Moving Hives? Tips or Tricks?

[Stingtarget]

Hey all,

I'll be moving my four hives next weekend weather permitting.  Last time I moved them I got eat up!!  Not to mention stopping at a gas station at 12:30 am and making a quick run to the bathroom to pull my shirt off!!!  Left a bee or four flying about the restroom after I left!

First error I made was that my entrance blocks fell out while I was wrapping tie downs around the hives to secure them for transport.  Bees flying everywhere in the dark!  I left them for a few hours so they'd cool down.  Went back with a finish gun and finish nailed the entrance blocks in place.  All was quiet so I thought.  Picked up the first two hives and was covered in crawling bees.  They had not flown, but crawled back to the hives and were bearded on the bottom board hence....all about my waist as I lifted them into the truck.  Got stung 7 times in about 20 minutes.  I hadn't been stung 7 times all last year combined.  They stung through my pants and managed to get under my jacket and stuck between my shirt and t shirt...both of which were tucked in!

SO...any ideas, tips or tricks?  I will seal them off Friday night and load them, and weather and temperature permitting will travel to their new home to drop them off at sun up.  Will remove entrance blocks an hour or so after setting the hives in place.  Will feeding them heavily a few days prior help out any??

I have only moved them one time.  How do the commercial guys do it without pandemonium in the beeyard?  My circus was due to my error...I'm an idiot.  Let me borrow from some of your experience and wisdom.

[JP]

If all in seal them well, if not smoke them in, seal well. Seal yourself well. Your problem was that they got out on you. When you open the hives do it quickly and step aside quickly, don't give them a target. Feeding them extra just means more weight for you to lift, won't make the bees any happier, unless they are starving.


...JP

[dlmarti]

I just did a move using this thing: Moving and Robbing Screen

Sorry no pic, but it was as easy as pie.  Much better than my previous attempts.

You put the screen on the night before, move the hive to the new location, wait about 15 minutes for them to calm down and then open the ports.

I left the screen on in its anti-robbing position for a day, to help with forcing them to reorient.

[Brian D. Bray]

When removing the screen blocking the entrance stand at the rear of the hive and reach over it to remove the screen.  This automatically places you out of the way and out of sight of the bees emerging from the hive.  If you are moving several stay behind them all, walk along the back sides and reach over to remove entance blocks.

[Michael Bush]

Cut some #8 hardware cloth about 2" by the width of the entrance.  Fold it into an "L".  Push this into the entrance and staple it. (I like the J20style staplers, but the T50 will do in a pinch).  You now have a ventilated entrance.  Your other choice is to cut it to fit pretty tight and push it straight down to the bottom and staple it onto the front of the bottom box.

Buy the hive staples and put them on slightly diagonal in opposite directions to hold it all together.  Strap them together tightly as well.  Seal up any "leaks" with duct tape or #8 hardware cloth and staples.  If you have SBB take the trays out.  If you have any screened tops, use those.  Try to move them in the cool of the day so they don't overheat.

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

[Kimbrell]

Michael,
I'm planning on moving a hive I have been offered to my farm.  I am going to load this hive just before dark.  Since it will be dark when I arrive home, I'm assuming it will be OK to just leave the hive in the truck bed until the following morning.  Am I right? 
Also are there any precautions to take introducing this new hive to my property?  I am planning on placing it at a site about 1/4 mile from my bee yard.

[catfishbill]

hey stingtarget.i learned a good trick last night form an older beekeeper.get some foam like in a couch pilliow or an egg shell mattress cover and plug up the entrance to the hive.moved one last night like that and it worked great.bill

[Michael Bush]

>Since it will be dark when I arrive home, I'm assuming it will be OK to just leave the hive in the truck bed until the following morning.  Am I right?

Sure.  Just make sure it doesn't get too hot. I'd unload early while it's cool.

>Also are there any precautions to take introducing this new hive to my property?

A branch in front of the entrance is a good move. If they see it when they fly out they will be more likely to reorient.

>  I am planning on placing it at a site about 1/4 mile from my beeyard.

Why?

[Kimbrell]

I'm starting another stand of hives in this location.  It's easier to drive the truck right up to it than the original beeyard.

[Michael Bush]

Then I'd do the split to the new location and just shake in some extra nurse bees to make up for the ones that will return.