I want to move a couple of my hives and cannot lift 2 deep brood boxes by my self and as of yet don't have any friend brave enuff to come and help me lift a heavy boxs full of bees. I have a single box swarm hive that I can lift by myself into my wife's van. How do other beeks close up the entrance to keep bees in with out suffocating them after a 45 min. drive in this hot summer weather. With the long days we have now, the bees are already out working when I go down around 7 am. Can I close up the hive the nite before? with what? Close the inner cover hole too?
Thanx for the help! :)
if you have a sbb, you can close the hive completely. i used some tightly rolled newspaper when i was moving one a short way. you can also duct tape your entrance reducer closed. i'm sure there are other ways....
get some hive staples or large electrical staples and attach the bottom, boxes, and top together. just nail them to each other. you can move two boxes with a hand truck. your wife should be able to help you get them into the van if you move them that way. strap them so they don't fly if you have to hit the brakes :-)
A sbb would be great if you have one on. Screw the top cover to the top hive body. Screw (at an angle) the bottom board,(hopefully a sbb) to the bottom deep. Use a drill to screw, goes without saying, but I said it anyway. Use ratchet straps to strap it all together. You can do this before it gets daylight, you don't have to do it at night. If bees are bearding smoke them in the hive, then seal the entrance. You can use a strip of wood to close the entrance. Screw it down. Hammering nails will upset the bees. If you have proper ventilation, the bees will be fine.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmoving.htm
When moving colonies, I often fasten the inner cover, BB and use regular standard screen to cover the entrance the the inner cover hole. I have driven hives 1.5 hours in the trunk of my car like that on 85 degree days. No prob. Just dont stop by the local watering hole, or 5 course gourmet dinner on the way.
I Have some screens I had made at the hardware store for the top.I stuff cheese cloth in the entrance and then duct tape them together.No muss no fuss.
good luck kirko
Thanx for the suggestions! I will try some of them after the temps go down this week. Gonna be in 90's for a few days. Need rain bad too as the necter flow seems slow and late!
henry
:-) should have mentioned.....if you are going to staple the hive together....close it up first! jp makes a great point!!!!