Transporting a WBC

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Joined
Oct 30, 2010
Messages
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Location
South West
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
Miriads
I need to move some WBC hives about 100 miles
Present floor is mesh, not solid.
I have been looking at the 1930s Beekeeping Ministry of Information B&W moovies (now on u#tube.. google Beekeeping WBC u~Tube)

in part 4 putting to the heather..... WBC suddenly become Nationals, Dadants or Langstroths!

My intention is to place the WBC brood box onto a solid National floor with a sheet of foam to take up the bottom bee space and prevent frame wobbling, fix some perforated zinc over the entrance slot, and fit a crown board with porter escape in the feed hole
and all duck taped together.

Do you think it would be better to fix a sheet of varroh mesh in place of the crown board for better ventillation?

I know bees get sent thru the post in the USA... but how long can I safely keep them all in?

Is there any specific music I should play for the bees on the journey... or is anything from "The Voice of the Beehive suitable"
Should I drive in my full bee suit?
The remainder of the hives can go in the trailer
 
I would leave omf on floor, only change it to stop bits falling through if needed. Travel screen on top and block entrance. This is assuming you are moving the bees in just a brood box.

Tape all seams and strap the whole lot together.
 
What Paleo says is sound advice although I would use two straps North to South, East to West. In case one of straps fail and no need to worry about wearing the suit but take it with you just incase.

As for music they don't like "Flight of the Bumble Bee" for more than one reason :D
If she who must be obeyed is in the car she likes to listen to Classic FM when we drive long distance.
 
It goes without saying perhaps that the frames should be aligned fore and aft to resist braking/acceleration forces and take it easy on roundabouts.

Nothing wrong with a bit of Classic FM. Perhaps a bit of Carl Orff, O Fortuna, from Carmina Burana, with the bees doing the singing in the back. It might strike fear in the OH if they were to though . . .

Amusing thought . . . love those bees.
 
My bees just love meat loaf (Bat out of hell) just as we are going on a roundabout lol
 
knowing how WBC's seem to have space in the boxes for a follower board, I'd make sure you have them in place to stop frames swinging about...also pop some wooden blocks down between the brood/supers and the lifts IF you are moving it 'complete' to stop them moving about under braking

good luck - I have moved them before - get a helping hand !!

regards

Somerford
 
Thanks for all the advice folks... especially about the straps!:):):):)
Four WBC brood ( baby bee box) boxes relocated to the Apiary with "the most fantastic views in the UK"....successfully!:grouphug:
used National floors with an entrance block [later taped and screwed] to collect the ones who fled the WBC as it was dismantled around their ears..:gnorsi:.. each baby bee box with a super (honey box)full of winter supplies... quite heavy!

One little lady took great exception to leaving Kernow and crept up my trouser leg as I was entering the Saltash Tunnel..... with the inevitable sting below the knee!!!!!!:smilielol5::smilielol5::smilielol5:
I can only hope living in Devon will have a civilising effect on them!!!

((( for year 6 bee club as they will bee reading this and correktin my spellin for me ... no doubt!!)))):party:
 
Well done !!

I moved a WBC a few years ago that I purchased,It had not been looked after for a while,just take off supers feed and treat for a number of years.

I had to use a chisel and mallet to get the box's apart when I got them home.

I moved them late at night about 30 miles when I collected them,that had to be the smost terrifying hive move I ever did !!
 
due to lack of light... new moon in the depths of the back of beyond.... I had to use my jeeps headlamps to see.... do bees normally fly in the dark.... well all seemed to find their way back to the hives


Must be most isolated but bee~u~tiful scenic apiary anywhere... could just make out those dueling banjos!!!
 
If you can find someone with a busy honey house next summer, where there is no light except from the lights in the ceiling. You will notice the racket from bees and wasps flying around the lights.

Switch off all the lights. BZZzzzzz zzzzz plop. Silence.

I think it's the way that they were brought up, to stop them running and flying in the hive. :)

There are it seems exceptions to every rule though.
 
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