Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Moving hives to new yard  (Read 1916 times)

Offline gdog

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 130
Moving hives to new yard
« on: September 16, 2013, 10:57:41 pm »
I'm moving my hives from my home years to a yard 15 miles away. If I load them onto a trailer the ride is going to be a rough one and is going to give them a lot or jarring.  Will this knock comb with honey loose? I was thinking about loading them into the back of the jeep a bit smother. Any Ideas?

Offline 10framer

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1701
Re: Moving hives to new yard
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2013, 12:13:02 am »
people haul them across country on 18 wheelers.  move them at night and strap them down good.  your comb should be fine.  the last bees i moved i moved about 120 miles.

Offline gdog

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 130
Re: Moving hives to new yard
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2013, 11:26:56 pm »
Well tonight was the night for the big move for my hives. Closed them up and loaded them on the trailer with no problems.

On the way stopped to get gas and Found two hives had slipped off the bottom board even after being strapped down. Got to the new yard and the bees were no happy. Large clusters on two of the hives. Carried off the intact ones. The two open hives had bees everywhere. They were in no mood to be moved. I know I took about a dozen hit my son took about six.

After off loading them and getting them in place I removed the entrance blocks. One hive was so loaded with bees I did not remove the strap because they were so not into having anyone near them. I will check on them Tuesday. And get them all situated. I shuffled some supers around so they have enough stores for the winter keeping my fingers crossed for low losses over winter for me and everyone else.

Next time I plan on placing thin strips along each side from the bottom board to the top super to keep them together as well as the straps.

Offline capt44

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 740
  • Gender: Male
  • If it don't work I'll always think it should have
    • RV BEES
Re: Moving hives to new yard
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2013, 11:49:23 pm »
I put pieces of plywood where the two boxes join and screw them down.
I had the same thing happen one time.
When I secure them with plywood strips I don't ever have one slip.
But after being jarred on a trailer they're still going to have an attitude.
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

Offline 10framer

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1701
Re: Moving hives to new yard
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2013, 12:29:26 am »
i tack them together with big staples and i've been known to use duct tape in a tight.

Offline sterling

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1143
  • Gender: Male
Re: Moving hives to new yard
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2013, 10:37:29 pm »
I staple the  corners with T50 staples and don't have any trouble with them slipping off bottom board or boxes slipping apart. And the staples are no trouble to get out latter.

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Moving hives to new yard
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2013, 11:20:35 pm »
This year I moved 12 hives to my farm, 60 miles away. I strapped each hive with a ratchet strap, loaded them on the trailer and then used truck straps to strap them all down to the trailer. I did not have any problems with shifting.
Did you strap them individually before strapping them to the trailer?
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline OldMech

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1011
  • Gender: Male
    • The Outyard
Re: Moving hives to new yard
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2013, 11:28:03 pm »
I moved 4 hives this spring. I used ratchet straps around them, pallet and all, slid them into the back of the truck..  Screens over the entrance, and I moved them at night,,    a mile and a half down the road a deer ran out in front of me.. the tires squalled, and all I could think of was... oh crap... I'm going to die in this truck.. stung to death by 200K ANGRY bees...     I pulled over about a half mile later on a side road to find that those hives hadnt shifted an eighth of an inch.. I drove a total of 32 miles to get back home.. it was a cool night, so I left them screened until morning. Pulled the screens as the sun began to peek over the horizon and all seemed well..
   I let them settle in for a week before inspecting. Surprisingly.. Everything was in place and progressing smoothly.
   You should be fine if you use more caution than I did in watching for hazards.  :)
  
39 Hives and growing.  Havent found the end of the comfort zone yet.

Offline gdog

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 130
Re: Moving hives to new yard
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2013, 04:31:43 pm »
All were strap individually. I think the super and bottom boards were too slippery new bottom boards for all. Will staple them all together next time