Moving hives one kilometer

[Gardenpro]

I am moving about one kilometer away. I know this is closer than would be ideal- is there anything I can do to keep the bees coming to their new location? Thanks.

[BubbaBob]

I've never tried to move one klik...I follow the 2 ft or 2 mile rule. Can you move them a couple of miles for a few days, then to the new location?

BubbaBob

[Michael Bush]

I do a hundred yards or so often. I've done two hundres or so on occasion with decent luck. But 1 kilometer is about the worst distance. It's close enough a lot will return to the old location and far enough they won't circle and find the new location. But if that's what you want to do (and you can't move them more than 2 miles first) you'll need to trigger reorientation. A branch in front of the hive will do it for most, but a lot of bees still won't reorient. I'd take all of the old equipment from the old location the day you move until just before dark and then I'd put an empty box on a bottom with a lid and whatever bees come back, close them up, after dark, and take them to the new site and set that box next to the new hive location and put a branch in front of it. It will take at least one time and maybe two of doing this to get them to figure it out.

If the weather is not hot and you can close the hive up after dark to move it so no field bees are there, and leave it closed (screened of course) for a day, it makes them much more likely to reorient. 72 hours is actually the magic number to make them reorient, but a strong hive gets very stressed when closed up for that long.

[Gardenpro]

Thanks for the help. I'll try the 72 hour closure, as I don't have any extra hives available to keep out for stragglers at the old site.
It'll be easy enough to screen them in. They are nucs from this year and still in the bottom box.