Moving hive

[Wills666]

Morning all, we are moving house soon, both my hive are at the end of our garden, I know to move them at night but do I still need a traveling screen as per the summer or can I just leave the roofs on as the temp is lower now, it will take about 1/2 hour to get to the site. Any advise would be great thanks

 

[Erichalfbee]

Belt and braces for me
I'd put a travel screen on

 

[Newbeeneil]

I moved two of mine recently, picked them up at 6pm put them in the van, left them overnight and drove to the new apiary next morning. Overnight temperature 10C. Open mesh floors no problem.

 

[madasafish]

As long as ambient temperatures are less than approx 12C and you leave them outside at night - not in a confined space, I would move with roofs on.

But in practice, if you are strapped for height in the van/car, you can take them off. But strap the hives together top to floor whatever you do...

It's only 30 minutes after 6pm so as long as the vehicle heater /aircon is on cold, should be no problems..

I moved 4 full hives in a Jazz in Autumn in daytime - for 45 minutes like that. No issues.

But I did tape mesh to the entrances so there was an airflow. And raised floors off the floor with battens so a flow underneath the floor.
Also strapped the hives to ties in the floor - four ties as standard in my Jazz.

 

[drex]

Why make it harder by moving in the dark? At this time of year, and for only a 30 minute ride, I would move during daytime, assuming they are well prepared and it is a cold day. Done it many a time with no problem.
The only advice not mentioned so far is to ensure the frames are running from front to back in the car

 

[Heather]

I would never move at night.. want full vision.. No need for extra ventilation at this time of the year. Just put both holding straps parallel not in cross formation, I chalk a line on roof to remind me of frame direction if moving a few hives. Yes frames run parallel to side of car. A crash /bump could cause the frames to swing and damage the bees. Just close down night before to ensure all bees in. I use Gorilla tape to seal front (other tapes available... but not as good) as found some tapes have come away from the wood in morning damp.

 

[Apple]

If in polly hives... have OMF and fit a travel screen
No need to move at night... where did that come from... Yates??

Hope you have informed your new neighbors you have bees... present them with a jar of your honey.
We moved + 3 WBCs from the bottom of our garden some years ago on 22nd December... in the snow... horrific day!!
Most will become friends and not worry about you bees... unless you are very unlucky and have a neighbor from the planet of Plob, where anything new is to be resisted with vitriol and venom ( Sad to say Mr Autoglym at the bottom of our garden was one of those... OK till my bees **** over his highly polished van, because he cut down one of the ancient village oaks which diverted the girls flight path!!)
But you will not know till the Spring!!
Chons da

 

[Curly green finger's]

Why make it harder by moving in the dark? At this time of year, and for only a 30 minute ride, I would move during daytime, assuming they are well prepared and it is a cold day. Done it many a time with no problem.
The only advice not mentioned so far is to ensure the frames are running from front to back in the car

I agree not the easiest moving at night.
I've got quite a few to move from Clun next month which is an hours drive.

If they are more than one box even if you strap them together, accidents can happen with boxes coming apart so I use both straps and screw battern between boxes to stop them moving.

I will be moving mine in the day on a cold day with out travel screans as I would Need 50 or so of them.
We will be using a stock box trailer and they will be strapped together in fours
Im hoping it will only be two journeys.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Morning all, we are moving house soon, both my hive are at the end of our garden, I know to move them at night but do I still need a traveling screen as per the summer or can I just leave the roofs on as the temp is lower now, it will take about 1/2 hour to get to the site. Any advise would be great thanks

Why at night? if you have OMF, just shut them up in the evening, strap them up ready then just move them in the morning. I move them like that in spring/early summer - as long as they're in the new position and opened up before it gets too hot, it's fine

 

[Swarm]

Why at night? if you have OMF, just shut them up in the evening, strap them up ready then just move them in the morning. I move them like that in spring/early summer - as long as they're in the new position and opened up before it gets too hot, it's fine

Half an hour to new site? Stuff entrance and strap up in the evening and move next morning.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I often, when moving hives from apiary to apiary go and strap them up and shut them in in the evening, load them in the back of the truck then take them home, leaving the tailgate open overnight - where the vehicles are parked, they are shaded from the morning sun until about 9 AM in the summer so they are kept nice and cool if I can't get an early start.
That way I have plenty of light to get them into position.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Half an hour to new site? Stuff entrance and strap up in the evening and move next morning.

.....
Foam Steve??
I do add some gaffa tape or baler twin tied round just for added insurance or put a full entrance block in with gaffa.

 

[Wills666]

Hi thanks for the advise, as I said I've only ever moved bees in the spring/summer time, i wait until the evening to move them then so all the flying bees are back, was just thinking if there where any flyers out, but on second thoughts it is probably to cold for them to be out now it's winter. Thanks again

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

.....
Foam Steve??
I do add some gaffa tape or baler twin tied round just for added insurance or put a full entrance block in with gaffa.

No need with an underfloor entrance, just a three inch square cross section by eighteen inch piece of foam

 

[Swarm]

As per JBM, I have sections of foam that I stuff into the porch. A wrap of gaffer tape never hurts between floor and box, belt and braces then.

 

[drex]

Hi thanks for the advise, as I said I've only ever moved bees in the spring/summer time, i wait until the evening to move them then so all the flying bees are back, was just thinking if there where any flyers out, but on second thoughts it is probably to cold for them to be out now it's winter. Thanks again

As already advised close up in the evening and move next morning. If something goes wrong during the move, delaying you, you may end up setting them up in the dark. I have learned that the hard way. It was not fun.

 

[Swn58]

I would never move at night.. want full vision.. No need for extra ventilation at this time of the year. Just put both holding straps parallel not in cross formation, I chalk a line on roof to remind me of frame direction if moving a few hives. Yes frames run parallel to side of car. A crash /bump could cause the frames to swing and damage the bees. Just close down night before to ensure all bees in. I use Gorilla tape to seal front (other tapes available... but not as good) as found some tapes have come away from the wood in morning damp.

I have had to carry a few hives and swarms in cars and vans. Thank you for talking about the 'parallel frames' to the vehicle. It never occurred to me!
I have taped the entrances, but have found that you have to be careful not to leave exposed 'sticky bits' on the inside of the hive.
I have had a couple of funny bee-escape incidents. One involved a swarm, that my not so enthusiastic partner helped pick up. Obviously I had reassured her that all would be fine. 3000+ bees.....in a box, wrapped up in a curtain. What could possibly go wrong? Fifteen minutes from our destination my partner (driving) said she could see a bee.....and another.....another.....okay at LEAST 10 bees. Little devils! Before we knew it there were MANY bees. Our fifteen minute journey took about FIVE. She was out of the car faster than I could say jenkinsbrynmair. We never got stung....I had tried to calm her, by saying that the bees were not going to sting us, as they just wanted to be with their queen.
This was many years ago and there have been many other incidences where she will 'never forgive me.' Thank goodness we don't actually live together. I have a bath full of re-processed frames at the moment, soaking in soda crystals!

 

[Curly green finger's]

I have had to carry a few hives and swarms in cars and vans. Thank you for talking about the 'parallel frames' to the vehicle. It never occurred to me!
I have taped the entrances, but have found that you have to be careful not to leave exposed 'sticky bits' on the inside of the hive.
I have had a couple of funny bee-escape incidents. One involved a swarm, that my not so enthusiastic partner helped pick up. Obviously I had reassured her that all would be fine. 3000+ bees.....in a box, wrapped up in a curtain. What could possibly go wrong? Fifteen minutes from our destination my partner (driving) said she could see a bee.....and another.....another.....okay at LEAST 10 bees. Little devils! Before we knew it there were MANY bees. Our fifteen minute journey took about FIVE. She was out of the car faster than I could say jenkinsbrynmair. We never got stung....I had tried to calm her, by saying that the bees were not going to sting us, as they just wanted to be with their queen.
This was many years ago and there have been many other incidences where she will 'never forgive me.' Thank goodness we don't actually live together. I have a bath full of re-processed frames at the moment, soaking in soda crystals!

Hopefully the baths not in the house

 

[Ian123]

Obviously is that’s why they are living alone

 

[The Poot]

Four years ago, moving to an empty property in a rural location, decided to move hives at night, to attract no attention prior to moving in.
Didn’t fully appreciate how dark the new place was and carrying one across a lawn, my other half stepped into a hole, lost her balance and the hive fell sideways and the boxes split apart. She legged it and I could only fumble about trying to get the strapped up boxes on top of each other again. Unable to see and hearing the anger of the bees I had to leave it as was and return early next morning, defeating the object of stealth and secrecy. I found the bees in good spirits happily going about their business, was able to rebuild the hive and get them in place and didn’t get stung. Never again at night!