Relocating A Bee Hive / 3 Feet Or 3 Miles Rule

Did you know there are rules that apply when moving a bee hive to a new location for it to go successfully? This is because honey bees memorize the hives location based on factors like, the position of the sun and landmarks. A rule of thumb beekeepers go by when moving bee hives is called, the "3 foot or 3 mile" rule. Some believe there is little truth to this rule but I think it's a good guide line for any new beekeeper until they understand how bees navigate. Otherwise, you risk losing bees at the old location. In this video, you will learn some of the very basics about how bees find and memorize the colonies location. You will also learn what the "3 feet or 3 mile rule" is.
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[@George-nx5lo]

I tested a new method and it seemed to work perfectly. Did not have 1 bee by end of day that wasn't back home in new location. A few days before I planned on moving them I started feeding them right in front of their hive, getting them use to eating at this location, I also had a water bowl for them. About 10pm I locked them up and moved them, once situated I removed the entrance block and put a branch in front. The secrete is to continue to feed at the old location, that way any lost bees coming back to it will see the new established "highways" created by the bees that know exactly where the hive is. By 5-6pm they will all be back in the hive and completely reestablished. I remove the branch after a couple of days, but just a method to try out to hopefully not loose any bees at all.

[@loamette]

You mean the 'bee-mail'! Thank you for the video!

[@deborahabbott7746]

Thank you, Jason. You present your topics so clearly and explain "the why" for your actions - it is a pleasure (as well as informative) to listen to. I'd love to see your eyes, though; your hat puts your whole face into a deep shadow. ;~) I have used the branches in front method, and it seems to work pretty well. The lost bees usually find another hive to enter as long as they are carrying an offering - a reason to make sure the mites in your apiary are under control, so no mite bombs are spreading. Keep up the good work.

[@longarmsupplies]

Thanks, Jason! Absolute newbie here in Canada and I love your videos! And thanks also to the commenters for more ideas!

[@JCsBees]

@Veta B Glad to hear your enjoying my videos and yes my followers are good about sharing information that is also helpful. Hope you have a great bee season this year and it's nice to see new names in the comments.

[@cheerasmus8464]

you nailed what i was searching for! information on moving bees short distances and the challenges therein.

[@JCsBees]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thuffman44]

Thanks Jason. That's a good topic. Twice now I have relocated two colonies within 50 yards during a rain storm & proceeded to add brush at the entrance to promote re-orientation. Seems they adapted quick. Moving at night while raining especially seems to work the best (no loss of forage bees). I didn't see returning bees to original site the following day, so I guess it's a good trick.. lol. Thanks for your videos! Please keep them coming 🐝🐝

[@JCsBees]

Hey Tim, I love this topic. I like experimenting with different approaches to moving colonies, some work and some don't. In most cases, as long as you understand the basics to relocating them then it works. Thanks for watching!

[@danielweston9188]

I always move at night and leave locked in for a day and use a barrier to force reorientation - 10', 100', 1000' or 10,000' - I have moved several hives every week for a summer (not by choice) and saw no issues. However I keep my Hives about 100' from each other so coming home to the wrong hive is never an Issue. I sell splits to someone who keeps their bees hives a few feet from each other and he moves during the day - he has lots of fighting when ever he moves.

[@cuptain85]

I've had good luck by just keeping a hive or split closed up for 24-48 hrs after moving them around the yard. Of course, if you do this to the whole hive, you would want to close them up at night while the foragers are home.

[@lucylou4335]

Thank you very much great video, if only I had seen it before we moved them. Thanks again.

[@ZOMBIEHEADSHOTKILLER]

@@lucylou4335 same, i moved mine in night, but didnt know to leave them covered/closed up the next day, now my bees are thinking their old neighbors are their home. i dunno what to do! im still new to this.

[@lucylou4335]

@@ZOMBIEHEADSHOTKILLER sorry for the late reply we put the hive back in its original place and they went back just move it again later blocking the entrance with twigs and sticks so that the re navigate when they come out after moving location

[@lintonmacnamara1469]

Interesting and instructive Jason thanks for posting

[@kw1092]

Thank's For The Video. Even a yr Later..Ur videos still Teaching us NewBee's. .lol Great to Know..

[@SparkieDog1]

Entrance debris, interesting !! And as always your videos are very educational!! Thank you.

[@JCsBees]

Glad you like them!

[@kathyhathaway8823]

Great info Jason . Thanks

[@mikeries8549]

Have moved a half-dozen at once. We screened them at dusk, moved them 3/4 mile away, then re-opened the next morning. They poured out and re-oriented...all at once. Expected to find a bunch of field bees back at original location. There were a few but not a big ball. I suspect any lost field bees begged their way into other hives in the yard. We had 17 and moved 6.

[@yukonjeffimagery]

Thanks, good info. I need to move a couple hives this fall , I tried last summer but a lot returned like you said when I moved just 50 feet.

[@JCsBees]

Hopefully, this video made it clear how to relocate a hive and you will not have any issues this time. Thanks for watching.

[@pschmidtke4011]

Thanks for this information! I have a swarm that used an old wooden file cabinet for their hive. Only issue I have with it is that it's inside the house I am refurbishing!

[@shegocrazy]

3:20 I also think that if you reverse the hive entrance as well as cover with a few sticks they will reorientate. Leave them locked up for a day when moved. I tried it once and it seemed to work. Just turn the entrance back around again a few days later.

[@Tracks777]

Awesome!

[@tnbeelady7255]

I've moved bees around my farm, but I always move it at night and put grass in the entrance, then place a piece of plexiglass in front of the entrance with it leaning against the top of the hive. Just a few bumped bee heads, as they reorient the next day. Michael Bush says a tree branch is all you need.

[@JCsBees]

I have been doing more experimenting on this and I think Michael Bush is right to a certain degree. From what I have noticed you have to completely block the entrance with something, I like using honeysuckle branches as they are easy access. If you can see the running board then add more branches. I also like to leave the branches in place for at least 2 days. Seem to be working.

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

joe may, (the skinny bee man) uses the fact of nurse bees and forage bees to his advantage on a split. He dumps extra nurse bees on the split, and when the foragers go back to the old location it gets its bees back, thus the balance of numbers is what he needs to make good splits without making a weak colony.

[@codymackin1245]

Hello Jason thanks for all your time making these. On this topic... I tried the moving them by shaking all bees into bottom chamber. Putting hive back together with eggs brood and larvae in top box and queen excluder Closed it up and took only the top box the next day to new location. They made new queens out of the young and I was able to prevent swarming as well.

[@JCsBees]

So what you did caused the nurse bees to move to the top box. Good idea! Thanks for sharing and I am glad you like the videos.

[@CentralBeekeepersSupply]

Great advice! Thanks for the video.

[@JCsBees]

No problem!

[@guitarfend]

Excellent video Jason. I have about 6 feet that I want to move my hive. This area has more sunshine then where they are now. If I move them 3 feet and keep them there for a while, can I then move them the remaining 2 or 3 feet permanently, and how long before they are reoriented?

[@panama-canada]

That’s a very good topic many people overlook.

[@frogsgottalent1106]

Thanks for the info. I just moved a wild hive ( under a sheet of plastic in a cardboard box) into a Warre hive 50' from their original spot. Two days now, and l see bees with their butts in the air at the entrance to the Warre and l leave a small carbard box on their old site which gets the stragglers. I then transfer them in the evening to the Warre. Of course l don't know what they're thinking, but they are really mild and seem ok with what I've done. I've got a 1kg slab of food in front of the hive entrance and some sweet water that they're eating ravenously.

[@Tracks777]

I enjoyed your video :) Keep it up!

[@keithlol]

Good info thank you

[@JCsBees]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Mookiethedog]

Yo Jason I am giving two hives away. One is definitely more than 3 miles away but the other is about half a mile. Any tips? Would debris be the best thing to do? Thank you

[@GlobalThirtyseven]

Great info. I learned alot. Now I just need my Father in Law to agree to let me move a hive to his yard three miles away for a week or so and then I can move it back in my yard where the others are. It was one of my first hives and when I my got others I realized it was in a bad place. But my Father in Law says no way. I guess he doesn't like bees. Well hopefully I can split it and move the split to the other place.

[@JCsBees]

It's nice to have a place 3 miles (or more) away to use when you need just for this reason. Over the years I have built relationships with honey customers and now have several places to us if I need to. Do you have any farms around? They may let you use a section of land in exchange for a few pounds of honey...Good luck

[@dick2829]

When i moved mine, i close it up, move it, then reopen the hive 3 days later. Works well for me.

[@JCsBees]

Sounds like you have a good system.

[@George-nx5lo]

except for all the people that try even 24hrs and kill the entire hive, there is absolutely no need to close them up for an period of time other than transportation. All I do is place a branch over the entrance and that is all that is needed. I do small things like change the color of their feeder and have the every bee reoriented just from that alone, so maybe I have special bees but I doubt it.

[@airwolf61970]

I'm new to BK. Question: how do I just select nurse bee's? Or do you just shake a shit ton of bee's,thinking half will fly back? I know it's kinda "off topic", but. It is something I should understand.

[@JCsBees]

With a little practice nurse bees can be spotted easily. The are brand new looking since they are the youngest in the hive. Their coloring is very fresh and not faded. They are also the bees that feed brood, so just shake open celled brood frames in. Good luck!

[@GoodmanMIke59]

3 feet, 3 days, 3 miles ... absolutely. You can leapfrog 3 feet across a yard. You can move across the yard but keep locked up AND FED for 3 days. Also, if you are moving them 3 feet in a busy yard, the foragers who don't make it home will find somewhere to go. AND ... ALWAYS FEED A MOVED HIVE! STRESS!

[@Makermook]

Hi, Jason. We have a 1-hive bee yard up at our farm. We want to move it to a better location while the apiary is still so small. Will this approach work now that it's fall/winter, or should we wait until spring when the bees are flying?

[@JCsBees]

Hello Mark, If your wanting to more hives wait until it's cold enough to keep the bees from flying and move it. I like to do this when there is a few days of cold then when they do fly they will re-orientate. I would not break the boxes apart though, use a ratchet strap to hold them together for transit.

[@Makermook]

@@JCsBees -- Thanks, man. We actually have 1 hive at the farm and one at home. They're both big enough to split come spring. Would that change your timing?

[@henrygreene599]

Great tips!!! What do you suggest for beetle and mite control? Much appreciated. 🐝

[@JCsBees]

@Henry Greene Thanks. For SHB's I suggest beetle traps and an application of nematodes to the soil. They have done wonders for stopping my beetle issues. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJDKenlvrZapiac Also I have had great luck with the Guardian entrances for greatly slowing down the beetles.

[@patrickbodenham6879]

KNOWLEDGE!

[@chuckroast7053]

Jason, I have a feral colony of bees in a block wall, and im hoping to move them into either a nuc or hive body. When I do move them into their new home, will I have problems when I move them to the location I plan on moving them to? It will be about 50 feet away

[@JCsBees]

@Chuck Roast Yes you may have issues. I would be prepared to fill that crack ASAP after removing the bees. I would also invest in some Honey B Gone. If you spray the wall with it the bees will be deterred. The spray will not harm them they just can't stand the smell. Also let me warn you, I have seen bees eat Great Stuff expanding foam after it's dried. So if you use that to fill the crack I would back it up by spraying the exterior of the wall with Honey B Gone. Once you get them transferred, I would use some grass and tree branches to block the entrance. As the bees exit this will make them re-orientate. Best of luck!

[@electricengineer624]

Awesome funny video bro thanks

[@noahriding5780]

If you are forced to move a hive a short distance, because of problems, is there a way to recover the lost foragers? I had a smaller have getting thoroughly swarmed by yellowjackets. I felt like I had to move it, and did so at night...but the next morning some of the foragers were going back to their old spot. Because there was so many yellow jackets I felt like it was triage. But thought I'd ask if there's a trick for recovering lost foragers. Thanks.

[@JCsBees]

Sorry but I know of no way to retrieve the foragers after they have went back to old location. Sorry! Next time after you move a colony and before you let the bees fly block the entrance with tree limbs. Make it so they have to climb through a jungle before they can fly. This will force them to re-orientate then they will return to the new location.

[@porter1960jan]

Question. I have bees living under my house and I want to move them to a hive in the yard. If I get the Queen and move her to the hive is that going to work? I've never worked with bees before.

[@JCsBees]

Moving just the queen will not work. You would have to cut all the comb out from under your place and Rubber band it into frames. Search "honey bee cut outs" to see what I am referring too.

[@tarnishedknight730]

Would smoking the old site help? Would that cover, or eliminate the pheromones left behind? I'm thinking turning a BBQ grill into an all day smoker to discourage returning foragers.

[@JCsBees]

I don't thing so. It's really nothing to do this pheromones. They have the old location memorized. You have to teach them where the new location is. Easiest way is to find another yard 3 miles away or moving 3 feet at a time. It does help if when you move them you block the entrance with brush.

[@tarnishedknight730]

@@JCsBees ok. Thanks.

[@pattyhendrick2969]

@@JCsBees What if the location the bees must be moved can't be 3 miles? That's just impractical. I must move my hives to another area of our farm, but it's about a quarter mile. What then?

[@beemanrunning977]

I have trapped a swarm in a 5 frame bait hive. I need to move it to a 10 frame hive that will be placed in the fenced beeyard 50' away. I can place branches in front in hopes of them reorienting to the new location. Any other tips?

[@JCsBees]

Yes, make sure you completely cover the entrance with branches and leave the branches there for a couple days as a reminder to them.

[@beemanrunning977]

Will do. Thanks for all your advice Jason.

[@jeffgey8326]

Is there a better time of year to move or relocate a hive from your house to your back yard

[@JCsBees]

While it's cold is a good time to relocate. Wait until there is a few cold days in a row them move it. Just be careful to not bump the hive around too much and don't break the hive apart.

[@segami2808]

Maybe the few bees, that went back to the old spot. After experimenting with the brush in front of entrance. Were bees from the area.After the smell, and droppings, left from the hive ya moved?

[@JCsBees]

That is a good suggestions for sure. Most likely they had a screened bottom so I am sure there was scent left behind. I never though of this until now, thanks for sharing.

[@danielweston9188]

I often water down the area of the Old hive. My mentor put a scrape piece of plywood over the area.

[@redgreen5831]

Hey man, i need help. I am trying to save a colony next door in my neighbor's concrete block wall. I can't cut into it so I have made a trap out. I bought a beekeeping kit with a new hive all waxed up and ready to go. I have it on a stand, 1 foot away with the trap out hooked up on the side of the house.. It has been there just over one week. They are busy bees, flying in and out as normal. No migrating yet. I also have lemongrass swab in container. I was thinking of sticking a piece of foreign comb, (fancy store bought raw comb) on a tray inside. I have 2 weeks until they will be murdered by the homeowner. I need good advice. Can you please help me with your expertise? Thank you!

[@joydoyle2152]

you should have used a product called Honey bandit with a bee vac/ or caught the queen and put her in the box in a queen catcher to lure the rest. bit late now with the suggestion I know~

[@logicalrat]

How would I relocate a hive in my house walls to a hive in my backyard? Smoke them, suck them up, dump them in a hive with the queen and seal them for a day or two with a feeder?

[@JCsBees]

If you get them in a hive, give them a screened bottom so they get air. Then I don't think I would block them in, instead just barricade the entrance of the hive with branch or debris of some sort. The idea is for them to try to leave and notice a difference in the exit. This cause them to re-orientate. Make it so they come out of the hive and they have a couple layer of debris to climb through before taking flight. Also I would cut the brood in the comb to the size of the frames and rubberband them into frames. If the brood is in the new hive with them it will encourage them to stay. The next thing would be to spray Honey B Gone in the area where they are removed. They do not like it and will avoid the area. amzn.to/2K7sg3I Best of luck!!

[@logicalrat]

Jason Chrisman thank you for the advice! I watched a ton of your videos and am feeling more confident in trying this myself

[@Don.Challenger]

What happens when you spin the box front to back? Does that backward exit/entrance force an reorientation?

[@JCsBees]

I've never noticed that causing them to re-orientate.

[@randy-mw5dq]

Im going to need to move a hive about 25miles, would it be better to seal the hive and move it at night.

[@JCsBees]

I recommend preparing to move the night before and moving at first light in morning. That has always worked well for me.

[@TheHolyMongolEmpire]

I moved my hive over 30 miles and they were fine…

[@JCsBees]

Makes sense to me, it is over 3 miles.

[@matthollis8417]

I know this video is old but I'll ask anyway. I trapped a hive with bait bee box and just moved the whole box down from a tree ab 20fg away I sill haven't moved frames to a bigger box yet but a good amount of bees are flying around back at the tree. Where should I go from here. ( first bees all new to all.of this truth never thought I would catch any in the first place)

[@JCsBees]

Is the tree close to where you wish to keep the hive? If not, I would move it where you wish to keep it. Then transfer to bigger box.

[@mikeries8549]

I have to break the rules a lot. URBAN BEEKEPER. The lost bees are field bees that will die of old age in two weeks anyway. Sorry but that's a fact. Now if said field bees return loaded with nectar and pollen they can easily beg their way into the nearest bee hive. That's what they do pretty much. It seems like a huge disturbance. Not really. I have queen castles and at a certain point everybody has to expand. That means moving.. I just put them in a bigger box and set it in with the others. My yard is sort of a big mess but there is motive to the madness.

[@MrEmiko29]

Bee Mail

[@in2organic3]

How can I get the bees left behind?

[@schandrakanth9068]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@davidlagarcelegacyfarms1067]

Can you move a hive in the middle of the night to a new location in the middle of the night?

[@JCsBees]

Yes but the 3 feet or 3 mile rule still applies if the weather is warm now. If it's still cold and the bees are not flying much you may get away with just moving it regardless how far.

[@lucylou4335]

Hi, how do you collect all the lost confused bees that keep returning to the old zone????

[@JCsBees]

You could place a hive box there and later move them back to new location. Maybe add a frame of brood and bees to the hive you sit there. When you move them to new location block the entrance of hive with brush so they have to re-orientate when they exit. After a day then remove brush.

[@lucylou4335]

@@JCsBees Thank you so much for your quick reply love from Spain 🇪🇸

[@frankwhite1288]

I’ve move them 6 foot at a time without any problems at all.

[@JCsBees]

I can move them anywhere I want if I block the entrance with brush for a few hours so they re-orientate and it works very well.

[@henrygreene599]

Bee vac?? Can you video construction? Thx!

[@JCsBees]

@Henry Greene Here is a video on my bee vac kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmKvlYWAecydkJI

[@cooperkaesemeyer2220]

the man I bought my nuc from asked how far away my hive would be now I know why

[@JCsBees]

Yes. I just sold a nuc to guy roughly 3 miles away from me. He was worried they would return to my bee yard the next morning. They never did return but if he was closer, we would of had issues.

[@phitran717]

I recently caught a swarm of bee in a cardboard box and want to relocate them away from the house we have 3 acres also how should I does this. Thx

[@JCsBees]

That's awesome! I would just locate them where you want them and use some branches to block the entrance. You want a bunch of branches so the bees have to slowly work their way out. This will force them to re-orientate. Best of luck!

[@phitran717]

Hey Jason they also started making white wax in the cardboard box what is the best way to move them into a wooden box. Love the videos and great info.

[@JCsBees]

The easiest way to explain it would be for you to watch a video on installing a bee package. I assume you have a complete hive setup now?

[@freckledandred]

What if you relocate the queen?

[@JCsBees]

The queen doesn't leave the hive like workers or drone so you would be fine to move the queen. Great question!!

[@kantipudirajesh]

How can i move bee boxes 500 feet at a single time

[@JCsBees]

If your in a cold region you could move them during a cold spell of more than a week pretty easily. If not, then trap them all in and move them. Before opening entrances cut some brush (twigs/ branches) and lay over the entrance. Then open entrance. This causes them to come out slowly as they have to work around all the brush blocking the flight path they then re-orientate before flying off. The thicker the brush blocking the entrance the better the results. After 2 days remove the brush.

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[@jenniferf4812]

Email 😄

[@karwannajim9530]

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[@karlstine3258]

Orient

[@user-tu8bg6bx2r]

Bees are amazing too bad we are not nice to them and most people kill such great insects.