How should I do this? Bees

[FunQuail]

Hey everyone!
We have some old bee hives that are falling apart and I don't think they will survive this winter. I know I'm kinda cutting it close but I want to help the bees. How would I do that? Can you set up the base and hive bodies and supers right next to where their old hive was? They have rotted on the corners so the bees have plenty of escape holes. There are three active hives and only one has a separator. We have all the equipment. I saw somewhere that you could put a branch in front of the entrance, so they will orient themselves to the new place. but I won't be able to block the entrance due to the rot and of course they are going to fly out when I open the hive as well. So I can't open it move everyone over, wait 24 hours, open their entrance and then put a branch in front of the entrance without losing many bees. Will the ones that get out figure out where to go and be ok? I think once the hives start getting messed with they are going to fall apart.
Several hives died and we decided to leave the remaining hives alone. It's been I think 5 years since then.
Thoughts?
Thank you!
Kelly

 

[sourland]

Kelly, I would smoke the bees to calm them , place the new hive on the old hive bases, and move the frames over to the new supers. Good luck at getting them 'rehoused'.

 

[R2elk]

Hey everyone!
We have some old bee hives that are falling apart and I don't think they will survive this winter. I know I'm kinda cutting it close but I want to help the bees. How would I do that? Can you set up the base and hive bodies and supers right next to where their old hive was? They have rotted on the corners so the bees have plenty of escape holes. There are three active hives and only one has a separator. We have all the equipment. I saw somewhere that you could put a branch in front of the entrance, so they will orient themselves to the new place. but I won't be able to block the entrance due to the rot and of course they are going to fly out when I open the hive as well. So I can't open it move everyone over, wait 24 hours, open their entrance and then put a branch in front of the entrance without losing many bees. Will the ones that get out figure out where to go and be ok? I think once the hives start getting messed with they are going to fall apart.
Several hives died and we decided to leave the remaining hives alone. It's been I think 5 years since then.
Thoughts?
Thank you!
Kelly

If it was my bees and the hives were in that bad of shape, I would (in full gear) lift the supers and hive bodies off of the base and set them nearby. If needed, I would put down a new base and then set a new hive body on the base. My next step would be to carefully remove the frames from the old hive and place them in the new hive body. Do this one frame at a time, one hive body/super at a time until all of the frames have been moved into the new hive. After finishing the last super, put the lids back in place. You can leave the empty old bodies/supers until after dark and then collect them.

The bees will be in their new hive right where they were and will carry on from there.

 

[FunQuail]

Kelly, I would smoke the bees to calm them , place the new hive on the old hive bases, and move the frames over to the new supers. Good luck at getting them 'rehoused'.

Thank you! This is very helpful!!

 

[FunQuail]

If it was my bees and the hives were in that bad of shape, I would (in full gear) lift the supers and hive bodies off of the base and set them nearby. If needed, I would put down a new base and then set a new hive body on the base. My next step would be to carefully remove the frames from the old hive and place them in the new hive body. Do this one frame at a time, one hive body/super at a time until all of the frames have been moved into the new hive. After finishing the last super, put the lids back in place. You can leave the empty old bodies/supers until after dark and then collect them.

The bees will be in there new hive right where they were and will carry on from there.

Thank you so much! They are currently using the rotting holes for their entrances, they'll figure out the entrance on the front they are supposed to use right?
Kelly

 

[R2elk]

Thank you so much! They are currently using the rotting holes for their entrances, they'll figure out the entrance on the front they are supposed to use right?
Kelly

They will figure out the entrance immediately.

 

[FunQuail]

They will figure out the entrance immediately.

Thanks so much! Alright cool! I need to get my suit in order and then I'm going to work on this! Will keep you all updated!
Kelly

 

[sourland]

Assuming that you will be using multiple supers, I would use something to cause a temporary gap between them - just for a day or two. I agree with R2elk.

 

[R2elk]

Assuming that you will be using multiple supers, I would use something to cause a temporary gap between them - just for a day or two.

Why?

 

[sourland]

Why?

Why agree with you ? Because you know more than me.