[honeybeekeeper]

I live in ky and we have received "alot of rain" the whole weekend and there is water flowing and laying in my back yard in areas that i never seen water before "ever"! I been here since 1994 and i never seen water behind my garage. The rain is not gonna quit anytime soon either, it started friday night and its not gonna stop until early monday morning i heard! Its coming down pretty good right now as we speak. My question is that i have my 2 hives on 4 concrete blocks on each hive. They was both level and last night i did a visual check and seen that the one hive was leaning to the right. I got water running off the land next to me onto my property all up the fence row of the property line, its running around the front and back of both hives coming across the property from left to right. The water is trying to find a place to go cause the ground can not take no more. What i done was is, I got a scrap piece of 1/2" plyboard (4" inches wide x 15" inches long) and as i lifted the bottom deep my son slid the scrap piece of 1/2" plywood under the right side to bring that side up some. Now its ok but im wondering if its gonna be ok long term that way or am i gonna have to fix the whole thing once the ground has finally settled??? Im hoping that it will be fine but your help and advice would be appreciated....Thank you!!!........

 

[concrete-bees]

all sounds ok - but when it drys - id reset the stand - i have my hive rears about 1 inch higher then the front to let water run off better

 

[honeybeekeeper]

Both of My hives are leaning alil towards the front as well! That part is fine!
To reset the 4 concrete blocks once everything dried up which might be awhile the way it looks. I would have to disassemble the hive down to the SBB and level out the SBB on the concrete blocks and then place the hive back on. This hive is only 8 days old, but thats what it will need to be fixed right! Would that be too much for an 8 day old hive?? I try not to bother them at all!! I done my 4 day queen release inspection wed and thats all that hive has seen of me! Hive #2 was installed friday afternoon! I do a queen release inspection on that hive tuesday! Like i mentioned i have "never" seen this much water running across the property like that since i been here and i been here since 1994! I say alot of Kentucky ppl are seeing alot of rain water here lately and probably other surrounding states as well!!...

 

[concrete-bees]

we hived 20 hives in one yard around easter and had to move them all because of Elk - so moving a hive early is not to worry you - jusr dont jar then or drop them - they are heavy and hard to move by yourself

if you can - most bee retail stores have a rentable hive carrier

takes 2 people but is flawless in the move

but id move them earlier then later .... as the season picks up one hive will weigh in over 300lbs - and if its sinking now its going to really sink later

also - not sure of your set up but can you put 2x12 feet under the legs ??? that will help with sinking as it will have more surface contact

 

[honeybeekeeper]

The concrete blocks are smooth, 2 side by side in the front and 2 side by side in the back. There is about 4-5 inches over hang in the back but no big deal! The front is even across with the gray concrete block. It should of never sank but its alot of water, This is the most water i seen in 16 yrs i lived here! The ground is full of water! I can drive to frankfort ky where there is a Dadant & Sons beekeepers store! Its about 1 hour and 45 min away from me! Plus there is only one person available to work on the hives and your talking to him!...If i can get the hive off and straighten it out really fast and put it back on i should be alright. I have an extra SBB to use while im working on the concrete blocks.

 

[concrete-bees]

yeah - sometime i find myself here by myself - but you can brake down the hives and reset the stand also

or make a new stand a few feet away- and then move them to a new location -

 

[kbfarms]

We've had 2.65 inches of rain since yesterday. KY is certainly getting the rain. I agree with the above post. As soon as it dries out some, right the hives. All you would need is a strong wind to come by and finish tipping them over.

Our farm weather station at http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=40108.

 

[bigbore]

if your "shim"it close to level, you will be ok for a while. when you can, recheck, add shims as necessary to level it up, and when things get good and dry, set a couple blocks to the side enough to work around. place the hive on it, if you have just installed it, it shouldn't get that heavy that fast. reset your blocks, and reset the hive on them, you will be fine.

 

[dcross]

I'd just wait till it dries up and pry up the low block with a shovel and jam a fairly flat stone or two under it.

 

[mike haney]

you dont need to "level the screened bottom" just level the blocks and set the hive back on 'em. wont disrupt them at all-if you dont drop it! good luck,mike

 

[honeybeekeeper]

Right now everything is level from side to side and the front is just alil lower then the back, i did that on purpose. I had rain water flowing on both sides of the hive. All the nice looking mulch i laid down is all washed away! In 16 yrs i lived here i have "never" seen that much water and never seen water lay in puddles or flow like a stream for that matter behind my garage! Ky has received alot of rain and the creeks are almost level with the bridges. The back roads the water is going over the low bridges! I believe im gonna let everything dry up first and then fix the base of the hive by resetting it. I never planned on this happening. I would of never thought it in a million years!!

 

[Countryboy]

Yes, it is fine to shim a hive. The bees won't care.

For long term though, you may want something more durable than plywood. Plywood can break down fairly quickly when exposed to the elements.