MOVING HIVE LOCATION

[queenb64]

OK FRIENDS, iM MOVING MY HIVE, CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME SAFE PROCEDURES? i HAVE HIVE STAPLES AND STRAPS,
WHAT STEPS DO i TAKE, and when I get them where i want them, ho long do I leave them before opening them up so they arent too confused?

[Understudy]

The day before, get the straps in place. Make the box secure for the move. That night secure the entrances. If possible move the bees at night to the new location. If the location is more than two miles the bees will reorient themselves, if less place some branches in front of the hives. This will force the bees to reorient themselves.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[ian michael davison]

Hi all
Queenb64: You did not say how far you had to move them.
Also don't forget a screened top board for ventilation. If you have mesh floors a couple of runners on the bottom of the hive to let air circulate wiil do. BEES WILL COOK THEMSELVES IF THEY HAVE NO VENTILATION.

If your journey is over an hour and depending how warm it is Give the screen a good spray of water every hour.

I normaly just Duck tape the joints then plug the entrance with foam and one of those rachet straps works just fine.

You can release the bees on arrival and when in the new position.


Regards Ian

[queenb64]

Im only moving them about 400-500 feet.

So what your saying is , its best to move them at night? And I should put branches in front of the hive? How does branches make them re orient themselves? and how close to the hive do they need to be? I need to move them soon, have supers ready to put on, but they need to be in their new location . I knew I could count on yall to help.

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmoving.htm

[Jay]

How does branches make them re orient themselves? and how close to the hive do they need to be?

Anything new in the way when they come out of the hive entrance makes them stop and realize that something has changed and they need to re-orient. It doesn't need to be branches, some grass stuffed in there will do but branches are convienient to most everybody. It does need to be right at the entrance though, so they stop and take pause before they fly off. They will re-orient on the hive in its new location and you will have fewer field bees collecting at the old location. :D

[queenb64]

ok, I think I got it, get everything together the day before, stapels straps etc, then at night move the hive, place branches at the entrance , so the will re-orient themselves.  Great. sounds simple enough. Now I need some motivation to get started. Im nervous. I was nervous when I first got the bees, last year, but everything went well, I was nervous about losing them this winter, but they survived. Now Im nervous  REAL nervous about moving them.

[Apis629]

One word of caution, wait at least a week after inspections before moving.  While this isn't a solid rule, I've found that it helps given the bees will have propolized the hive bodies and supers together.

[Jack Parr]

ok, I think I got it, get everything together the day before, stapels straps etc, then at night move the hive, place branches at the entrance , so the will re-orient themselves.  Great. sounds simple enough. Now I need some motivation to get started. Im nervous. I was nervous when I first got the bees, last year, but everything went well, I was nervous about losing them this winter, but they survived. Now Im nervous  REAL nervous about moving them.

I just moved two hives, one last week and one this week about 5-600 feet in the morning.

 Early morn I placed a blocking screen at the entrance before the bees got active and around 8 o'clock AM a friend and I lifted the stack in the P/U and moved them to the new location. At the new locaton we unloaded, set the hive on the stand, removed the screens and RAN away :!: . I got some mean bees :!:  Ferals :!:

A few bees flew back to the original location but mostly drones and after a couple of days they are all gone to :?:  :?:

moving hives ain't no big deal and even if you lose a few bees when your hive has thousands and thousands, what's a few :?:

MB's method is elegent and I did  put his dissertation in my favorites for further study :?:

However I do have a friend to help and I made a hive/box carrier/lifter to lift the entire stack, intact. I use four each, 2X6 inch strips of 3/8 plywood and fasten the bottom board to the bottom box with those good wood screws and a portable screw/drill. No banging on the hives for me. Place the ply strips, two per side, angled towards each other and the bottom will not slide back and forth.

[queenb64]

Jack, i dont know why I didnt think of that, Definately better than hammering, I have some furring strips I can cut. Thanks for that suggestion, might save me a few stings, the only problem i see now is the actual moving, i only have one bee suit,(and its hot) 82 degress outside) my oldest son will have to help and he cant fit in the suit, ill see he covers up, but we are going to have to walk the hive uphill for the 4-500 feet. ( I live on a mountain) what kind of contraption could I engineer to help carry the hive an kinda keep it steady. I dont have a hive carrier. Son is deaf and has not so good  balance, so this will definately be an adventure.

[queenb64]

maybe just a few 2x 4 pieces underneath?

[Jack Parr]

that I have is homemade:

2  strips of wood 1& 1/4" X 1& 1/4"  X  5' long. I had some oak.
2 pieces of  3/8" diameter all thread long enough to go through the strips of wood, plus, the width of of the hive box, plus, enough for washers and nut.
Drill the strips of wood two places, evenly, apart from each other a distance to fit on each end of the box.  22 " or so apart will be good.

Place one strip on each side of the hive box,  tighten/squeeze together against hive box with the all thread and nuts.

Additional tips;

A couple of pieces of  2 X 4's will also do. Actually you will be making something like a stretcher, one guy lifting at each end.

I fastened the all thread on one of the strips with one nut/ washers and a jam nut/washer on the opposite side and then one guy holds that side and the other guy slides his wood strip onto the all thread nut 'er up and torque 'er down.

My hive probably weighs some 150 to 175 lbs.

We did use a pick-up.  We did not use a strap. However IF you are going to walk the box to the new location you should use a strap to be sure that if ya'll drop the hive it will stay together.

Hope my explaination is clear and helps. Good luck.