simple questions - moving a hive

[jbeshearse]

When you move a hive (less than a two hour trip), how do you "restrain" the bees, close off the entrance, etc? What about ventilation? What time of day? Do you move in the late evening is best to insure that all the foragers are back?

This move is in Florida where temps are in the 70's

thanks,

jeb

[SwedeBee1970]

Jeb,

From where to where ?

In a pickup truck ?

Remove the inner lid and place outer lid on. Block the entrance completely. Early morning before sun comes up and/or just after dusk when all the bees have returned. I'd suggest the latter since the bees are winding down for the night. Circulation shouldn't be an issue unless you're traveling more than a few hours. Use some heavy layering of cardboard to set underneath the hive and strap them down good.

[jbeshearse]

Thanks for the reply.

I will be moving three hives about 30 miles in the back of a pickup.

[SwedeBee1970]

Providing you can carry them whole, set them right up against the bulk head side by side, entrance facing the bulk head. There will be some space between hives because of the lids. An easier way is to tie down to a large pallet for a forklift load/unload if available. Cushion between the side ends with something and in between the hives. I'm assuming this is a full size pickup bed. Strap down the top center of the lids only. Secure them to the side rails or supports. This should be enough to keep the supers from shifting around. Once you start driving, wait about 5 miles, stop, then recheck the strap(s). This is a common practice with truck drivers. Putting the hives on cardboard will help you drag them to the end of the tail gate. Try to keep them as level as possible when transporting.

[jdpro5010]

I would definitely provide some ventilation for any trip. Bees get real hot real quick and tend to like to breathe also. At a bare minimum just use a screen to close off the bottom. I would also try to provide some top ventilation also.

[CentralPAguy]

I needed to move 15 hives and did it the following way. At the point of the move, I only had one deep and one super and I did it the following way by using extra bottom boards and Inner Covers.

1) In the afternoon, I went into my Beeyard and separated my shallow from my super.
2) Placed a Wooden Inner Cover on top of the deep. I covered the opening in the inner cover with screen by stapling it to it.
3) Screwed the Wooden Inner Cover to the Deep.
4) Since the deep already had a wooden bottom board, I then securely strapped the bottom board, deep, and Inner Cover together.
4) I did the same for the Shallow and since it was the middle of the day, I stacked the Shallow super on its own bottom board and Screened Wooden Inner Cover again screwed down into the shallow. I then securely strapped this set together.
5) I then stacked the shallow combination on top of the deep combination and let the bees choose which entrance that they wanted to enter.
6) In the evening, I jammed wet cloths into the openings of the bottom board and loaded them up and took them to their new homes. Of course, I was only going 20 minutes away so you may want to jam screen material into the bottom board opening.
7) With this process, I was able to do the move myself without the fear of a hive tumbling on me.
8) The bees were not too happy with the jostling and one kissed me. But I was delighted and have used this approach multiple times.

[SwedeBee1970]

Bottoms with a screen option would be nice.

[RayMarler]

When moving beehives, I always load them up and strap them in just as it's dark in the evening when all foragers have returned and the bees are settling in for a nights worth of indoor work. I load them up and strap them in tight. I don't close off the entrances at all. I then move them the next morning just before sunup. Bees stay in the hive once you start up and start driving. When you get to the new location, unload them quickly with the truck still running, as the vibrations will help to keep them in the hives.

[NasalSponge]

One easy method for closing off the entrances and still allowing ventilation is to use steel wool like so....

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k312/NasalSponge/IMG_0196-1.jpg

[Michael Bush]

I have them propped up 1 1/2" from the bottom on screened bottom boards and I duct tape the entrances (mine are on top) closed and strap it all down well. But then I don't move them in the heat. Usually it's spring or fall.

[BoBn]

It's also a good plan not to inspect the hive for a week or so before you move them. You don't want loose frames swinging back and forth when you are driving over bumps.

[suttonbeeman]

A quick simple method to close off entrances is to use screen wire cut about 2 inches wide and fold in middle(length wise)making a "v" Insert in entrance, the "springy" of the wire will hold in place. It should be long enough to reach side to side.....just a little longer than actual entrance. If you are going to move after dark in a open truck just pick them up at dusk, load and go...we never close on pallets and I didnt before unless it was in morning when it got light.

[jbeshearse]

Thanks for all the supplies. I like the steel wool suggestion. These will be my first hives, so I will inspect them prior to moving. Unfortunately these do not have screened bottom boards. They are also 10 frame deep brood chambers with 10 frame medium (Illinois) supers. Since I intend on converting them to 8 frame mediums I may or may not build some 10 frame screened bottoms for these hives until I can move them into mediums.

Its my plan to but a queen excluder on top of the lower hive body, then put a 8 frame medium on top of that (with an adapter to close up the difference). I would think this will force the colony to move up into the 8 frame medium. Over the next few months.

Our winters are minimal, normal highs are usually in the 60's. We do get a few below freezing days a year, but not for any extended time. If it freezes here for more than 3 days in a row, we consider it a hard freeze.

In this weather, do will the bees draw out foundation on the new frames? I will be using pure beeswax foundation as I do not have any other medium drawn foundation to force straight foundationless frames. Plan to start going foundationless as soon as I build up enough drawn foundation to use as spacer/guides.

Any thoughts?

[jdpro5010]

I would just take the frames out of the 10 frame equipment and put them in 8 frame equipment in the spring.

[jbeshearse]

Its changing from deeps to mediums that is the issue.

jeb

[Jeffzhear]

I staple the boxes to each other and the bottom board using hives staples. Then I use steel screen from collected used screening, thrown away by neighbors (on their garbage) and screen the entrance by cutting a length to fit exactly the size of the entrance by three inches wide. Then I fold it in half lengthwise and push it into the entrance....thus sealing the entrance while offering ventilation. I strap the tops down and move them after dark or b4 daylight.