Hiving new packages

[jasontatro]

Greetings all,

My apologies if this has been covered elsewhere. I will be hiving two packages this weekend and the hives will be about 3 feet apart. Is there anything I should do to minimize drifting between the hives? Should I time them apart or do them at the same time?

Thanks for the advice.

JT

[sqkcrk]

Don't have then all facing the same way. Face the outside two a little away from the center one. Or even better, face them in the opposite direction.

[xC0000005]

Make sure the hives have distinguishing characteristics (I'm terrible about this - most of my boxes are dark blue), install later in the evening. I'd do them at the same time and equalize later as needed. When they are tiny hefting the box and swapping them is easy. When they weigh 220lbs and are boiling with bees, not so much. Then again, at that point you rarely need to equalize.

[jasontatro]

The boxes are definitely colorful and unique...thanks to my 5 year old sold. These bees will have no trouble distinguishing their home from others. In fact, I'm worried they might be a little embarrassed.

[Michael Bush]

Newly installed packages drift a lot the first day as they don't really KNOW where they live yet. It's like two swarms and they aren't sure which one they belong to.

[jasontatro]

they don't really KNOW where they live yet. It's like two swarms and they aren't sure which one they belong to.

Do they eventually figure it out?

[Ravenseye]

Do they eventually figure it out?

Yes...they do. After a while, it's like they only see their own hive.