V 6H1. *
   * [log in to unmask]      705-326-7171 *
   * http://www.muskoka.net/~beeworks           *
   *  Agents for: E H Thorne &  B J Sherriff UK. *
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