I will be moving my bees for the last time (i hope) in October to a place where it can flood up to about 3 or 4 feet. My plan is to place 6 centerblocks down lendthwise in 2 rows of 3 and place the same set up in the middle and on the other end and run two boards down the middle and place the hives on top.
Do not go there. IMHO it's not worth the risk, hassle, anguish, assuming there is no damage. On the other hand if it does flood and you lose your hives, you'll be asking yourself "What was I thinking?"
And use a ladder to put the supers on? And when the four foot (48") of water comes through and gets taller than the 24" (three rows) of cinder blocks then what?
What does "can flood" mean exactly? It floods most every spring? It flooded once in 1883? It flooded once ten years ago? It floods anytime there is a dowpour?
I think that if you must put them there you had better build a raft or barge to insure they survive. Isn't there any other possibilities for a bee site?
Farther up the hill would be much better not just the flood and haveing to use a ladder will be bad.The moisture that will be in the low spot will be enought to make use nuts fighting chalk brood.
the area that it is on, Carnation, WA., is a farm town and it does flood. The water rises and than receeds. There is not current that will sift the hives away. This is the best spot I have found that has commadations.
I am talking with the owner today. He mentioned that the water comes up to about knees height....so two to four inches.
Why are you putting your hives in a flood plain? Dont you have a better location to winter your hives? Seems like the damp would be an invitation for problems.
"Maybe you should plant four posts in the ground and build a platform to put them on? You could put the platform four feet off the ground."
Consider making the platform big enough so you can work while standing on it. Then you won't be reaching up a thousand feet to reach the supers.
Or were you planning on putting the hives back to a more ground level height after the flooding season is passed? I would worry about off season flooding in that case.
Consider building an yourself an Ark. Make it 40 cubits by 30 cubits...
Seriously Chef, I'd like to hear why you feel you need to put your hives at risk like this. It sounds like you couldn't pick a worse place if you tried. What are the circumstances?
Not to be rude, but you guys do not understand. I have been looking for two months for a place to put my bees. I have gottan rejected a lot and I finally found two farmers who would let me put my bees on their land. The drawback... it floods in the low lands.
I talked with the owner today and we reviewed some old pictures he took and we found a place that the flood waters do not get to. I am still going to put the bees on the block.
As a rule, low lying areas are prone to moisture and cold air drainage, bothe detrimental to bees. Not to rain a flood on your parade (or your hives) Chef but I'd keep looking. Call the cooperative extension or Farm Bureau.
>I talked with the owner today and we reviewed some old pictures he took and we found a place that the flood waters do not get to. I am still going to put the bees on the block.
I'd find a diffrent spot unless it is worth the honey produced then I would use pallets so they would possibly float and stay upright. Works good unless 1 hives weighs 300lbs and the other weighs 100lbs.Then they fall over and sometimes not float. pallet work best for doubles with no singles use the blocks to tie pallets to.Got pics of floater when flood of 78 hit mn will post here if I can find them.
I am curious as to why you are moving bees in October as opposed to waiting until early spring to put them on this land? At any rate, don't make a decision in haste you might regret. If I thought there was a chance of flooding, I wouldn't put my bees there.
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