Advice on moving double broods.

[Bakerbee]

Im waiting for a cold or wet snap down in dorset. The irony of waiting for bad weather in winter! Anyway we are moving our entire apiary about 40 meters over uneven ground. Im wondering the best way to do this move. I thought nailing some wooden strips to boxes and then strapping tightly to ensure they stay together. Any advice? Cheers.

 

[Popparand]

Im waiting for a cold or wet snap down in dorset. The irony of waiting for bad weather in winter! Anyway we are moving our entire apiary about 40 meters over uneven ground. Im wondering the best way to do this move. I thought nailing some wooden strips to boxes and then strapping tightly to ensure they stay together. Any advice? Cheers.

My advice....having just done the same:

1. Make sure the entrance is securely blocked - and that means a bit more than sealing off with gaffa tape because it does not stick properly in cold wet weather. If you use tape pin it at each corner with drawing pins.

2. Take off the roof and strap the whole lot together with one or preferably two ratchet straps. Test they are working smoothly before you put them on to check they don't jam. Tighten up to maximum.

3. Move them slowly and carefully, one by one. Make sure the floor is not sliding around under the brood box, or the crown board over the brood box.

4. I leave the entrance blocked up for an hour or two after moving to let the bees calm down. I don't want them flying around unnecessarily in this weather (still frosty here).

Good luck

 

[masterBK]

I used to be a migratory beekeeper moving bees several miles to heather. I used strips of foam to close entrance. Use two straps in parallel to stop boxes twisting relative to each other. When you remove the foam give puff of smoke into entrance to stop them rushing out and getting chilled at this time of year. Need to think how you are going to carry/transport them. Don't try and do it on your own (the hives will still be heavy).

 

[Swarm]

Two straps in parallel and a third one the other way, get help, take it steady.

 

[enrico]

I bought an eBay sack trolley a few years back. Been worth every penny for moving hives! And numerous other heavy things like washing machines!!!
E

 

[Erichalfbee]

Three straps. Roof off
Two long loops of rope
One loop on one side of the hive one on the other then you need two stout poles looping one through the loops on one side and the same on the other. It’s really easy now to lift the boxes with two of you. Off you go slowly. Done

 

[Popparand]

I used to be a migratory beekeeper moving bees several miles to heather. I used strips of foam to close entrance. Use two straps in parallel to stop boxes twisting relative to each other. When you remove the foam give puff of smoke into entrance to stop them rushing out and getting chilled at this time of year. Need to think how you are going to carry/transport them. Don't try and do it on your own (the hives will still be heavy).

You cant use foam if a mouse guard is fitted.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I've moved many thousands of hives...into and out of apples. We used different methods of securing the hives. We used lath, or staples, or straps. Finally settled on straps...two per hive. The only time we had any problems...when we closed the entrances. Finally decided on straps and open entrances. Smoke the hive...place on truck, smoke and move into position. Leave truck running as the vibrations from the engine running helps keep the bees in. Moving was done at night.

 

[Poly Hive]

One don't move to apples in December and so no motorised transport in the situation.

I would do this. roofs off. double or triple strap (I prefer spansets as far tighter than most ratchets) then two to lift on a builders wheelbarrow and one to steady as you do the actual move. A single wheel barrow is far easier to move over rough ground. I too moved many hives to the heather and they were barrowed to the trailer and from the trailer to their positions over rough heather.

Take your time and I would remove mouse guards and close with foam. Put the guards on in a couple of days time. Leave them shut in for a couple of days but ponder some ventilation over that time.

PH

 

[Karsal]

Moving Hives

Im waiting for a cold or wet snap down in dorset. The irony of waiting for bad weather in winter! Anyway we are moving our entire apiary about 40 meters over uneven ground. Im wondering the best way to do this move. I thought nailing some wooden strips to boxes and then strapping tightly to ensure they stay together. Any advice? Cheers.

I moved three hives 300 yards a number of years ago. Firstly I made a cradle that went on top of a wheelbarrow that fitted snugly along the outside of each side then the same on the top for the hive to fit into. I strapped them up first and then fastened them to the cradle. Worked fine and is still used today for transporting full supers up to the car at harvest time.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You cant use foam if a mouse guard is fitted.

Easy enough to remove a mouse guard

 

[Erichalfbee]

Easy enough to remove a mouse guard

No need
Move them in the cold and when a cold spell is forecast and you don’t need to close the entrances at all

 

[Poly Hive]

That may be true for your bees but not for all. I was pinning on a mouse guard the other day at minus two and had to back off.

It's currently plus 11 at this time and date.

PH

 

[Popparand]

That may be true for your bees but not for all. I was pinning on a mouse guard the other day at minus two and had to back off.

It's currently plus 11 at this time and date.

PH

Indeed. Frost on the ground and bees still coming out when disturbed. Waited a couple of hours for all to go back inside before taping off and moving. Why risk stings in December?

 

[Bakerbee]

Thankyou everyone. Theres some great suggestions here that i will use. Just waiting for a cold snap. 9c at midnight in dorset tonight!

 

[Bakerbee]

So just to let you all know, i have given up waiting for a cold snap in dorset. Still having daily temps of 8-13c and bees flying. We closed their entrances and moved them today. Popped two poles on top of hives, strapped them on as handles and off we went. All happy and quiet during the move. I will keep them closed in for 36 hours to make them orientate. They have fondant and omf so hope they dont mind being in mid winter. Thanks for everyones advice.

 

[Poly Hive]

What have you done to ensure the ventilation over the shut in time as please don't tell me you are relying on the OMF floors?

PH

 

[Beefriendly]

I'm interested in what you would give as further ventilation in winter if an OMF is thought to not provide enough ventilation if the entrance is shut off for a few days. Matchsticks and crown boards spring to mind.
OMF give more than adequate ventilation. IMHO too much, so much so that all mine are shut off with poly inserts for winter.

 

[Millet]

I'm interested in what you would give as further ventilation in winter if an OMF is thought to not provide enough ventilation if the entrance is shut off for a few days. Matchsticks and crown boards spring to mind.
OMF give more than adequate ventilation. IMHO too much, so much so that all mine are shut off with poly inserts for winter.

Same here and everyone ticks along nicely over these chilly months..

 

[Madge]

What have you done to ensure the ventilation over the shut in time as please don't tell me you are relying on the OMF floors?

PH

Why not, PH? The entrance is just above the floor and won’t give that much extra ventilation. What else does he need this time if the year?