Moving Hives

[PhilK]

G'day,

Probably a little late to ask this question as tonight is the night I have to do something, but I have to move three hives tomorrow and was wondering how to go about this.

Mostly my question is whether I should seal the hives after dark tonight and move them before sunrise tomorrow, or should I seal the hives and move them tonight?

[chorrylan]

I'd recommend sealing them up tonight then moving them at a comfortable time tomorrrow.
Avoid moving them at night unless you like angry, crawly, stingy things up your arms and legs.

[yantabulla]

You don't have to move them in the dark.  I moved hives in the early morning today.  We had a light frost so the bees weren't active. After sunrise I shoved plastic shopping bags into the entrance & put them on the trailer while it was still cool.  Ventilated migratory lids.  Moved them about 5 km to a new site.  Happy bees. Happy beekeeper.

https://www.facebook.com/oraravalleyhoney/

[Geoff]

 
     Bit late now Phil (7 o;clock) but Yantabulla and Chorrylan are right on the ball. Lock them in tonight, shift them tomorrow at your leisure to almost where  ever.  I've moved them from 100 metres to 20 kliks without any problems. On the short shifts i would probably leave over an extra night with a leafy branch over the entrance. Good luck with the shifts.

[BeeMaster2]

Phil,
I move my bees twice a year. I staple a #8 wire cloth over the entrance, place a ratchet strap around each hive and cinch it up tight, load them on my home built bee trailer, I strap them down, back to back and hive to hive with ratchet straps and move them in the morning. Try not to do it during the middle of the day although it is probably cold enough that you do not have to worry about over heating as I we do here, right now.
Make sure they are not sliding around in what ever vehicle you use.
Jim

[PhilK]

Move went well apart from a little sting on approach to the hives at night with a torch! Got two sealed up and came back the next morning before first light to seal the third up as the bees were all over the entrance.

Next time suit up and smoke!

[BeeMaster2]

Phil,
Get a red head lamp for working your bees at night. Most of the bees cannot see the red light. One out of a few thousands can see it.
When you need to move bees into the hives, use your smoker to heard them in. Try not to get any smoke in the hive. Smoke the bees toward the entrance.  During the summer when I move my hives, large numbers of bees are outside of the hives. The smoke works real well.
Jim