[Scpossum]

Anyone have any ideas about how to move hives to a swamp that routinely floods each spring? I only have access to a parcel of land by the river and it can flood as deep as 3-10 ft in places. I have thought about some kind of hanging system that will put it up a ways in a tree. Could always use a treestand that is in the woods. Seems like it would be hard to get it up in the treestand. Also thought about one of those big wooden cable wire spindles/reels that I could turn on it's side and put them on top. That would get me about 4.5-5ft.

Just trying to figure it out for next spring. The place is loaded with older Tupelo and other fine species.

 

[Moots]

Anyone have any ideas about how to move hives to a swamp that routinely floods each spring? I only have access to a parcel of land by the river and it can flood as deep as 3-10 ft in places. I have thought about some kind of hanging system that will put it up a ways in a tree. Could always use a treestand that is in the woods. Seems like it would be hard to get it up in the treestand. Also thought about one of those big wooden cable wire spindles/reels that I could turn on it's side and put them on top. That would get me about 4.5-5ft.

I guess anything is possible if you put your mind to it....But this one seems to strike me as simply more trouble than it's worth! There's simple no practical, affordable, and convenient way to deal with the possibility of 3 to 10 feet of water.

 

[NewBeeLady]

Why not a raft? Isn't that how Tupelo honey is produced through the swamps?
NBL

 

[Michael Bush]

I think most tupelo honey is produced in swamps... but I've never put bees in a swamp. Even a raft you have to worry about it getting washed away...

 

[snl]

Deer stand ?

 

[mrflegel]

What about building a raised deck or a tree house.

 

[justusflynns]

Go ******* and turn a canoe into a top bar hive.

 

[Intheswamp]

If you're serious about the height of the flood waters you could pull an old pontoon boat down there and anchor with slack in the lines. Or, you could build up on stilts. Also, top bar hives are hung between trees in Africa to keep them away from different animals that might bother them.

Ed

 

[KPeacock]

Hows about this.. . Set a pole firmly in the ground with about 10' extending above the water. Situated around this pole would be a foam bottomed deck capable of displacing enough water to float the number of hives on it. I would imagine one could easily set up 4-5 hives in this manner. when the waters rise, the hives float atom the water with the center pole anchoring them so there is not latteral movement, only the vertical movement of floating atop the water. The pole would obviously have to be selected to withstand the hydrodynamic forced of the fload. depending on the location these can be considerable, or miniscule. If I were to do it, this would be the way I'd go about it. Inspections could be done from boat when water level is up, and from ground when water levels are down.

 

[Scpossum]

The water is variable in nature. Sometimes it floods with a big rain and then it will go down to dry ground a few days later. Mostly it is dry, but it has to withstand a flood every now and then. I'm just trying to figure out how to take advantage of the old growth Tupelo stands of timber.

Tree stand would be ideal. It just might be hard to get that much weight up in the stand. There is an old cabin that I might be able to put them on the roof? I think I'll put a couple of cameras up and see how deep the water gets at what I think is the highest ground.

KPeacock, that would be a good permanent solution.
Justusflynns, to much of that down here already, but I like the idea.

 

[Moots]

OK....
I stand by my first post that it's really not practical....But if we're going to dream BIG, I'll play along.

Why not simply place your hives on the ground as you normally would, beneath an available tree limb, both big enough and high enough to serve the purpose. Design an appropriate harness, either out of wood, metal, or nylon straps...rig a block and tackle pulley system to the limb above. When you're away from your bee yard and floods may come, hoist them to an appropriate height and tie them off. When you need to work your hives, lower them to ground level, inspect, add, or remove boxes...close up and hoist back to a safe keeping height.

I've seen quite a few folks operate swarm traps this way. The concept is the same, your gear would just need to be a bit more robust.

Good Luck!

 

[Wolfer]

Two barrels on their side sealed up tight. A deck across the two barrels tethered to trees to keep it from washing away. The deck could probably be built long enough to hold 4 / 6 hives. I would think 2 barrels would float that much weight.

 

[Adrian Quiney WI]

Is it secluded enough that your investment won't be bothered by bored, destructive idiots or bears?

 

[Scpossum]

Is it secluded enough that your investment won't be bothered by bored, destructive idiots or bears?

Very secluded. No bears...well, it is in the corridor for the black bear and they have been seen before. Plenty of hogs. That would worry me a bit. I'm kind of leaning toward concreted 4x4's 8 ft high on the highest ground. Maybe the rope and pully also. We hang deer feeders that way.

 

[Intheswamp]

A friend of mine built a *very* nice cabin down in the swamp. After the "Elba Flood" he went down to where he wanted to build the cabin and noted the high-water mark on the trees. He simply built his cabin pilings with the sill plates one foot higher than that mark. He figures that was a "100 year flood" and he want be around to worry about the next one.

Look around, you probably already have signs of where the high-water level has been...no need for cameras. Find some high ground and build a stand 3-4 feet high.

I think I'd build some long hive bodys and suspend them in the trees.

Ed

 

[beepro]

How many hives you intend to put there?
How about a boat big enough to raise your bees in.
I often see free boat ads on CL.

 

[My-smokepole]

The other way would be put them on a trailer. Keep them strap down and Park it. when just before a bad rain just pull it out. You would be all set up for a pollination contract. More $$$
David

 

[Chemguy]

Find someone who is getting rid of a section of an old floating boat dock, the kind that runs up and down on pilings. Then, set it up where you want your bees. Is there a strong current when the flooding takes place? If so, you're going to need to worry about debris accumulating. When flooding recedes, you could have an issue with the hives being out of level. Perhaps hoisting would be a better idea. That, or a zeppelin (sorry, I couldn't resist tossing one more 'big' idea out there)

 

[Scpossum]

Look around, you probably already have signs of where the high-water level has been...no need for cameras. Find some high ground and build a stand 3-4 feet high.
Ed

It can't flood much more than it did in mid-April when turkey season was in. The owner took a boat in there and looked and the water was at the top step of the clubhouse. I talked with him last night and a stand of about 4-5 ft would probably do fine. With a top entrance, I wonder what a foot of water (if the estimate was off) would do to the bottom of the hive. I know I would lose brood, but would it recover? Anyone ever had a flooded or partially flooded hive?

I think we are talking about 5-8-10 hives once I get going good. Now to interpret that as my wife would: 25

 

[Harley Craig]

It can't flood much more than it did in mid-April when turkey season was in. The owner took a boat in there and looked and the water was at the top step of the clubhouse. I talked with him last night and a stand of about 4-5 ft would probably do fine. With a top entrance, I wonder what a foot of water (if the estimate was off) would do to the bottom of the hive. I know I would lose brood, but would it recover? Anyone ever had a flooded or partially flooded hive?

I think we are talking about 5-8-10 hives once I get going good. Now to interpret that as my wife would: 25

I had one this yr with a top entrance only and we had some sideways rain, I checked a few days later and there was still about 4 in of water in the bottom of the hive, it killed some of the lower brood so I put a small 1 bee width entrance on it ( more like a drain hole ) it smelled funny for a few days but the bees cleaned it up well and after a few days you would have never knew it happened. Have no clue how it would have been if it stayed that way for any length of time?