Moving my hive

[jenkinsbrynmair]

... I used wooden strips and gaffer tape to seal my under floor entrances.

keep an eye out for discarded sofa cushions - a piece of furniture foam cut to slightly larger dimensions than the entrance lobby, stuffs straight in in less than a second - job done.

 

[PaulCarroll]

Never moved a hive but always wondered “what if”. Surely if you have OMF once you seal the entrance bees will just look to escape via the floor? Or have I missed something in the thread??


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[Beefriendly]

Never moved a hive but always wondered “what if”. Surely if you have OMF once you seal the entrance bees will just look to escape via the floor? Or have I missed something in the thread??

Yes, how can a bee squeeze itself through a mesh far smaller than it?

 

[PaulCarroll]

I thought I read that to move hives it was best to use a solid floor and a travel screen. But I may have dreamt that!!


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[Beefriendly]

If you use a solid floor it's a good idea to use a travel screen which is a bit like an open mesh floor just it sits on top of the hive.
If you have an open mesh floor you have, in effect, a travel screen on the bottom of the hive.

 

[PaulCarroll]

I see the logic. Thank you for the clarification.


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[Curly green fingers]

I've moved two hives yesterday omf floors, and used a mesh crown board 80 miles no problem .. I used foam as the entrance block . No bee's escaped . The only probs I had was lifting them into the car a wee bit heavy with a super on top , I'm not doing that on my own again.
They were strapped up to the hilt.

 

[Popparand]

To relocate a hive:

1. Plan ahead
2. Check that there are no holes in the bb or floor big enough for bees to go in and out. (Specially if recently acquired.)
3. Check if a standard entrance block fits. (Again if you only just bought them the wood might have swelled so a standard entrance block wouldn't fit)
4. If entrance block doesn't fit, find a peice of wood the right length and slightly thinner. Wrap around with bubble wrap.
5. Get some cheap cargo straps. One is ok, 2 are better.
6. Get a crown board with feeder hole. Cut up a piece of plastic from an old milk container, and tape over hole with duct tape. Make lots of small holes with carving fork.
6. As late in the afternoon as poss, put on crown board with ventilation holes, strap whole lot together. ( Minus roof and supers if poss)
7. When you are ready to go, stuff entrance block into entrance, and secure with duct tape.
8. Lift bb onto trolley or carry away from site. As soon as you have moved 3 or 4 feet any flying bees will stay where they are. Amazing how they dont follow their old home!
9. If any bees follow they will alight on ventilation holes. Splash with water. They will go away. Pour water into hive through ventilation holes. This will calm the bees inside.
10. Take them to their new site straight away. Unstrap. Wait five minutes and flip out entrance block from behind hive and beat a retreat. The bees will fly out. But they will be too confused to have a go at you. (Might be a good idea to suit up).
11. Leave alone. Check after a few days. They will be as happy as Larry.

Job done.