> The distance between the two locations is not great as a straight line,
> probably 800 meters .. perhaps a little more.
I am assuming single brood boxes. I would split the colonies as you would
to do an artificial swarm. The old queens stay on the original site with a
frame of brood to keep them happy, plus either foundation or drawn comb.
They will collect the fliers - I am sure that plenty will come back from
that distance. Population will dip until new bees emerge.
The new queens will go on the new site and will have all the brood plus the
non-flying nurse bees. You should not get any mating swarms as there will
be few flyers left. The population will son build as the brood hatches.
I would not worry about where the drones are for mating - 800 metres would
be nothing for them even with a hill in between (can't be a big hill if it
is only 800 metres between apiaries).
Best wishes
Peter
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