moving bees in winter.

[exmoorbee]

Hello, I'm in the process of moving house and need to move our two garden hives about 15miles to our new house. I have been told we shouldn't move them when they are clustered as if they fall off the frames they will too cold to climb back up. Is this right and if so are there any suggestions about minimising the risk? Keeping in the warm car for an hour after transport to allow them to climb back up?

Any help appreciated.

Pat.

 

[Finman]

Keeping in the warm car for an hour after transport to allow them to climb back up?

Any help appreciated.

Pat.

They surely wake up in one minute and warm up themself to fight for their life. I have measuire 42C temp from disturbed hive in winter.

 

[Pete D]

They will be fine, close them and strap them. Be as gentle as possible.
I assume mesh hives but with the current weather any floor wouldnt be a problem. In reality they will be closed for less than an hour, just be as gentle as possible.
My wife and I carried 8 hives 100m across a field last winter in minus 4 and snow on the ground, gently does it

Pete D

 

[exmoorbee]

So you think we should just move them? The outside temperature shouldn't matter?

Pat.

 

[Swarm]

Yes, go ahead and move them, there should be no problem.

 

[tonybloke]

They will be fine, close them and strap them. Be as gentle as possible.
I assume mesh hives but with the current weather any floor wouldnt be a problem. In reality they will be closed for less than an hour, just be as gentle as possible.
My wife and I carried 8 hives 100m across a field last winter in minus 4 and snow on the ground, gently does it

Pete D

do you perchance hire out the Oh for winter hive moving?

 

[Pete D]

Ha ha, now there is an idea........

She has stated that next year she will be coming with me to do my weekly inspections and become a lot more involved as its the only way she will get to spend time with me
Just bought her a suit.

Pete D

 

[tonybloke]

Ha ha, now there is an idea........

She has stated that next year she will be coming with me to do my weekly inspections and become a lot more involved as its the only way she will get to spend time with me
Just bought her a suit.

Pete D

good effort, Pete, I like the norfolk way of thinking

 

[richardbees]

No problem = and you should carry the box with the frame ends fore and aft - to avoid upset from swaying.

(I bet someone else can describe what I mean better)

 

[exmoorbee]

Thanks everyone.

Bees moved last night and still buzzing when we left them.

Thanks again

Pat

 

[peteinwilts]

Your Hive moving sounds quite luxurious!

I have 11 hives I need to move in the next week or so.

I need to carry them out of the apiary and across what is now, currently a bog to firmer ground. (bad enough walking without a laden 14x12 hive!)

I then need to take them about 1km to the farmhouse, and then load them into a van to take them offsite for a few weeks. The long cold spell that I was hoping for has not materialised.

Unfortunately, currently, the 1km is not drivable by landrover due to the wet weather, let alone the van and the only way I am going to manage it is to put them into a bucket of a tractor, 3 at a time, and go very carefully.

Not one of the christmas jobs I was hoping for!

 

[mystil]

I dont begrudge you that trip.

Exmoorbee is my hubby and we had afew hair raising moments when the berlingo went sideways down the field the bees were in due to the amount of mud. Not a happy moment. Luckily the bees were not in the back of the car at the time or else they would have thought they were on the merry-go-round at a fair.

)

 

[beekim]

This sounds like something worth looking at!!! photos please.good luck with the move.

 

[richardbees]

Pete

There are the makings of a 'Nativity play' in that epic description!