moving hives

[mat]

What is the minimal distance of moving the hive that the bees do not come back to old place?

[Michael Bush]

I just move them and put a branch in front of the hive, but if you really want NONE to come back, I'd say about five miles.

The general rule is two miles.

[Finsky]

I have had 10 years bee in a place where distance is about 3,3 miles.
I move hives there in the  middle of summer to canola fields.

Once there turned half medium box of bees and another year about 1000 bees. Other years none.  To medium box I gived a queen and I got a faint nuc.

It may depend on the flower pastures if they are in halfway of sites. Bees recognize the scenery and use old directions.

[Finsky]

If you calculate that queen lays 2000 eggs per day and another hand bees will die same amount per day from every hive.  So it is not bad if a couple of thousand come back  

[mat]

Thank you guys.  I've posted this question because as  I mensioned in my other post I am thinking about cranberry honey. There i s plenty of cranberries about 10 miles or more from my place, but recently I discovered big field about 2 miles away. Looks like it is to close to move but is it close enough to have good nectar flow from it?

[Finsky]

I discovered big field about 2 miles away. Looks like it is to close to move but is it close enough to have good nectar flow from it?

I suppose that bees do not fly  3 km = 2 miles. And if they fly they lose 2/3 of yief during flying.

I suppose too, than cranberry is not a good honeyplant. If you take there one hive, it is able forage all honey from flowers.

After my experience when bees forage over 1 km or 1 mile, half of yield will vanish for distance.

[mat]

Michael do you put that branch so it is on their way and makes them to look what's going on, and do another orientation?

[amymcg]

To answer for MB - yes, that's exactly what it does.

Another thing you can do is screen up the entrance for a couple of days when you move them.  They will re-orient

[Michael Bush]

>Michael do you put that branch so it is on their way and makes them to look what's going on, and do another orientation?

Yes, it triggers reorientation.  Confining them for 72 hours will also, but then you've stressed them with not enough ventilation and confined them and moved them.