OMF enough ventilation for my move?

[Vergilius]

So... one of the swarms I caught has turned out to be a little bit fiery. Going to bite the bullet and move them from their current site (the bottom of my back garden) to the middle of nowhere (my grandad's field) before any of the family, or worse, my next-door neighbours get stung... The move is c. 5 miles (10 mins drive) and will be done tonight. My question is: is OMF (properly spaced from car boot floor) enough ventilation for such a move? I've only recently switched floor types, and in the past used solid floor + cover board to move...

Thanks in advance.

Ben P

 

[La Folie]

According to the Dave Cushman site, an OMF should be fine for a short journey of up to half an hour. I've done it for that length of journey with no problems as long as your car is cool inside on start. Late evening or even nightime would be best.

 

[Spikedog]

Ben, I moved two Nucs 20 miles over the weekend. Paynes with mesh floor set over 4" high wood piecess in boot and windows open (very warm day). Water spray on setting out - no issues. I was hurried so didnt transfer to travel box (Mesh top). Your distance should not prove to arduous for them as long as not confined too long before setting out. P

 

[Stiffy]

Be careful, friend of mine recently lost a hive with a OMF being moved about 4 miles on a hot day and was really upset. I have lost a nuc and it is sickening for the sake of a simple travel screen, https://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware-clothing/hive-hardware/moving?product_id=1733

or very simple to cobble together.
S
PS just re-read that you plan to move in evening which should be fine

 

[madasafish]

evening move should be OK.
To assist ventilation place hive on runners in car so raised off floor. (air flows under hive.)

And spray water into entrane to help cool them down..

As long as ambient<20C you should be Ok.

If you have aircon switch to cold...

 

[Vergilius]

I may just put a travelling board anyway... better safe than sorry etc.

Ben.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

When I'm moving hives, I often shut them in the night before and load them up ready for the move the following morning. They sit in the back of the truck (tailgate down) with just the OMF for ventilation, they usually get moved to their new location at 8 or 9 in the morning

 

[user 6228]

So... one of the swarms I caught has turned out to be a little bit fiery. Going to bite the bullet and move them from their current site (the bottom of my back garden) to the middle of nowhere (my grandad's field) before any of the family, or worse, my next-door neighbours get stung... The move is c. 5 miles (10 mins drive) and will be done tonight. My question is: is OMF (properly spaced from car boot floor) enough ventilation for such a move? I've only recently switched floor types, and in the past used solid floor + cover board to move...

Thanks in advance.

Ben P

NOT if the hive is poly... or if the hive is really full of bees.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Ive kept bees sealed in with OMF and a mesh "ceiling" for 36 hours and kept all the bees. Ambient during the day was easily 24 or 25 (during last year) However I did mistakenly have one hive in the same mesh-top-and-bottom configuration that went 48 hours...I lost about a third of the hive to suffocation. it was a packed single brood and it looked like desperate foragers had jammed the entrance (Sartre?) and a chain reaction of suffocation occurred.

 

[Vergilius]

Colony successfully moved with top and bottom ventilation! Big thanks to my dad for driving whilst I sat in the back with the cargo!

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Well done. Always an adventure, the first hive move. The next one won't be anywhere as stressful. Are you going to requeen your caught swarm?

 

[Vergilius]

Thankfully, had moved hives before, but always on solid floors with travel board...
Re HM, I don't envisage that I will need to re-queen tbh. The move is more a precautionary measure. Given next door have a couple of young kids, on restarting I had set myself a 'one strike and off' policy on grumpy bees. The bees were just a bit pingy on inspection and Dad got stung whilst gardening in the hours afterwards so off they went. I'm lucky to have this get out of jail free out apiary. If they become aggressive to the extent of unwieldiness will re-queen.

BP

 

[Frenchie]

I transported 2 colonies of bees when we moved to France,all with the correct paperwork. OMF and mesh top,caught the overnight ferry, sprayed with water when loaded onto ferry and was allowed down to the car deck to give them another spray mid channel. Bees survived fine.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

I transported 2 colonies of bees when we moved to France,all with the correct paperwork. OMF and mesh top,caught the overnight ferry, sprayed with water when loaded onto ferry and was allowed down to the car deck to give them another spray mid channel. Bees survived fine.

What was the overall cycle time from "close up to release " ?

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

 

[Frenchie]

Fom closing them up to release in France, about 8hrs. As I said travelled overnight and sprayed every 2hrs. Keen to keep these colonies as very gentle,good workers and never followed after an inspection.