Moving hives: hypothetical quesiton

[clv101]

This hypothetical question came up in conversation last night:

Say I lived in Devon, and had an apiary of six hives.
Say I was to move house, to the Scottish highlands - near Inverness.

What would I do with my bees? Pack them up in a van and drive the hives north (I guess it would take two days) and cost a fair bit in van hire, fuel and time.
Or sell the lot down in Devon and buy new colonies when I'd moved to Scotland?

 

[Finman]

.
I suppose that you have much more beekeeping material and not only 6 hives.
getting back again those material is quite a job too.

 

[For want of a better word]

There is something to be said that keeping the local variety of bee is the most sensible thing to do.
Sell your colonies in Devon and buy new in Scotland.

 

[tyke]

If it was me - sell the bees, keep the equipment. Buy new bees in Scotland that are suited to the local area. Your "southern softies" might not fare too well in the far North!

Andy

 

[clv101]

If it was me - sell the bees, keep the equipment. Buy new bees in Scotland that are suited to the local area. Your "southern softies" might not fare too well in the far North!

That's pretty much what we concluded would be the easiest thing to do.

 

[Easy Beesy]

Errr, Inverness isn't really the far North - there's a long way between it and the North of the country. And it doesn't take two days driving either. But I agree, leave the softies at home!

 

[drstitson]

if moving house you'll surely be needing the van anyway? a stack of hives well wrapped in mozzie nets is no probs in a van.

no problem upping sticks with boxes of bees.

 

[Into the lions den]

That's pretty much what we concluded would be the easiest thing to do.

The Moray Firth area is actually a benign climate due to what is known as the Fohn Effect, your southern bees would probably do just fine, and its one of the best areas in Scotland for beekeeping. Easy to overplay the climate difference.

Buying bees in that area is a little problematical as the recent AFB outbreak in the Inverness area was moved around by people selling local bees. The inspectors think they may now have got to the bottom of it, but I suspect they may well be looking in depth again this coming season. (See the relevant section of Beebase).

The Inverness beekeepers group is one of the most active and vibrant in Scotland, and lots of good knowledge to exchange there. Early joining is strongly recommended. The quality of questions asked when I have spoken there is the best and most open minded I have ever encountered at an amateur association. ( You will gather I think they are a really good bunch.)

IF you choose to move the bees (technically not difficult and completely legal) then to look after your back arrange for them to be given a full inspection BEFORE you take off with them. Then declare your presence immediately to the local inspectors on arrival and let them know exactly who inspected them prior to moving and the date it was done, they may then wish to give them a fresh check.

You would be surprised at the number of colonies that make that kind of journey. I know of beekeepers who take bees to the heather in Invernessshire and Moray from the deep south. Not especially large numbers but it still goes on.