How to move a hive
Bees are homebodies, so moving a hive requires a good strategy.
If you plan to change the layout of your garden, move to a new house, or you feel your bees would do better in a new position, you'll need to think about how you are going move your hives.
Foraging bees travel great distances, calculating their journey using 'optic flow'. This measures the speed and direction of an image of the environment as it moves across their eyes. Moving a hive can confuse them, so they return to the old spot, where they usually die from cold.
You need to either move a hive around a metre at a time or more than 5km. The idea is that three feet is close enough that the bees will find their way back. Five kilometres is far enough that the bees will be forced to reorient their navigation systems to the new position.
The 1m/3ft rule
If you're moving your hive across your garden, the 1m rule is easiest. Make sure to wear protective clothing, as the bees are likely to be upset.
Simply move the hive roughly 1m towards your new location as it gets dark when bees will be inside for the night. Repeat for as many days as it takes to reach the new site.
Long distance relocations
If you want to move your hive more than 5km, you don't need to worry about bees accidentally orienting back to the old location.
You will need to take care that your bees are safe in transit. Move hives in the evening, so all the bees are inside. Make sure the hive is strapped securely together, the entrance sealed, and there are no other places bees could escape.
Once in its new position, leave it for a few minutes before opening the entrance.
Moving hives around your property
Often, moving a hive in 1m increments isn't practical, if you want to move it 50m or 100m or any distance up to 5km.
Move the hive in the evening. Once a hive is in the new position, leave the entrance blocked for 72 hours. You need to make sure you maintain air flow, so the bees don't overheat, using a mesh/ ventilated bottom board.
When you open the hive, use a leafy branch or bundle of grasses to partiallyblock the entrance. By obstructing the entrance, you force the bees to reorient themselves to the new surroundings.
Another option is to move the hive 5km to another property, leave it for a month, then move it back to the new
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