Starting to worry about move tomorrow.

[Vergilius]

Okay.

Moving my aggressive colony to an out apiary tomorrow morning (my grandpa's field). After doing a quick prelim last weekend I know that they are doing fantastically well. As this is my first experience of moving hives I am starting to worry a bit though; is there any chance that this colony, which has been going well for three years now, may suffer from the move??? As this was the first colony I ever had I do not want to loose them... Would like to hear from those of you who do move yours around a bit, just to settle my worries a bit!!!


Ben P

 

[Drew]

Well I am not that experienced at moving hives but last year I had to move mine across the garden - but that meant moving it a few miles down the road to my mates garden for a week or two and then back to it's new place about 30 yards from where it started.

I was a little nervous (like you) but prepared what I thought I needed and then on the night:
1) Blocked the entrance at dusk.
2) Wrapped a couple of straps on
3) Picked up the whole lot and put it in the back of the car (hatch back)
4) Drove to my mate
5) Put the hive on the stand and pulled out the block.

Had a coffee with my mate then went home.
Popped to fuss a couple of times but basically left them to it for a couple of weeks. Then block back in and brought them home (even more casually).

No problems just prepare well and go for it.

 

[Vergilius]

Okay.

Thanks for the advice. It is on one of those standard wooden hive stands which means that it is nigh-on impossible to lift off- would there be a problem with strapping the hive to the stand and putting it in the boot of the car? Or would it be too unstable to move on the stand?


Ben P

 

[Chris B]

You need a travel screen, but you'll proabably get away with having a mesh floor. Sealing them in without a way to ventillate can easily be a death sentence, and the bigger the colony the greater the risk.

 

[Vergilius]

You need a travel screen, but you'll proabably get away with having a mesh floor. Sealing them in without a way to ventillate can easily be a death sentence, and the bigger the colony the greater the risk.

I am still on wooden floor but I heard that a travelling screen was not necessary at this time of the year! I do have one but I have not fitted because of this advice. I will be moving them early tomorrow morning so it will not be hot...


Ben P

 

[Drew]

Okay.

Thanks for the advice. It is on one of those standard wooden hive stands which means that it is nigh-on impossible to lift off- would there be a problem with strapping the hive to the stand and putting it in the boot of the car? Or would it be too unstable to move on the stand?


Ben P

It needs to be stable enough not to fall over..... so don't do a "boy racer".

If you can pick it up and wedge it in then I would think you are good to go.
As long as you are not travelling for hours I don't suppose it'll matter much.

If you move them a lot then I expect you'll learn all sorts - but for a one off KISS!!

 

[Vergilius]

It needs to be stable enough not to fall over..... so don't do a "boy racer".

If you can pick it up and wedge it in then I would think you are good to go.
As long as you are not travelling for hours I don't suppose it'll matter much.

If you move them a lot then I expect you'll learn all sorts - but for a one off KISS!!

I am only miving them 4 to 5 miles... That is why many people have said that a travelling screen is not necessary.


Ben P

 

[oliver90owner]

Ventilation is important.

A mesh over the entrance should be adequate for a short journey - but you need to factor in the worst case scenario re journey time. Sealing the entrance might be alright for a short period but overheating can soon set in if the bees get agitated.

I use a travel screen/top ventilation of some description for every move if at all possible for a full colony. My travel screens are simply a varroa floor with a wood frame - much similar to a crownboard - just ratchet strapped with three small straps. My lorry/trailer straps are often used, in practise, but are rather OTT for the job!

Regards, RAB

 

[fredbloggs]

Stand the hive in the car so the frames face from front to back of car and not across it . This will prevent the frames slapping back and forth squashing them. Wear your suit with the hood up in the car! You might look a dick but better that than driving in a petrol station with a few thousand escapees trying to kill you - know a man who did that. Remember a water spray is better to have ready.

When you arrive, don't be in a big rush to release asap . When you do put something over the entrance (like shrubbery) to slow them down a bit. Remember they need to learn where their new home is.

Just check and double check. Don't rush and all will go ok. Let us know how differently you'd do it next time!!

Regards

FB

 

[Drew]

I am only miving them 4 to 5 miles... That is why many people have said that a travelling screen is not necessary.


Ben P

I did mine mid-summer and it wasn't cool even at night when they went, I sweated like a pig heaving the hive into the back of the car (bit easier at the other end with Mates help).

I do have OMF but it was stood on the floor so not a lot of air movement.

5 miles - 10-15 minutes in the cool early morning - don't stress it!
I may be wrong and no doubt the experts might disagree but come on 10-15 minutes!!! Obviously don't stop on the way for a full english....

 

[dickbowyer]

Last year I moved two hives as above. I looked like, felt like and was named Dick

 

[Vergilius]

The feed holes in the CB are not blocked so they will have some air-flow.


Ben P

 

[Chris B]

It's less to do with outside temperature, more to do with density of bees inside. I've had 3 meltdowns on 2 separate occasions, both times on cold nights and with mesh floors in place. The common factor was all strong colonies.

 

[Andy Coleman]

wbc move

I moved my wbc about 3 weeks ago - these come with the stand, so I just put a couple of hive straps around the base and over the brood & half boxes. I also used a large amount of gaffer tape to seal the cover and the joints of the boxes; also although I had a foam strip to put over the entrance, this wasn't a close fit, so more gaffer tape. Don't forget to align the frames in the direction of travel to minimise frame "slap". Did mine about 9:30 am while still fairly cool, having sealed them up about 7:00 am. Move went fine, and they seem pretty vigorous in the new site.

good luck!

 

[Poly Hive]

I am not criticising but leaving bees unventilated and shut in for over two hours before moving is a little risky.

I shut in, strap and move asap.

PH

 

[Vergilius]

I am not criticising but leaving bees unventilated and shut in for over two hours before moving is a little risky.

I shut in, strap and move asap.

PH

I am going to shut them in and go.

Ben P

 

[Erichalfbee]

I moved a hive in June last year. It was a nuc from my BKA that had been installed into a National four weeks earlier. It was full.
It was my first colony and apart from checking it twice before I brought it home the first thing I had to do to it was move it to my apiary.
It was moved at 7am.
Hubby and I closed the entrance, put a travel screen on top, strapped it up,placed it frames perpendicular to direction of travel and drove gingerly for 10 miles.
We had a 4x4 which is a lumpy drive but the bees were OK.
At home we put the roof on the travel screen opened the entrance which was then covered in grass and branches and left them for an hour.
Then we took off the travel screen, put on the crown board and roof.

 

[wondervet]

How long were they shut in for when it all went wrong Chris? Are even short journeys a risk without extra ventilation?

 

[Chris B]

How long were they shut in for when it all went wrong Chris? Are even short journeys a risk without extra ventilation?

On the last occasion I closed them up about 10 p.m. and loaded onto the back of the pick-up. I left them until 4 a.m. at which point the meltdown had already happened and there was honey all over the place. However, other colonies were absolutely fine. Outside temperature was somewhere in the range 5 to 10 C. The mesh floors are the Swienty poly types, where the arches in the floor allow ventilation, but not adequate in this case. Now I always use a travel screen if there's any volume of bees in the box.

The fact is bees can emit a great deal of heat. Did anyone notice shrinkback of snow from entrances a couple of months ago, at a time when population was it's smallest. The broodnest is maintained at mid-thirties. Meltdown temperature is when the comb starts collapsing - I don't know what temperature but I'd guess 45 to 50C. So if they generate heat faster than the ventilation can lose it, they don't have much leeway.

 

[RoseCottage]

I wouldn't panic but If you have travel screens available I would use them. If anything happened to your car...flat tyre, traffic queues, etc it could be an unfortunate, avoidable situation.