Need to move hives

[jgarzasr]

I posted this in a previous message but did not get an answer, so I will try again.

I am selling my house in a couple months - I will be optimistic and say It will sell right away  :D.  I currently own the land on which we are going to build.  Should I move the bees now or wait....

I guess if the house sells right away it won't matter because the weather will not be any different than now -

What precautions will I need to take?  I could put the hives in my Heated Van - and transport them that way.  I guess I am worried about breaking the cluster and then the cold wind getting into the hive during transportation - if I was to use my open trailer.

....or I can wait and see if my house doesn't sell right away   - who knows I can go all summer with no buyers and I could have left them alone.  Any suggestions and info would be appreciated.  Thanks!

[Finsky]

It is better to  them to be in peace during winter.

After bees have made cleansing flight you may move them. If you move them during winter they may let feces everywhere. And it disturbes them badly.

At spring they have brood. They should be moved so that brood does not catch cold. It is better to use capped van.

[Understudy]

Okay I am a real newbie and really shouldn't get to involved here but I will go with what I have learned(not actual experience).
1. Are you moving more than two miles away from the orginal location?
If yes, then wonderful your bees will not bee going back to the old place.
If no, put some branches in front of the hive to force them to reorient themselves.
2. If you are having the house built by others I would leave the bees off of it.
Not everyone likes to be around bees, even if they are nice.
3. On transporting bees I think I may be coming from left field here.
Move the bees at night. Most of the bees are in the hive at that time. Less loss of bees. Will this move upset them, you bet. However you will still have the majority of your bees, and with prozac and weekly therapy they will be fine( no prozac, the honey will taste funny).
I would secure the the hive with either straps or screws and place a piece of plywood that covered the entrance completly. Swing the bees over to the new location and remove the entrance blocker. Remmeber they are likely to be a little tiffed. However it is late and they would rather sleep.

If you don't live to far from where you are moving leave them were they are and move them a couple of days before you actually do the move.

The real bee experts may think differently, but these are my ideas. You may want to listen to them.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Finsky]

Move the bees at night. Most of the bees are in the hive at that time.

That is not needed at all. It is not nice to work in darkness or tired. If something happens it is difficult get system under control.

Prepare hives on previous day. When bees are at home, you just close the entrance at  evening with wirenet.  Put something soft in edges so there are no holes for bees to escape. Put transfer net on the hive pervious day waiting for movement and inner cover on the net for night.  .

Here they are ready to transfer one big hive and one nuc. In this case 6-box hive is devided in 2 parts. I put them in condition at morning.

I left a box for bees which were flying. You can move them later. I move bees alone.

I piled upp hives box by box to the carry and at the destination backwards.

[Finsky]

When you prepare hives for transfer, take care that frames do not splash to and fro because it may kill the fat queen. Make supports to frame shoulders. Here it is beewax. I can be foam plastic too.

[Finsky]

Here I prepare 7-box hive to movement.



And here it is at destination I piled boxes in the middle of day.