Moving bees from mating nucs

[enchplant]

I had built 4 compartment queen castles and have raised laying queens in several compartments.. Question is I now want to make up 5 frame regular nucs out of these 2 frame nucs and move them to another part of the bee yard. What should I do. Do I need to set the nucs up close to this castle with the entrances oriented in the same direction? That would be inconvenient. Any ideas?

[Joseph Clemens]

Transfer the bees and combs at night when most of the field force is home, then place an obstruction in their flight path the next morning to force them to reorient. You won't get all of the bees (but will probably get enough of them), do make sure you get the queen. Any stragglers will join other nearby queenright bees.

[Adrian Quiney WI]

As Joe said, plus leave the weakest of the nucs on the old site. Suddenly it will be the strongest.

[enchplant]

Well I gotta say I don't care for that advice. I have always been told bees hate being disturbed at night and I should have listened to myself when I thought twice about trying this. The bees were very upset. Clung to my clothes. Stung the hell out of me. I couldn't see remaining bees in the mating nuc and God knows how I'm going to get them out. So I did one mating nuc this way and the rest I will do in daylight hours when I can see what I am doing.

[Joseph Clemens]

I do it all the time (work my bees at night - dark nights only), I do use a little smoke, but only use a red light (I like the extra bright red LED lights that can be worn on the forehead).

I am sorry to hear that things did not go well. I have often worked my bees in the dark of night, with a red light - so I can see and the bees can't. I have heard others describe difficulties working bees at night, but there may be something I'm doing differently than those experiencing the difficulties, I have been wondering why that happens to some, but hasn't yet happened for me.

[LITTLE JOHN]

I work mine at night about 80% of the time. It is to hot in S. W. Oklahoma to work them in daytime. I have light installed above the hive I am working on and they are always calm. I use a little smoke, and they give me no problem what so ever. By the way I use cotton and cow chips for smoke. Yes, I get stung every once in a while, its to be expected, but not many times and it is usually when I accidentally mash a bee or drop something. I take my time and the bees don't usually mind. I have Russian bees.

little john