Paying someone to move bee hives to another state?

[kimH]

I work for a research lab that is moving to another state late next summer. As we have research hives, we would like to take our hives with us, but are unsure if we can do it ourselves. Have any of you heard of a moving company/person who will move hives (~6) for a fee? I know all about the health inspection certificate needed for the new state, at this point I'm just trying to research ways to physically move the hives. After reading some old posts, I'm also considering shipping the hives as nucs, but I think moving whole hives would be a better option. Thanks for any suggestions.

[Rader Sidetrack]

Moving hives in cold weather is better than summer, but if you need to do it in summer, then its still doable. You need to be concerned about the bees getting overheated, but essentially you can just move the hives to a pickup or trailer and drive to the new location. It would be a good idea to drape a net over the hives once loaded.

Depending on the distance, it would be better if you could do the driving at night. I can't imagine that a moving company would be interested in moving live hives. You possibly could find a beekeeper to move them with the right incentives.

Using a carrier like UPS to ship nucs is not a good plan, IMHO.

[dixiebooks]

To what state are you planning on moving them? -js

[Oldtimer]

It's only 6 hives? Just load them on a open truck or trailer after they have settled for the evening, tie down well, don't block the entrances, and drive. If the drive is more than overnight put a beeproof net over the whole thing.

It's more important the bees don't suffocate, than losing a few bees. Entrances must be left open, don't put mesh over the entrances cos bees trying to get out can clog it and suffocate the hive.

If you want to block the hives completely, take the lids off and nail mesh over the top of the hive, the bees won't clog that. Then just make sure there isn't major wind blowing onto the mesh and into the hives.

[AmericasBeekeeper]

There are several trucking companies that move bees. You will pay more than you can rent a truck for unless you have several hundred. Budget and Penske rent flat bed trucks (stake beds) too. You can even get a liftgate if you want it. I can put 25 double stacked in my dually if they are not all double deeps. I could run all double deeps but why carry honey or a high center load.

[sqkcrk]

What's your budget?

[kimH]

We are moving from Connecticut to Texas in August and have no control over the timetable. The reason we really can't move the hives ourselves is the lab is moving too. No one in the lab owns a truck and we have to move our own cars at the same time. I would be interested in hearing about the companies who will move the hives as I'm also trying to price out how much it would cost. The budget probably depends on the professor's mood on the day I ask. Since Texas will have a longer "bee season" in which we can conduct research, we don't want to wait until April to start brand new hives. Plus we're monitoring the bees over time, so starting over with new packages wouldn't be a good idea.

[sqkcrk]

I know a trucker who charges $3.05/mile.

[Acebird]

Since Texas will have a longer "bee season" in which we can conduct research, we don't want to wait until April to start brand new hives.

You don't think that a move from CT to TX will mess up your research data? The move will cost ten times what the hives are worth. Buy 6 established hives when you get down there. In August they should be cheap.

[kimH]

You don't think that a move from CT to TX will mess up your research data?

Perhaps less so than obtaining new hives. We're studying the gut microbes of honey bees and have untreated hives. We have talked about "starting over," but are exploring the feasibility of moving the hives. She threatened to make one of the grad students drive them to Texas.

[Acebird]

We're studying the gut microbes of honey bees and have untreated hives.

You don't expect that to change going from an environment in CT to an environment in TX? Have you seen TX?

[sqkcrk]

kimH,
Clearly not economically practical. Not that that will stop anything, I imagine.

[BeeCurious]

She threatened to make one of the grad students drive them to Texas.

Isn't that the best solution?

[kimH]

You don't expect that to change going from an environment in CT to an environment in TX? Have you seen TX?

We don't know if it will actually change. If it changes that would be interesting, but we have a baseline history on the hives we have now and would know the gut microbes changed. I've never lived in Texas, but I also moved with the lab from Arizona three years ago (without bees).

[Rader Sidetrack]

No one in the lab owns a truck and we have to move our own cars at the same time.

You don't need a truck. Ryder and competitors rent "open" trailers, even one way. They will even install a hitch, if needed. Put the bees in an open trailer behind one of the cars that are driving to Texas anyway. In exchange, the lab pays for the car's gas, or pays to move the student's possessions that would otherwise get hauled to Texas by that car.

[oblib]

You don't need a truck. Ryder and competitors rent "open" trailers, even one way. They will even install a hitch, if needed. Put the bees in an open trailer behind one of the cars that are driving to Texas anyway. In exchange, the lab pays for the car's gas, or pays to move the student's possessions that would otherwise get hauled to Texas by that car.

Agree that this is the way to go.

[mmiller]

You don't need a truck. Ryder and competitors rent "open" trailers, even one way. They will even install a hitch, if needed. Put the bees in an open trailer behind one of the cars that are driving to Texas anyway. In exchange, the lab pays for the car's gas, or pays to move the student's possessions that would otherwise get hauled to Texas by that car.

Makes sense to me.

[BeeCurious]

I hope you're not going to Texas City.

[Mbeck]

Cage the queens and shake out all the bees.
Move just the queens and the empty hives and comb.
You can then requeen hives or add queen to a package of shook bees you buy when you get there.

I can't imagine that data taken during or for a couple months after the move is that valuable, but I have no idea. Depending on the time of year in a very short time your hives will have the same genetic as they did up north. The added bees new bees will die and the queen will replace.

[mathesonequip]

why don't you get a local beekeeper to take over the hives? you could get samples of bees sent to you and get whatever reports you need. your sample of 6 hives is to small to mean much now statisicaly,. the ohio state webair on bees had some good discussion on sample sizes for research, i think it was in august 2012, this can be listened to online. your changeing to much to get any valid hints at a conclusive observation. start over with new hives in texas and use the high cost of moveing the bees as a stipend for the new caretaker.