Interstate bee transportation

[Lew Best]

Just curious; what's involved in transporting hives across state lines? Don't know if I'd ever need to do so but in the event I happened to find some hives "out of state" to buy or trade something for? Never know what I may come up with! smile.gif

Lew

[Michael Bush]

It varies from state to state. Some require health certificates from the state of origin. Some require inspections by both the state of origin and the destination. Some states require inspections for hives traveling through. You will have to check the laws in the state you are in, the state you are getting the bees from and the states you will travel through.

[Brian Suchan]

Just drive real fast & see if they try & chase you down. No actually Michael was right it all varies from state to state.

[King bee apiary]

I think alabama has a no comb law.bees fine,bees on comb a no no.

[peggjam]

Is there any one consolidated site where someone could get all the information for all the states as to requirements for interstate transportation of bees, hives, ect??

peggjam

[Bob Harrison]

I don't know of a site with all the information. Beekeeping is a very small industry. The truth of the matter most migratory beekeepers get only the permits they absolutely need in most cases.


Loads of bees move up and down the interstates all the time without permits.

[tecumseh]

when we moved (many years back) bees from texas to north dakota we acquired health permits (I think the same is true for any type of livestock) on both ends of the line from the state bee inspector. you also need to have a permit to move bees from county to county within texas if you have some magic number of hives (greater than 6 if memory serves). I just acquired one of these application from the state bee inspector (paul jackson). the in state permit minimum requirement is greater than 6 hives located in a minimum of 2 counties (you will need to list exactly which counties you operate within). you do not have to list exact phyical location, since texas law considers this to be a personal trade secret.

[George Fergusson]

I spoke to a local migratory beekeeper recently here in Maine that winters over in Georgia and he said he gets a Maine license to take bees OUT of maine, and a Maine Apiary license to bring bees INTO Maine. He didn't say anything about any states he was passing through. With you being in Texas Lew, there may be some additional shenanigans required due to AHB concerns.

I'd speak with your State Apiarist to start with.

George-

[Susan]

As we did ( we retired )hauled bees in all 48 states, check with the port of enty. Utah is one of the worst. Texas to Calif is also bad, varies of the county of orgins. Have health papers.