Bee warned

[rockdoc]

A tale of precaution this, and one for the newbies.
At the end of a long hive move with a novice for company, and the car journey behind us, we reached the new site. I was just about to remove the traveling strap went it caught on the hive stand detaching the hive floor. This was a very full colony and thousands of travel weary bees poured out of the base. At the same moment the elastic on my left glove gave out giving access in to the said bees. I was now being stung badly from within and without! We retreated and made good our escape. At home my wife pulled out 33 stings from my arm, throat and leg. Now the moral of this painful story is that essentially, my equipment let me down. Not only did the elastic give out, but my veil parted company creating two small holes directly in front of my throat. The lesson being, never take your protection for granted and always thoroughly check it over before venturing out to inspect your bees. I know my novice beek will never forget that particular lesson.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Lucky escape rockdoc.
And good advice.

 

[cak29]

Ouch, being a newbie I thought I was being over cautious, but pleased I am now, worth the extra minute checking everything is done up tightly

 

[m100]

Been there done that (17 stings when a glove left a gap to a suit as I was sorting out someone else with a bee in their veil)

To stop floors moving relative to brood boxes I permanently fit triangular pieces of galvanised sheet to hold the floor to the brood box. Fixed with posidriv stainless screws they can easily be removed for a floor swap.

I always staple the mesh on varroa floors every few inches - the drawing pins that the likes of Th*rnes supply are useless.

I'd use spansets if I could ever remember how to use them 2 minutes after being shown so instead I use ratchet straps bought from Machine Mart. (the quality of one ratchet strap sourced from a beekeeping supplier I saw the other week was so bad I would have chucked it in the bin. I've seen thicker metal on 60's toys from Hong Kong)

 

[Tom Bick]

Ouch that’s a lot of stings I hope you are going to be all right over the next few days

 

[Headnavigator]

Ouch - a tale that rang loud bells and reminds me of multiple stings after a similar incident helping a friend move a hive - I would just say that moving a hive contains the potential for disaster in a way that day-to-day beekeeping rarely does. Please, please double-check all possible eventualities if you're going to do this - the worst can and does happen.
In this case bees did get in our (supposedly safe) suits, I was really lucky as the stitching on mine fell apart in the wash later that same day. Had it happened at the time I wouldn't have stood a chance.
I bought the best beesuit available straight away - don't mess with bees in anything less.

 

[drstitson]

no matter how well i strap up hives I always wrap them in large mozzie nets (ikea or ebay, <£10 each). Bees can't get out.

 

[rockdoc]

Thanks Tom, I think the years of sting immunity helped and everything has now calmed down. The reason the floor slipped was it was new and had only been in position a few days, not long enough to be glued down by the bees. However, there has been some sound advice added to this thread, many of which I intend to adopt.
Thanks all.

 

[milkermel]

and there was Me thinking 6 to leg and groin was bad last year!

I love the mosi net idea If i have to move again I will get one of these, I spent the whole 10 mile journey paranoid about either something slipping or in case there was a stragler!

 

[nonstandard]

A fellow beekeeper, had a minor disaster a couple of weeks ago. While moving a double brood colony his strap broke, spilling bees and frames everywhere. He made a retreat for 20 mins and then returned to collect everything back together and scoop the bees back in. Maybe I'm over cautious or its the lorry driver in me, but whenever I move hives I use a minimum of two straps and I suspect he will in future.

 

[Gardenbees]

Eeeyow!
It's easy to forget the floor, after constantly concentrating on bees flying *up* from the hive. Actually they defend the underside of the colony if anything even more strongly than the top.

I got around 40 stings (through jeans, fortunately) when a floor came loose as I moved an overcrowded broodbox at the beginning of April. The bees are normally very good-natured, but the perceived attack from below sent them wild for several days and left me feeling like I had just walked through a bed of nettles. No lasting harm done, but I felt decidedly under the weather for a couple of day.

Note to self: bees have very long stings! Wear two layers if doing anything drastic with a hive, even if you think it's all strapped up!

 

[enrico]

A really worthwhile reminder to all of us. I can't impress enough to new beekeepers to always wear your suit if you are doing anything with the hive. I suggested listening to the hives in winter by putting your ear to them and tapping the outside. The quality of the buzz is a good indicator of health! but a new beekeeper decided to do it on a warm spring day. Mmmm I think she can safely say that she found the hive was active!
Stings to the throat and face are the worst....glad you are on the mend
E

 

[rockdoc]

As the topic seems to be sliding towards 'how to transport your hive' I thought I would share my contraption with you all.
Its made from an old ladder with a partly framed floor. The open front has a board sprung by shot cord. After the hive is in place release the front and it will lock to the front and push the hive onto the brass back stop. The upright aluminum lengths retard any side movement whilst under way. to date this stretcher (The Brucey!) has taken a brood box plus three supers partly filled!.

 

[Headnavigator]

Looks good! My additional vote goes to whoever it was on this forum suggested using copious amounts of gaffer tape too around every conceivable join!