Suggestions wanted for how to move a hive of bees on your own.

[Kittih]

I was planning to pick up my first hive of bees, which is being sold by the local BKA apiary. The apiary manager was going to help me carry the hive to the car and then to my apiary site at the other end.

The nearest car parking area to the apiary has now been closed due to corona so it would mean a long walk with us both walking close together carrying the hive.

Given social distancing, I would now rather not involve anyone else to help carry the hive. However the combined weight of the brood box, floor and roof is too heavy and awkward for me to manage on my own.

Is there some way I could transport the bees in a way that would be possible for me to carry? Perhaps transfer the brood frames and queen in a nuc or two?

It is sunny but cold here currently. The colony is nice and strong, has overwintered well at the apiary and has been eating lots of fondant. If the nuc transfer method is an option when would be best to move the frames over? If I swapped them into the nuc when it was warmest, say about 14 degrees C and put the nuc where the hive had been would any stray bees find their way back into the nuc?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Ian123]

At this time of year even full size hives and if in a double brood could be condensed into a single brood box for moving. So really not looking at any more than a floor bb and travel screen. Simply get them strapped up and put in a wheel barrow.

 

[Kittih]

Thanks for your reply. It is just a standard brood box, floor and roof. But all together it is too heavy and awkward for me to lift and carry the distance (not very strong female ). I could see if i can get a travel screen as thet would be lighter than the roof.

No access to a wheelbarrow though if this is the only option I can try and find somewhere locally that is open and is selling them but would rather avoid this unless it is the only option.

 

[Ian123]

Well forget the roof weight your not going to move a hive with the roof on? And how are you intending to move brood boxes or supers full of honey in the best of times. Ian

 

[Newbeeneil]

Surely someone at the apiary has a hive barrow or at least a wheel barrow you could borrow? At our apiary we have an hive barrow for collecting the supers at harvest time. - probably something they should invest in?

 

[Curly green finger's]

I was going to say if your suited up and manage to borrow a hive barrow you will be in front and your help will be behind..
I think this milarky has gone far enough!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Can you not leave the bees where they are for now or at least until you do have help.
If you can’t manage a single brood box on your own you are going to find beekeeping a little difficult. One answer would be to transfer the bees into a long hive once you do get them home.

 

[enrico]

Buy a sack trolley off eBay. Deliver next day. Remove roof of hive and put on a board base. strap with ratchet straps in both directions and bobs your uncle
E

 

[For want of a better word]

Think...
Do you actually HAVE to move the bees?

Chons da

 

[Antipodes]

I use the sack trolley method here in Aus as per Enrico's suggestion. I always ensure the hive is secure and the bees are secure inside the hive and I have methods that I can elaborate on if needed, however the issue for you (if moving the full hive) may be getting them from the trolley into the back of your car given the weight and awkwardness as you say. That is generally a two person thing. Is it a station wagon?

 

[user 819]

I converted a wheel barrow by removing the tub and replaced it with a base/box with 100mm sides so the hive sits perfectly flat and use straps to secure also use a flat base cycle trailer for towing on a e- bike/pedelec locally.

 

[thorn]

I was going to say if your suited up and manage to borrow a hive barrow you will be in front and your help will be behind..
I think this milarky has gone far enough!

What "milarky"? Trying to stay safe and not spread the virus by observing the two metre rule?

 

[Curly green finger's]

What "milarky"? Trying to stay safe and not spread the virus by observing the two metre rule?

OK just make the handles longer on the beehive lifter.

 

[madasafish]

I use my standard wheelbarrow.
The base is big enough to take a hive floor. (measure if you have one)..
I would:
place a sack/old towel, old jersy at bottom of barrow to absorb jolting.
remove roof and any supers.
close up hive entrance >1 and gaffer tape floor ,brood box and crown board together before moving.

Lift above mix into barrow. strap around hive to keep it in barrow if it falls sideways over a bump.#
Move to car.
Lift into car.
Repeat with supers and floor.

# If you have to do it on your own - which may be diificult due to weight, then - assuming you have a hive stand - plank from stand to ground.. slide hive down it. Use an old carpet or piece of card between floor and plank to make moving eaiser and pull teh carpet with one hand making sure the hive does not topple over... >2
Another plank at bottom to wheelbarrow... and into car..

>1 Preferably close up the day before or early morning... then with no bees around you can get somone to help withno need for a suit on...
>2 I moved a large deepfreeze into and out of a car using this method. It weighed a lot - there was no way I could lift it on my own - the lady owner helped though - too much for one person due to the size..


The key is to think through each stage of the move IN ADVANCE so you know what you need to do when and where.. so you cover every eventuality...

 

[Swarm]

Wheel barrows are OK for some but maybe a bit difficult for a 'not so strong female'. I can understand that, the ground may not be even and with that single wheel up front, the whole lot could tip sideways.
I doubt it's the weight that's the problem, remove roof, strap, etc. I suppose most could manage to lift that but the OP explains the car parking area has been closed off, meaning carrying or pushing a bit too far to manage.
As Mark has suggested, get some help and make a Sedan Chair set up using two lengths of 2x2, that way the job is easy and you both maintain a sensible distance.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've often used a standard wheelbarrow to move hives, roof off, two parallel straps and it sits nicely in the pan (of course, if you have some ***** who insists on keeping the feeder holes open you need to close them up) or, make your own barrow - like these two, the one with the plastic bread basket is a bit flimsy but will carry a full brood box or three full supers easily and is so light can easily be thrown in the back of your car.

 

[For want of a better word]

OK just make the handles longer on the beehive lifter.

Classic!

Chons da

 

[Beefriendly]

If lifting and moving heavy weights is an issue for you I can strongly recommend a Kaptar Hive Lifter.
I have the manual one, which works a treat, although it does take a bit of getting used to. They do an all electric version with powered wheels as well as powered lifting. Not cheap, but I couldn't do half the migratory beekeeping I do without one; worth every penny. Can be used to lift heavy supers off while inspecting as well.
https://-------.eu/beehive-lift-kaptarlift/

 

[Popparand]

The key is to think through each stage of the move IN ADVANCE so you know what you need to do when and where.. so you cover every eventuality...

Best piece of advice!

 

[Kittih]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. No hive lifters or hive barrows at the apiary to borrow but you are right its something they need to add to their kit list.

Following all your suggestions I have thought outside the box and realised that an old wheelchair can be used as perfect bee hive transport as the seat is the same width as the hive.

The issue I had wasnt the weight on its own. I can lift individual full supers/brood big for hive manipulations when doing inspections. It was more the carrying of an awkward shape a long distance over roughish terrain. Moving supers etc at my new apiary will only involve carrying them a couple of meters to the car. Waiting would be a possibility but given social distancing will be a thing for at least the rest of the season it would be nice to move them now.