Moving a swarm

Flipperdipper

I had a few bait hives out and got a swarm last week, the trouble is they moved into a dirty hive that bees had died in over the winter and I hadn't got around to cleaning it out. I now want to move them into a clean hive and move it about thirty feet from where they are now. Any ideas and suggestions welcome.

Apiarist

Since they have probably settled into the position already, you would need either
1) move them into another apiary further than 3 KM away for several weeks
2) move the hive 3 feet each couple of days
3) do the re-orientation as described in https://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-move-a-hive/

Flipperdipper

Thanks for the reply Victor, I was thinking of doing the reorientation by keeping them under house arrest for a few days and moving them to the new position. I moved a clean hive beside them ready for the transfer but had to leave it for a couple of days. Went out this morning to do the transfer and guess what, another swarm has moved into the clean hive:D. I'm not complaining but why couldn't they have moved into the other clean hive thirty feet away?:)

Apiarist

Flipperdipper wrote: »

.... Went out this morning to do the transfer and guess what, another swarm has moved into the clean hive....

You can move the new swarm. Ideally, put a frame of brood into the hive to bind the bees into it. Close the entrance at night, move them and keep them closed for couple of days.