Moving the Hive

[The Soap Pixie]

How terrible would it be to attempt disassembling a hive and moving it a few inches in mid 30 degree weather?

Our backyard became extremely water logged, our hive nearly tipped today because of the layer of mud/water it was standing in. I told my hubby to separate the boxes and move the hive to more level, dryer ground and he told me to think twice about that.

Need advice? I have to feed the girls syrup as they've gone through the last couple frames of honey in just 2 days Now it is getting cold again and I'm afraid the darn hive is going to topple. The syrup is slightly slanted due to the shifting of the hive and I'm not sure that it won't leak since it isn't level either

Is it too much to ask for my beekeeping to go smoothly. My girls have made it this far, why does the hive have to tilt

[jjgbee]

get some shoring and put it under the hive. Use a lever and pivot to lift the hive to slip shoring under it. Give me a lever and I will move the world.

[RayMarler]

Try a hand truck to move it without taking it apart, if you can manage it in the wet mud. Lay down some plywood for the path for the hand truck.

[Bee Bliss]

Maybe in addition to shoring up the hive, you could also put one of those portable sump pumps in the puddle and attach a garden hose. Make sure it's grounded which usually home outlets are. Pump it. Not sure how many inches of water you are talking about.

[indypartridge]

Try a hand truck to move it without taking it apart, if you can manage it in the wet mud. Lay down some plywood for the path for the hand truck.

I'd try to move it without taking it apart. Could you put some ratchet straps on it to hold it together, seal the entrance, and then you & your husband lift it onto a wagon, cart, wheelbarrow, hand truck, whatever?

[scdw43]

Put some boards under the low side say 1"x6". When it gets warmer you can move the hive a couple of feet. I have my stands made out of two pieces of 4x4 with 2x2 nailed across them. I can just slide a hive if I need to.

[The Soap Pixie]

Last night a storm hit, I wasn't expecting it til today. We propped the hive up with some heavy logs, wedging them under the handles and planting them deep in the mud. We also took a piece of wood that we had in the back to lean the hive forward a bit so water wouldn't settle in the bottom and put it in the front to lean it back. After today there is no way to move the hive since the entire backyard is covered in water now Unfortunately we have clay soil and the water is just sitting. I'll get over to the hardware store and pick up a ratchet strap. I need to talk with a landscaper about how we can set something permanently to pump water out of the yard. Thank you for the input and help everyone. So far it is sitting more upright then before. When we are out there we feel like we are in quicksand. Who knew 5 feet of snow would leave us with this.

[Scrapfe]

Perhaps your problem is in-penetrable clay soil. Think about digging a shallow ditch and installing a perforated plastic drain pipe that leads to a natural drainage area like a ditch, hillside, road bank, or other down slope, maybe even surround the perforated pipe with crushed stone to increase the water flow both in and out. Once the grass returns you can't even tell where it is, but standing water will find it and quickly go elsewhere. Next spring, problem solved.

[The Soap Pixie]

Thank you, thank you, thank you Scrapfe!!! You've been a great help!!

The soil is definitely in-penetrable. In the past, water would sit on the surface for up to one week, now with all this snow melt, rain and excess water, it could be week(s). We have a pond just outside our property line, would a drain pipe down to the pond be efficient?

[Vance G]

This happens every time you paint a hive teal! } Just keep it propped up till the ground dries out. As long as you can wade thru the muck to make sure they don't starve, they won't even notice. Just part of the grand adventure.

[Scrapfe]

... We have a pond just outside our property line, would a drain pipe down to the pond be efficient?

Remember water flows down hill. Is all the drainage from your property destine for this pond? If so, you are only helping things along. But remember it is considered uncouth in most courts of law to turn large amounts of water loose onto the property of another or to divert flowing water permanently away from anothers land.

In the meantime, follow Vance G's advice and resist painting any more of you hives mallard green or merganser red.

[The Soap Pixie]

In the meantime, follow Vance G's advice and resist painting any more of you hives mallard green or merganser red. LOL!!

I walked right into that one didn't I

Well, I woke to find that the pond and the water in my yard are now ONE. We also have snow. This just gets worse by the minute. At this point we have to save the hive and our basement. Will attempt Vances suggestion of propping the hive up as high as possible without the ground giving way too much but in case it gets even worse...
Can a hive be moved several feet without issue? I'm thinking the only thing we can do before the pond consumes the hive is move it right up to the side of the house. We were told in class that moving a hive could be a problem for the bees but I can't remember exactly why, not finding their way home maybe? Not that they are venturing out now though.

[HONEYDEW]

If its snowing and raining that much the girls probably aren't flying, and I have been told if they are stuck in for a while that they have to reorientate anyway

[Vance G]

I understand your concern and I apologize for making light of your trouble. I don't think it would hurt a thing to move them at your current temperatures up by your house. Buy or borrow a flat plastic kids sled and one of you pull and the other balance the hive. I once got a call from my mother because one of my yards 26 colonies, got flooded out at snow melt and the hives were floating down a seasonal creek with the flood. I spent a day roping them YEE HAW from a bridge as they floated under it and dragging them to shore to save the equipment. Actually saved a few colonies who made their way to the part of the two deeps floating above the water level. Not a good day. When your spring flood goes down, you can move them back the same way quietly at night. Best of luck to you. I bet they aren't hurt yet.

[The Soap Pixie]

and I have been told if they are stuck in for a while that they have to reorientate anyway

I wondered about that... thanks for your input. It should be a long while before they can come out again so I think this will work.

Vance,

It's ok, I told my hubby yesterday that I was being told my troubles were due to painting the hive pink and teal and he agreed Where are the woman beekeepers to appreciate such a fine art?

26 colonies? I feel anxious now, I would have had a nervous breakdown if I seen 26 float away. Thank you for the reminder about moving at night, I had completely forgotten about that.

[Bee Bliss]

How deep is/was this water? Maybe instead of just drain tile, you should consider good fill! Give the yard a little pitch. It'll still drain a little even when the ground is frozen.

[Omie]

Pixie, if you move your hive a few feet or yards, you can help the bees re-orientate by placing some branches around the entrance so they will stop and pay attention before they just go flying off- apparently it helps them realize something has drastically changed and they will re-orientate to the new spot before going off to forage.

It's ok, I told my hubby yesterday that I was being told my troubles were due to painting the hive pink and teal and he agreed Where are the woman beekeepers to appreciate such a fine art?

Pixie, I'm afraid it's true- all your hive problems are due to the girly-girl powderpuff sissy pink and teal color scheme.
I am actually about to repaint all my pretty sunflower/skyblue hive components a nice manly-man spruce green. For real- I bought the paint last week.
I suggest you also change your user name from The Soap Pixie to The Lye Ogre, or Brillo Pad Commando or some such. This will whip all your bees into shape and make them quit jerking you around.

[The Soap Pixie]

Omie,

Thank you for the additional advice!

It seems I may have to compromise on color for the hive I'm getting next week then. Perhaps pastel blue? After all, the colony is all girls and I wouldn't want them to get confused.

Brillo Pad Commando. LOL!!!!

I knew it was only a matter of time before people figured out that my bees wear the pants over here.

Bee Bliss,

This is what it looks like out our back window so far: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lneq4qGI74...s1600/hive.jpg

The water you see is much deeper than the areas under the snow. The water level under the snow is only about an inch. When you step into it you sink a few more inches and that area will fill with even more water. The pool you see is connected to the pond beyond the fence and I watched the deer wading through it yesterday and it seems to be a few inches deep (3-5 maybe), I haven't physically checked it though.

Good thing the sump pump is working, however overtime, I hope the motor doesn't give out. If were were to fill in that deepest area could that cause water to back flow into our basement? Right now the house is up a slope a bit so that water runs down towards pool.

[Vance G]

What are you trying to do to me? I have some pastel blue hive bodies! What if I too go to the dark side?? I shocked a lot of people with those thirty years ago when every hive was white. Mine came from buying whatever mismanaged paint was available.