Now that the days are shorter and the shadows seem longer none of the hives were getting much of any sun at all during the day. The bees seemed really cranky and they weren't showing much activity at all either. Being newbies we were concerned that maybe they were trying to take a winter break a little too early so we moved the bees this morning.
We had a great spot all picked out for them but hadn't planned on moving them just yet and we probably would have waited if the bees didn't seem so sluggish. We just didn't expect the bees to try to kill us all!! Hopefully they will calm down once they get some nice sunshine and a day or two in their new spot!
Poor Taeler got her veil full of bees and they just tore her up. We counted three large stings on the back of her neck and quite a few on her head... the bees love to get tangled up in all of that hair! She isn't feeling so good but she'll feel better after she has some lunch and a rest.
Jared got stung on his ear and spent the rest of the time that me and Caleb were moving the hives walking circles around the yard trying to outpace the bees.
Me and Caleb thankfully weren't stung, just busy trying to hurry up and get the girls settled into their new spots and get out of their way as quick as we could. We can't figure out what made them so darned crabby today.... as soon as they settle down some we'll start feeding them again and see if they don't shape up some.
Oh boy did we make them bees MAD!!
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Wally's Angels
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- Location: Bunnlevel
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John Sabat
- Forager
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Angels,
How many feet did you move your hives/s? I also have a nuc in a very shady area that I am sure will be much colder this winter than other areas in my yard. I thought, and maybe Wally can chime in on this, that it confused the bees to move within the bee yard. I have a good area that is approximately 40 feet from where they are located now.
Help!
How many feet did you move your hives/s? I also have a nuc in a very shady area that I am sure will be much colder this winter than other areas in my yard. I thought, and maybe Wally can chime in on this, that it confused the bees to move within the bee yard. I have a good area that is approximately 40 feet from where they are located now.
Help!
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Wally's Angels
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well, I really stink at measurements!!! the bees used to live in a slightly lower area of the land at the base of a bunch of trees.... we moved them about 25 yards to the west and another 150 or so yards to the northwest from there. those are hubby's guesstimates since I really am terrible with that kind of thing.
The bees don't seem confused, by the end of the day most of them seemed to have figured out where they belonged .... but they were still fighting mad even at suppertime! Poor Caleb did end up getting stung and all he was doing was watering chickens!
We debated on not moving them but decided it would be best to go ahead since 1) they were getting next to no light at all ( the bees wouldn't even start coming out onto the porches until after 10 or 11 in the morning and would only be out until 2 or so in the afternoon) 2) the shb problem was only getting worse and 3) there was getting to be quite a bit of pine straw and various tree debris gathering on the hives and around them.
I'm hoping we did the right thing and the bees will calm down (even if only a tiny bit) in the next few days of sunshine. It would be great if they were able to get a bit stronger too before the terribly cold weather sets in, two of them are looking a little on the puny side after all the shb trouble and I would hate to lose them over the winter months.
The bees don't seem confused, by the end of the day most of them seemed to have figured out where they belonged .... but they were still fighting mad even at suppertime! Poor Caleb did end up getting stung and all he was doing was watering chickens!
We debated on not moving them but decided it would be best to go ahead since 1) they were getting next to no light at all ( the bees wouldn't even start coming out onto the porches until after 10 or 11 in the morning and would only be out until 2 or so in the afternoon) 2) the shb problem was only getting worse and 3) there was getting to be quite a bit of pine straw and various tree debris gathering on the hives and around them.
I'm hoping we did the right thing and the bees will calm down (even if only a tiny bit) in the next few days of sunshine. It would be great if they were able to get a bit stronger too before the terribly cold weather sets in, two of them are looking a little on the puny side after all the shb trouble and I would hate to lose them over the winter months.
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Wally's Angels
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Oh yeah, Wally the kids did block the entrance.... with a fist full of grass which Caleb's bees knocked right back out of there in no time flat! They said they will do just what you said next time they have to move bees this late in the year though. Taeler says there ain't no way to run that fast, those bees were on us before we could blink.... and how in the world do those girls keep on getting IN the veil?? All I know is when Caleb's bees are determined to get ya.... buddy you are getting got!
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Kurt Bower
- Guard bee
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General rule for future bee moves.
2 feet or 2 miles.
As everyone knows, the bees orient themselves according to the position of the sun and lanmarks. If you only move them a short distance the foragers will still be oriented to the original location. You will lose some foragers.
Now this time of year or even later (colder) it seems that you can move them without any major losses. I am unsure why but they seem to tolerate it better. If you have any weak hives, you can combine them this time of year (I often do combinations in December) with out major losses.
If you were to have moved the bees in the Spring or Summer within the same property you would have incurred major losses.
Sorry for the stings! A night time move may be more prudent next time.
Kurt
2 feet or 2 miles.
As everyone knows, the bees orient themselves according to the position of the sun and lanmarks. If you only move them a short distance the foragers will still be oriented to the original location. You will lose some foragers.
Now this time of year or even later (colder) it seems that you can move them without any major losses. I am unsure why but they seem to tolerate it better. If you have any weak hives, you can combine them this time of year (I often do combinations in December) with out major losses.
If you were to have moved the bees in the Spring or Summer within the same property you would have incurred major losses.
Sorry for the stings! A night time move may be more prudent next time.
Kurt
I would wait until we had a cold spell and screen the hive entrance. I would leave the screen in place for 72 hours plus. It is said they will forget their directions and re orientate after 72 hours.
>>>Oh yeah, Wally the kids did block the entrance..<<<
No, not blocked. Just a little obstacle to traverse. If they can get in a veil, they will have no problem with a little grass.
>>>Oh yeah, Wally the kids did block the entrance..<<<
No, not blocked. Just a little obstacle to traverse. If they can get in a veil, they will have no problem with a little grass.
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Wally's Angels
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I think we may be moving them at night from now on with screens in place well in advance of the move! We just for some stupid reason we had a complete brain freeze when trying to remember how to do all this stuff! Somehow it never occurred to any of us to move the bees at night 
As usual we're learning more about the bees every time we do anything and in such a way as we'll not likely forget the lesson any time soon! The kids' daddy did say though that he is going to have to make it a point to purchase a better bee suit for each of them. I don't think he liked the thought of the kids getting so many stings on the face... Caleb looks like someone stuck a giant wad of gum in his cheek today.
As usual we're learning more about the bees every time we do anything and in such a way as we'll not likely forget the lesson any time soon! The kids' daddy did say though that he is going to have to make it a point to purchase a better bee suit for each of them. I don't think he liked the thought of the kids getting so many stings on the face... Caleb looks like someone stuck a giant wad of gum in his cheek today.