diff --git a/ApiCore-Backend/src/colonies/colonies.service.spec.ts b/ApiCore-Backend/src/colonies/colonies.service.spec.ts
index 09c74a3..3dc8b44 100644
--- a/ApiCore-Backend/src/colonies/colonies.service.spec.ts
+++ b/ApiCore-Backend/src/colonies/colonies.service.spec.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ describe('ColoniesService', () => {
       create: jest.Mock;
       update: jest.Mock;
     };
+    apiary: { findUnique: jest.Mock };
     colonyApiaryHistory: { findMany: jest.Mock };
     queenColonyHistory: { findMany: jest.Mock };
     colonyLineage: { findMany: jest.Mock };
@@ -49,6 +50,11 @@ describe('ColoniesService', () => {
         create: jest.fn(),
         update: jest.fn(),
       },
+      apiary: {
+        findUnique: jest
+          .fn()
+          .mockResolvedValue({ id: 'apiary-2', status: 'ACTIVE' }),
+      },
       colonyApiaryHistory: { findMany: jest.fn() },
       queenColonyHistory: { findMany: jest.fn() },
       colonyLineage: { findMany: jest.fn() },
@@ -185,6 +191,45 @@ describe('ColoniesService', () => {
     ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(ConflictException);
   });
 
+  it('move rejects a nonexistent destination apiary', async () => {
+    prisma.colony.findUnique.mockResolvedValue(parentColony);
+    prisma.apiary.findUnique.mockResolvedValue(null);
+    await expect(
+      service.move('colony-1', { apiaryId: 'missing' }, 'user-1'),
+    ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(NotFoundException);
+    expect(tx.colony.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('move rejects an inactive destination apiary', async () => {
+    prisma.colony.findUnique.mockResolvedValue(parentColony);
+    prisma.apiary.findUnique.mockResolvedValue({
+      id: 'apiary-2',
+      status: 'INACTIVE',
+    });
+    await expect(
+      service.move('colony-1', { apiaryId: 'apiary-2' }, 'user-1'),
+    ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(ConflictException);
+    expect(tx.colony.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('create rejects an inactive apiary', async () => {
+    prisma.apiary.findUnique.mockResolvedValue({
+      id: 'apiary-1',
+      status: 'INACTIVE',
+    });
+    await expect(
+      service.create(
+        {
+          code: 'V-002',
+          apiaryId: 'apiary-1',
+          colonyType: 'PRODUCTION_COLONY',
+        },
+        'user-1',
+      ),
+    ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(ConflictException);
+    expect(prisma.colony.create).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it('dissolve sets status DISSOLVED and records DEACTIVATE', async () => {
     prisma.colony.findUnique.mockResolvedValue(parentColony);
     tx.colony.update.mockResolvedValue({
diff --git a/ApiCore-Backend/src/colonies/colonies.service.ts b/ApiCore-Backend/src/colonies/colonies.service.ts
index 2d8fe8c..a70c579 100644
--- a/ApiCore-Backend/src/colonies/colonies.service.ts
+++ b/ApiCore-Backend/src/colonies/colonies.service.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,27 @@ export class ColoniesService {
     }
   }
 
+  // Colony.apiaryId is a plain FK with no built-in status check - without
+  // this, a colony could be created or moved into an apiary that either
+  // doesn't exist (a raw Prisma FK-constraint error instead of a clean
+  // 404) or is deactivated (silently orphaning the colony the same way an
+  // apiary deactivated out from under an existing colony would).
+  private async assertApiaryActive(apiaryId: string): Promise<void> {
+    const apiary = await this.prisma.apiary.findUnique({
+      where: { id: apiaryId },
+    });
+    if (!apiary) {
+      throw new NotFoundException(`Apiary ${apiaryId} not found`);
+    }
+    if (apiary.status !== 'ACTIVE') {
+      throw new ConflictException(
+        `Apiary ${apiaryId} is not active (status: ${apiary.status})`,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
   async create(dto: CreateColonyDto, actingUserId: string): Promise<Colony> {
+    await this.assertApiaryActive(dto.apiaryId);
     const colony = await this.prisma.colony.create({ data: { ...dto } });
     await this.auditLog.record({
       entityType: 'Colony',
@@ -93,6 +113,7 @@ export class ColoniesService {
   ): Promise<Colony> {
     const before = await this.findById(id);
     this.assertActive(before);
+    await this.assertApiaryActive(dto.apiaryId);
     const colony = await this.prisma.$transaction(async (tx) => {
       const updated = await tx.colony.update({
         where: { id },