Paying someone to move bee hives to another state?

**kimH** · 12-12-2012, 08:30 AM

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll probably look into the cost of renting an actual truck. If the professor is serious about moving the hives, she'll probably have to pay to ship someone's car. Off hand the lab members own a Mini Cooper, Prius, small Scion, and a 12 year old Corolla, but it might be fun to watch one of those try to tow an open trailer with 6 hives . . .

Our research mostly deals with individual bees, some dissection, and some small scale live bee experiments in incubators. We spend a lot of time pulling almost mature pupae out of capped cells, so need hives nearby. The lab is moving to Austin, and I for one will be happy to not have to keep a nuc in the greenhouse over the winter for a small supply of live bees.

**Rader Sidetrack** · 12-12-2012, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by kimH

I'll probably look into the cost of renting an actual truck.

If you put bees in an enclosed truck, in the summer, for a move to Texas, you might as well just kill the bees in CT and save the cost of the truck rental. If you do rent a truck, also put an open trailer behind the truck for the hives.

**sqkcrk** · 12-12-2012, 10:34 AM

Seems like the Corolla aught to do the trick. Get a small trailer w/ sideboards on it. Might as well buy it for what it would cost to rent on for the trip. Don't forget to buy some nets for the move.

**Rader Sidetrack** · 12-12-2012, 10:39 AM

Mark is right about the Corolla. Other people use them to pull trailers. Here's a Corolla hitch:
http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2000_Toyota_Corolla.htm

**camero7** · 12-12-2012, 10:47 AM

I would also buy some shade cloth or a small bee net and net them. You won't want to pull up to a gas pump with unnetted bees in a trailer.

**Lburou** · 12-12-2012, 10:57 AM

Ship them as NUCs, you will save a lot of money. I have a beginner beekeeper friend in Austin who would keep the NUCs while you make the transit, or I can keep them just three hours North of Austin.

FWIW, Descriptive research does not necessarily need to be statistically significant (thus, only six hives). There may be some benefit to describe how the flora of the gut might (not) change with location for six hives.

**odfrank** · 12-12-2012, 11:12 AM

Call the Shipping Wars show on the A&E channel, , this would make a great episode and they might pay all the costs.

http://www.aetv.com/shipping-wars/

**kimH** · 12-12-2012, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by sqkcrk

Seems like the Corolla aught to do the trick.

I'll try to catch the Corolla owner in a good mood - he's the lab's leafhopper guy and doesn't work with bees at all. Not sure how he'll react to a prospective road trip with bees. We can just overnight the other lab insects, but the bees are more problematic.

Lburou, I realize moving the entire hive would be healthier for the bees, but I'm still considering shipping them as nucs. However I need to find out more about the moving timetable. We're still unsure if we can leave anything at the CT lab for a short time while the move is in progress or if we have to get everything out on the same day. The timetable will also impact the aphids and whiteflies we grow on plants.

**camero7** · 12-12-2012, 01:30 PM

Unless you ship those nucs UPS overnight they have almost no chance of survival that time of year. And you'll need someone to pick them up at the UPS terminal. Those trucks get very hot in the summer sun, especially in the south.

**kimH** · 12-12-2012, 01:58 PM

We would ship overnight. The price even ends up reasonable when we go through the university's shipping website.

**Oldtimer** · 12-12-2012, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by kimH

We would ship overnight. The price even ends up reasonable when we go through the university's shipping website.

A gamble in my opinion. Might work out though.

Whole beehives properly secured on an open trailer, easiest, safest. Just, any hills etc on the way? Even 6 hives could weigh a bit, for a Corolla.