New hoosier

[Mrsmoe]

Hello everyone! My husband and I have inherited a hive when we bought our new property. The hive is full of bees but the structure itself is in severe disrepair, looking for advice on how to get them into a new hive. Thank you in advance.

[Maggiesdad]

Hello and welcome to Beemaster!

You've come to the right place for answers - but I'm not much help, I'm a newbee myself!

You might get more responses by asking again in a different part of the forum.
In the meantime, can you provide a better description of the dilapidated hive?

Glen

[indypartridge]

Hello and Welcome!

Where in Indiana are you? I recommend getting involved with a local club. Clubs are great places to find mentors and get connected to nearby beekeepers. Here's a link of clubs:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/entomolo/files/ep-state-and-local-bee-associations.pdf

As for moving them, depends somewhat on how dilapidated the old hive is, and how long it's been neglected. No telling what you'll find when you open it up.  I'd get a new hive, and get it ready to go. In a few weeks when it's warmer, I'd open up the old hive. Ideally, the bees will mostly in the upper box, having moved up during winter. I'd place that old box on my new bottom board, then place a new box with frames on top. The bees should move up on their own, and you can eventually swap out the old box.

[mikecva]

Please describe "disrepair" and the type of hive you have Top bar, Lang 10 frame, 8 frame. If it is just dirty, I would not worry about it unless you want a nicer looking hive (the bees really do not care). If you go inside of the hive check the condition of the frames. we can then give you several ways to help you. You might also change your profile so we can give you info that is helpful to your local.  -Mike

[Mrsmoe]

Thank you for your replies and I apolgize for the lack of info. I am located on southwestern Tipton county. Thanks for the list of clubs! The hive is a Lang 10 frame, it has been neglected for 10+ years, the boxes are rotting and unstable. The frames are weak in the joints but I think they are movable. There seems to be less bees now than in the fall, but still plenty of activity. I have a new hive and I am feeling more confident that I can move them to a safer hive. I will be looking around in forums for better placement of my questions. (This forum gig is new to me as well as the bees) However since we are here now, the hive itself is in an inconvenient location, it is where the new pole barn is going. And where most human activity is. After transferring the bees to their new home, I would like to move the hive to the other end of the property in a tree line at the end of a small apple orchard. This area is about a quarter mile away from where the hive is now. Any opinions on my doing that?

[indypartridge]

I would like to move the hive to the other end of the property... Any opinions on my doing that?

Many beeks will tell you the rule of thumb about moving them 2 miles for a week or so, then moving them back, but that's not practical for many of us.
What I've done is move them either very early in the morning, or late in the evening (when all the bees are 'home'). Strap the hive together, put a piece of window screen (or even duct tape) across the entrance, use a cart or hand-truck and move them to their new location. Then, after removing the screen or duct tape, shove some grass in entrance - enough to slow them down, and lean a branch or plastic lawn chair in front of the hive. That should get most of them to re-orient in the new location, although you'll likely have some who will congregate at the old location for a few days.

I am located on southwestern Tipton county

One more thing - if you read this before tomorrow (March 21st), the Indiana State Beekeepers are having their spring meeting not too far from you - in Marion. More info here: http://www.hoosierbuzz.com/wordpress1/

[jalentour]

Welcome from Dearborn County!

[cao]

Welcome to the forum and to the world of beekeeping.