Moving bees in WBC

[mintmoth]

I've been offered a colony in a WBC and will need to move it to my apiary. There's no way I can get a WBC in the back of my car. Is it feasible at this time of year to transfer the colony on its frames to a poly national (which will just fit in the car), or is it too cold and too late to disturb them?

 

[Fritillary]

if it were me, I would do it if I had to. No-one else local with a larger vehicle?

I'm not clued up about the inner workings of WBCs, but if your car will take a poly national I'm surprised it won't take the inner boxes of a WBC? (Someone tells me only 1 sort of poly national will fit inside the WBC lifts.) - If you want them in the WBC at your end. At least the bees will probably only be in 1 or 2 boxes!

 

[Poly Hive]

Hire a van or lean on a friend with a trailer?

I wouldn't want to be moving frames around now.

PH

 

[MartinL]

There's no way I can get a WBC in the back of my car. . . .
. . a poly national (which will just fit in the car)

Simple;

All you may need is a wooden National Floor.
The inner boxes of a WBC will be smaller than a poly National.
Frames are same size & walls thinner.

 

[bingevader]

Simple;

All you may need is a wooden National Floor.
The inner boxes of a WBC will be smaller than a poly National.
Frames are same size & walls thinner.

Yep, the inner boxes are similar, but smaller than nationals.
Take the roof and lifts (the outer bits) off and you're left with a series of supers and a brood box same as a national.

Find out how many boxes are on it, it may not be anywhere near as difficult as it seems.

You just need some way of sealing up the inner boxes for transportation, leaving some ventilation!

You can reassemble everything else at the other site.

 

[MartinL]

P.S.

I'll have em if you're unable to collect!

 

[mintmoth]

If I understand you all correctly, I can take off the lifts, take the brood box off the WBC floor/stand and it will fit on a wooden national OMF? That sounds perfect. I'll have to make 2 or 3 journeys to transport the WBC piecemeal but I've a hive cosy I can sit over the inner BB so they don't get too chilled while I'm moving the rest of their home.

Sounds like a plan.

Then I can move them into a national in the spring when they become active again.

And sell the WBC as a garden ornament

 

[mintmoth]

P.S.

I'll have em if you're unable to collect!

A kind offer Martin........ ( )

but I'll get them. By hook or by crook.

 

[Mandeville]

I have a huge phobia when it comes to travelling in a car with bees and sealing a WBC for transport is one of their big disadvantages, but it can be done.

Don't try to do it with the lifts on, you just can't seal it it all up. Take them all off, including the bottom one with the porch and entrance block.

Get a board that is the size of the BB. Lift the BB up and slip the board underneath but leave an inch or so open at the front so that the flying bees can still get in. Put a crown board on top with mesh over the feeder hole.

Then in the evening when all the bees are at home, push the board forward to fully seal the bottom of the BB. Use hive straps and lots of gaffer tape everywhere and off you go!

 

[Mandeville]

I wouldn't be certain that a National OMF will work. As the BB of a WBC is smaller than the National, I think there could be some gaps.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I've been offered a colony in a WBC and will need to move it to my apiary. There's no way I can get a WBC in the back of my car. Is it feasible at this time of year to transfer the colony on its frames to a poly national (which will just fit in the car), or is it too cold and too late to disturb them?

Hire a transit van

 

[drex]

If I understand you all correctly, I can take off the lifts, take the brood box off the WBC floor/stand and it will fit on a wooden national OMF? That sounds perfect. I'll have to make 2 or 3 journeys to transport the WBC piecemeal but I've a hive cosy I can sit over the inner BB so they don't get too chilled while I'm moving the rest of their home.

Sounds like a plan.

Then I can move them into a national in the spring when they become active again.

And sell the WBC as a garden ornament

No a national floor has a different footprint to a WBC brood box. As already suggested just use a sheet of board. Mesh over the hole in the crow board should give enough ventilation at this time of year, unless the journey is going to be a long one.
No need to get rid of the WBC lifts if you like the look as National boxes will just fit inside the lifts.
Two or even better three , ratchet straps round the boxes, and have the frames running front to back in the car

 

[Millet]

One thing i have learned regarding ventilation during a move is put the crown board on with varroa mesh over the holes,then put the ratchet straps on and put the roof on, the next day you simply take the roof of and move the secured hive, it does not get any easier than that .

 

[mintmoth]

I've looked and measured, the BB will sit neatly on a Sw..nty floor, not edge to edge, but enough for it to be secure with gaffer tape and straps, and a poly roof on top. That will fit the car and I'll move the Wbc boxes separately and re-assemble at the other end.

Thanks, Millet, yes, I've already cut a piece of mesh to fit as there's nothing covering the CB holes at the moment. And fished out a large old sheet

 

[Fritillary]

Sounds good - Hope all goes to plan and that they are duly appreciative friendly bees inside!

 

[mintmoth]

Moved the bees safely to their new home at 9am today. Poly floor, BB, CB, poly lid and straps going both ways. Nice and frosty this morning so not many were inclined to come out in the cold.

At the other end there were a lot of bees on the poly floor - not surprising as the track is very bumpy and potholed, but within 5 minutes they had mostly entered their reconstructed WBC, just a few left flying around and no bad temper. I'm very pleased with them.

 

[Swarm]

Moved the bees safely to their new home at 9am today. Poly floor, BB, CB, poly lid and straps going both ways. Nice and frosty this morning so not many were inclined to come out in the cold.

At the other end there were a lot of bees on the poly floor - not surprising as the track is very bumpy and potholed, but within 5 minutes they had mostly entered their reconstructed WBC, just a few left flying around and no bad temper. I'm very pleased with them.

That's great, I hope they do well for you.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And now that they've moved - block those holes in the crown board!

 

[bingevader]

Hurrah! Glad it went well.

 

[mintmoth]

And now that they've moved - block those holes in the crown board!

Going up today to check they are settled and seal that hole (there's only one). There's quite a gap between the CB and the top of the roof - can I put some insulation on that? And should I fit it right to the lift walls, or size it just to cover the CB? I didn't realize that in a WBC the bees can get into the gap between the boxes and the lifts.

edit : I should add that the floor is solid, not OMF