Hi Wallace and All I picked up a nice tip from an old beekeeper in y area who has had to move hives for many decades. He is also quite soft hearted and hates to kill bees. What he does is when he takes the bees, he always leaves a nuc behind at the spot where the apiary was. This mops up all the stragglers, and also, when the rest of the hives come back the next year, it is ready to begin production. I have tried to organise myself enough to do this, but usually forget. For a small distance move I do the following: At the new location point the hives in the opposite direction - smother the entrance with sticks and grass so the bees have to walk along the ground for at least an arms length. Leave an empty hive body at the previous location. At night, take the bees in this body and dump them at the entrance of the new location hives. After three days very few returnees make anymore mistakes. When moving hives - smoke the bees under the lid and in the entrance twice. This will calm them. Never seal the entrance - the bees gas themselves with carbon dioxide and raise their temperature until the wax becomes weak. Hope this helps. Keep we Garth Garth Cambray Camdini Apiaries Grahamstown Apis mellifera capensis Eastern Cape Prov. South Africa Time = Honey After careful consideration, I have decided that if I am ever a V.I.P the I. may not stand for important. (rather influential, ignorant, idiotic, intelectual, illadvised etc)