Less than 3' - more than 3 miles

[bee-nuts]

Well you Guessed I'm moving bees right?  You Got It! 

I just finished building a hive stand for my bees.  The ground is old cow pasture so it is far from flat.  For this reason I put the stand (16'-L x 22"-W x 16"-H) on a fairly easy spot to level out.  My hives all have to move between 6 or 7 feet plus up a foot or so.  Right now they are three or four inches off ground on plastic 20" square pallets.

My question is, do I need to follow the 3 ft or less rule.  I've read about throwing brush or what-not on the ground around the hives to help them in there re-orientating or whatever when moving farther.  I really would appreciate any information experienced Beek's may provide.  I am reluctant to move them till I have sound advice.  I don't want to cause any more stress than I have too.  The poor girls have been fighting cool temps, wind, and rain so far this spring.

Thank Beek's

[doak]

Only thing I can give is, Moving them up or down, or forward or rearward, will not have as much effect on them as moving them to far from side to side.
If the 6 or 7 ft. is forward or rearward, I don't think that is to much. To left or right may give some drifting, Unless you place them in the same order and about the same distance apart.
The only problem I can see is either to quick of a landing or a little late.
Kinda like shifting the runway at the airport. :)doak

[bee-nuts]

To be a little more accurate;  If you are looking at front of hives you are looking strait north.   Hives have to move north east 6 to 7 feet and up one foot or so (pretty much a 45 degree move but no turning of hives).  I measured where the north east corners are and will be.

Do you think I should just get it over with and do it, or do it in two or three steps?  I mean is it really a big deal?  Whats the worst that can happen?

Thanks again Doak!!  You've been a great help!!

[RayMarler]

Just do it! The bees will figure it out. Keep the hives in same postioning with each other in the new location, and completely remove the stands and blocks and everything from the old location. The bees will figure it out. There may be some drifting, but bees tend to drift from hive to hive at times anyway. I say go for it and move them.

[doak]

I don't see any red or yellow lights in the plan.doak

[bee-nuts]

Thanks Guys.  Ill do it tomorrow.

[luvin honey]

Out of curiosity, isn't that why the bees keep fanning the queen's pheromones out the entrance--to keep everybody notified of where the hive is? Or, does the whole orientation part of it play an even bigger role?

Bee-nuts--how did it end up working out for you, now that it is 2 months later?

[bee-nuts]

Two hives are at another location completely and the other three I could not bring myself to move that far at one time plus the fact that they were quite heavy by this time so I moved them three different times to there final location.  I have some plastic pallets that are 20" square and the hives slid nicely from one to another.  I made the moves before the sun came up about a week apart from one another.   I would come out in the afternoon and it did not seem like they even noticed.  Only thing I can say I would do different is everything.  LOL.  I dont know who it is that has the quote that goes something like "do it right the first time and save time, labor and money"  or whatever it is. 

I have to say though, having your hives on a stand makes working the bees so, so, much easier.  I love the set up I got.  It is L-16' x W-22" x H-16".  Cost me a whole $32.  Treated legs, rest just 2" x 6" untreated.  I figure it should last 7 or 8 years and by then who know what the heck Ill be doing or where I will be.

Oh, they all did swarm on me right after the move.  All brand new queens.  Dont know if it had anything to do with it or not.