Moving hives

[patrickr]

Hi all

I have to move my hives on Thursday evening as part of a house move: 4 x national hives and 1 x 6 frame nuc I'm moving them 170 miles (so well past the 3 mile rule!) inside a van. All the hives are on open mesh floors. The weather is obviously on the cool side. All the hives and the nuc currently have a slab of fondant on top of a crown board with an eke, some insulation and another sealed crown board. My question is, with the OMF, and considering the time of year, do I need a travel screen? My thinking is they will have ventilation from the floor and a travel screen will make them too cold, especially when I arrive the other end (I intend to leave them in the van until the following morning when we will carry them to their new apiary). I also need to regulate the heat in the van: too hot and they might overheat? too cold and I risk jolting a tight cluster on to the hive floor? Is there method in my madness?

Patrick

 

[Erichalfbee]

I would definitely have a travel screen whilst you are on the move. Simply pop the roof back on over night.
I wouldn't worry about a dense cluster falling on the floor. It's quite mild for the time of year and bees are not tightly clustered.
I did exactly the same thing a few years ago, just for a little further.

 

[domino]

I've never moved hives 170 miles, I have moved them about 15 and never thought of using a screen. Taking that into account (i.e. no practical experience) I would have thought open mesh floors inside a van provide lots of ventilation. Be an interesting thread.

 

[nantmoel]

Picked up hives once from a beekeeper giving up (70 miles way), with OMF they will be fine this time of year (little or no brood). I would block the entrances, strap them both ways to prevent any movement. They will be fine just make sure they are not all tucked up tight together and put them up on some wooden battern to give them better ventilation.

 

[patrickr]

Thanks for your replies so far! (I love this forum for the quick responses). I should have mentioned that I don't actually have any travel screens and would have to make them up - so obviously preferring the less labour-intensive method.....

 

[Boston Bees]

Is the back of the van enclosed i.e. no windows, and no access from the driver's seat?

 

[ericbeaumont]

strap them both ways to prevent any movement

Not sure what you mean, NM: a strap in one direction and another at right angles? I'd use two straps set parallel about 6 inches in from each end of the box.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have had to transfer hives about 60 miles several times this year for a customer and even during a warm spell I just strapped them up, sat the 4 hives on battens to allow better circulation via the OMF and fixed them down using the cargo rings in the van. After about 2 hours in the van the hives were quiet and didn't appear to be stressed when relocated.
That reminds me...... I have to do it again in mid March.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Thanks for your replies so far! (I love this forum for the quick responses). I should have mentioned that I don't actually have any travel screens and would have to make them up - so obviously preferring the less labour-intensive method.....

I would use some sort of travel screen even If it was a crown board modified. With some of this. you could use some of this to cover over the holes in the crown board, thus making a temp travel screen.
This is mesh from the roof of a new hive, as I put insulation in the roofs I leave the batons and mesh out and use the mesh to make travel screens.. I would go out to the shed and find one but it's raining and they are under all sorts of crap!
Morning!

Edit : If it was a short distance I might not use the above but you are travelling a fair way.

 

[Ian123]

You may well get away with it, on the other hand for 2 minutes work why take the chance.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not sure what you mean, NM: a strap in one direction and another at right angles? I'd use two straps set parallel about 6 inches in from each end of the box.

two parallell straps are much more secure than two crossed - less likely to twist apart

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Is the back of the van ventilated or heated? Is it a motorway journey or winding country roads? As long as it remains cold and you dont give them a bumpy ride I dont see the inhabitants of a windowless box noticing the difference until released. You could use some no pattern net curtain over the box and secured to the sides in lieu of a travel screen if absolutely necessary. Also sit the boxes on battens and strap or screw together as already suggested.

 

[The Poot]

Thanks for your replies so far! (I love this forum for the quick responses). I should have mentioned that I don't actually have any travel screens and would have to make them up - so obviously preferring the less labour-intensive method.....

Can’t offer advice as I’ve never done a distant move, but I do wish you the best of luck.

 

[patrickr]

Is the back of the van enclosed i.e. no windows, and no access from the driver's seat?

The back of the van is enclosed (no windows) but there is access from the driver's seat. ie. the whole van is open plan.

 

[patrickr]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll go for battens underneath, hives packed tightly together and maybe some mesh vents in the crown board. I'll do a little test on some supers with the cross straps versus side by side. I can see the logic.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I

Thanks for all the replies. I'll go for battens underneath, hives packed tightly together and maybe some mesh vents in the crown board. I'll do a little test on some supers with the cross straps versus side by side. I can see the logic.

If you do use mesh on the crown boards make sure the holes are know more than4/5mm because the bees will get through.

 

[patrickr]

Is the back of the van ventilated or heated? Is it a motorway journey or winding country roads? As long as it remains cold and you dont give them a bumpy ride I dont see the inhabitants of a windowless box noticing the difference until released. You could use some no pattern net curtain over the box and secured to the sides in lieu of a travel screen if absolutely necessary. Also sit the boxes on battens and strap or screw together as already suggested.

It's mostly smooth M4.....finishing with an incredibly bumpy track, which I will be taking extremely slowly!

 

[Boston Bees]

The back of the van is enclosed (no windows) but there is access from the driver's seat. ie. the whole van is open plan.

Wrap yourself up warm and keep the windows partly open, and the heaters off, then. That will ensure stale, hot air doesn't become a problem back there.

 

[patrickr]

Wrap yourself up warm and keep the windows partly open, and the heaters off, then. That will ensure stale, hot air doesn't become a problem back there.

Will do!

 

[enrico]

I made my own travel screen. The bees got through it!
Have your bee suit to hand in case some idiot runs into you. Nothing worse than a van full of stroppy bees and you trapped in the driving seat!!