Getting a hive and bees from friend.

[bigfathairybiker]

Hi All,

I'm very soon to get a hive and bees from an Aunt who lives about 60 miles away.
This is my first hive and I have a few questions about the transport and setup of the new hive.

Is it best to buy a new hive and just transport a sealed brood box then transfer the frames to the new hive?
OR just transport an entire hive with the bottom and entrance blocked?
OR something completely different!

Is there anything else I should be doing?

I will be getting a suit, tool and smoker separately and won't be getting them until I've done my course next weekend.

Mark

 

[einsteinagogo]

Hi All,

I'm very soon to get a hive and bees from an Aunt who lives about 60 miles away.
This is my first hive and I have a few questions about the transport and setup of the new hive.

Is it best to buy a new hive and just transport a sealed brood box then transfer the frames to the new hive?
OR just transport an entire hive with the bottom and entrance blocked?
OR something completely different!

Is there anything else I should be doing?

I will be getting a suit, tool and smoker separately and won't be getting them until I've done my course next weekend.

Mark

Welcome Mark

What type of hive, a national, with flat roof, brood box, and open mesh floor ?

I would leave all the frames and bees in the current hive, seal up the entrance with foam, and gaffer tape, at the end of the day in the evening, just before dark, when all the flying bees have returned home.

Check the weight of the hive, with roof, brood box and floor, if you can carry hive on your own, although two is easier, you can proceed and move it as one unit.

Use two ratchet hive straps, at right angles over the roof, brood box and floor.

if it's too heavy, you will need to remove the roof, you can use a travel screen in place, if it's hot, or make sure if the cover board has holes, to seal with metal gauze.

decorators sheets are okay, to wrap the hive in, to stop any stray bees escaping, but ALSO wear your bee suite in the car, and carry the smoker, just in case.

Work in daylight when sighting the hive, get a helping hand, if the hive is too heavy, two people easier than one!

(or prepare the new location in advance, e.g. make sure hive stand is level etc, no obstacles to get to location)

check, the hive can fit in your car!

If you are relocating at night, it's quite cold, around here, so doubtful bees will overheat....drive carefully, and watch those bends, you may want to strap in car, if you have straps in your boot.

 

[bigfathairybiker]

Many thanks Andy,

It will be a National, brood box with solid floor.
My Aunt did mention damp quite a bit when we talked about hives. Maybe this is because they use solid floors. ( All their hives appear to have solid floors. )
All the hives I have seen elsewhere have mesh or wire floors.
But also their hives are all very closely spaced and surrounded by fencing.
Probably don't get much air circulating.

Mark

 

[einsteinagogo]

I've always used OMF (open mesh floors), in my hives, to help with varroa mites, and inspecting for varroa.

I use closed cover boards (no holes) and OMF, and have no issues with damp or condensation, but I'm sure later, you'll hear from other's about "match sticks", "sold floors", and ventilation later.

After you've done your course, you may decide to switch to an OMF.

You may also want to get some books, Haynes Guide to Bees, Ted Hoopers Bible (difficult read, and heavy!), start having a read before the course!

(apart from bait hives for attracting swarms where I use solid floors)

 

[dexter's shed]

also make sure the frames are pointing the same way as travel, ie front and back of car, if you place them across, you can end up squashing bees as you start and stop

 

[Magwat]

Use two ratchet hive straps,

I would advise a minimum of 3 straps - 2 parallel & the other at right angles. With only 2 straps there is potential for the boxes to twist (I've got that T shirt)

 

[Luka22]

I think you have most of the advices already, so all I can say is how we do it:

1. Remove any additional Supers or Eke before. Just Floor, Brood, Crown Board and Roof.
2. Close Hive in the evening (to make sure all the Girls are home). Foam and Tape, if not available nail a piece of wood in front and Tape if you are still worried.
3. Use 2 Straps (parallel) as we were advised few weeks ago. We have done them 90 degree before, bad mistake, the floor started twisting and the Bees escaped.
4. Take a Duvet Cover, lay it in the Car and place the Hive inside. Any possible escaping Bees will end up in that and not in the car. (If there are no holes and if you closed the Cover proper). Remember that the Frames should face in the direction of driving, so remember to check before if the are set up "Warm" or "Cold" way.
5. Before you unload, make sure you have a Hive Stand ready.

I would recommend to change the floor at some point. Open mesh makes life a lot easier. You can see a lot from the Observation Board and you have better ventilation. Depending where you move them and if there is food available, I would give them a few days but check if they have food or if you need to help them a bit. Also have a look if you can spot the Queen. Our first hive from a friend was queenless, which we didn't know. So that was a waste of time and we had to wait another year before we started all over again.

That's how we do it now, when we move Hives. Good Luck and enjoy your Bees...

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

A picture may help, bigfathairybiker.

 

[Hivemaker.]

It will be a National, brood box with solid floor.

Definitely need to use a travel screen, bees can overheat and die very quick, especially if a strong colony, remove crown board during the day and replace with travel screen, strap up ready to move, block the entrance in the evening when flying has ceased for the day, and move.

 

[bontbee]

I don't think that the bees will need a duvet! I moved a hive on Sunday, really cold and windy. Kept the windows in the car open, (brrrr), and 20mins later the coverboard was noticeably warmer. No, for once I didn't use a travel screen which I otherwise always do. Tut, tut and slapped wrists.


If any bees escape, they usually fly (or is it that they don't have a choice as the car is going forward ? ), to the back window, so unless you are on the motorway(?), you can stop, let the bee/s out and plug the hole! If you are really worried about escapbees, a thin sheet nor net would be preferable to a duvet!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Definitely need to use a travel screen, bees can overheat and die very quick, especially if a strong colony, remove crown board during the day and replace with travel screen, strap up ready to move, block the entrance in the evening when flying has ceased for the day, and move.

And when you set off.......don't forget to take the roof off

 

[B+.]

All very good advice. I don't think there is much risk of bees overheating at this time of year on a short journey.
The only thing I would add is make sure that the hive is sound (no cracks or small holes) the odd be might escape from.

 

[Hivemaker.]

All very good advice. I don't think there is much risk of bees overheating at this time of year on a short journey.

Before i knew better, i have had them cook just moving them two miles in temperatures like we have right now, but in this case the journey is sixty miles.
But i agree, if your just moving them to the other side of the apiary they would be fine.

Nothing like now, but in the summer of 76 we had a swarm cook in a straw skep, with a net under it, only moved five miles in the late evening.

 

[Finman]

Definitely need to use a travel screen, bees can overheat and die very quick, especially if a strong colony, remove crown board during the day and replace with travel screen, strap up ready to move, block the entrance in the evening when flying has ceased for the day, and move.

I use in entrance a mesh too. Corners must be blockef with plastic that bees do not find a hole that they may leak outside.

Over heating is bad thing.

One is important too. If frames waggle during transport, fat queen may become squeezed.
And squeezed workers put the hive uppset.

 

[Erichalfbee]

in the summer of 76

Ahhhhhh halcyon days, just out of university, job to go to ....but not just yet.... and the most marvellous summer spent almost entirely outside with friends ......................sigh!

 

[Amari]

Yes, I remember it well........ Temp in Cheshire was above 80F for 14 consecutive days. Wonderful summer hols off west coast of Scotland. VG honey crop. No Varroa then. Halcyon days indeed!

 

[Cussword]

Spent all Summer in Newquay learning to surf
Glorious

 

[bigfathairybiker]

Hive is being brought over tomorrow afternoon.... Excited or what!!!!

Lucky for me I only have to wait at this end.
Uncle is organising everything.

Mark

 

[For want of a better word]

Before i knew better, i have had them cook just moving them two miles in temperatures like we have right now, but in this case the journey is sixty miles.
But i agree, if your just moving them to the other side of the apiary they would be fine.

Nothing like now, but in the summer of 76 we had a swarm cook in a straw skep, with a net under it, only moved five miles in the late evening.

Before I knew better......
I now have a special floor made up with open mesh, easily closed entrance and meshed vents in sided... a bit deeper than a usual OMF with built up sides to stop the std National brood or BHS polly brood from moving around.
The top has a similarly constructed travel screen.
The whole lot held together with three straps.

A bit more effort in prepping to move, but they are worth it.

I do not want anymore stings in transit or boxes of dead bees!

and if anyone says they are bringing me some bees I go and collect them!

Yeghes da

 

[bigfathairybiker]

Well, bit more news....

Thursday one of my Uncles hives swarmed to a nearby tree trunk.
After grabbing a large clump of them and dropping them into a nuc, the rest (with a little smoke ) decided to crawl along the floor like ants and up into the nuc.

These are the ones being brought over.
I believe that this should be good because they hopefully won't want to swarm again this year..... or I could be wrong.....

Roll on tomorrow morning...

Mark