How long does it take for newly relocated bees to stabilize?

1. Transferring bees and preventing escape

It generally takes 2–3 days for newly relocated bees to stabilize. After capturing the bees, they should be transferred promptly to a beehive. If there are combs available, or if combs can be found, they should be secured to the hive frames before transferring the bees into the hive and covering it with the lid. After the transfer, an anti-escape device should be installed at the hive entrance. The bee colony typically stabilizes within 2–3 days inside the hive.

2. Supplemental feeding

After transferring the bees, it’s important to provide supplemental feeding. The feed can be a syrup or honey water. The main purposes of supplemental feeding are threefold: first, to help the bee colony stabilize quickly in the hive; second, to ensure there is enough food for the colony; and third, to stimulate the worker bees to secrete wax and build combs quickly. Once the bees start building combs, they are unlikely to leave.

3. Reward feeding

Once the colony has stabilized, reward feeding should be carried out to stimulate the queen to lay eggs quickly and encourage worker bees to care for the larvae. This involves feeding the bees with sugar water or diluted honey water every evening until a large number of new worker bees emerge from their cells. This practice helps the bee colony recover quickly and get back into production.

4. Important considerations

  1. After capturing the bees, transfer them to the hive promptly. If possible, use movable-frame hives, as they are more scientific and easier to manage than traditional hives.

  2. After transferring the bees, provide supplemental feeding immediately. This helps the bee colony stabilize quickly, ensures they have enough food, and stimulates the worker bees to secrete wax and build combs.

  3. Once the bee colony has stabilized, continue reward feeding to stimulate the queen to lay eggs and encourage worker bees to care for the larvae. Keep this up until a large number of new worker bees have emerged, then stop reward feeding.

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