# How many hives on a semi trailer?



## Fishman43 (Sep 26, 2011)

I am just curious, I have no intentions of hauling or having that many bees... But in a conversation with a local nuc supplier they said they had 10,000 colonies in the CA almonds right now. I am curious how many semi loads/trailers that took to haul them out there and then back again.


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

something like 450/load depending on weight.


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## Fishman43 (Sep 26, 2011)

10,000 colonies/450 per load * ~3,000 miles away = 66,666 miles in road time in just one direction... yikes!


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## BMAC (Jun 23, 2009)

It really depends on more than just weight. It depends upon whether they went singles, doubles, or story and a halfs. The 450 is for doubles.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Looking at the numbers from a slightly different angle, the nuc supplier may have been thinking of his "available stock" in terms of _nuc sized_ units. If those hives are currently 10 frame double deeps in California, it may only take 2500 such hives (6 trucks) to prepare 10,000 nucs in New England.


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

oh we could get into an old fashioned beesource conversation, is the trailer aluminum or steel?, is it a light weight tractor, what do the nets weigh?, is the driver crazy enough to hit every scale with empty fuel tanks? and big question of all what species of wood are the pallets made from?... about 450 hives/load.


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

mathesonequip said:


> oh we could get into an old fashioned beesource conversation,


so is the winter getting to you yet? I opt for the old fashioned beesource conversation


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## BMAC (Jun 23, 2009)

Alright. Steel or Aluminum trailer? deck over or step deck?


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

wildbranch2007 said:


> so is the winter getting to you yet? I opt for the old fashioned beesource conversation


the winter got to me months ago. I am going to go out and fix a barn cleaner that has been broken for 4 days, it is 5 degrees out and I get to work standing on a frozen plank over a manure pit. I suspect beesource would be more fun.


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

We specify 48' air ride flat bed.
17 rows of triple stacked, double-deeps, 24 hives per row:
408 per load.


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## Thermwood (May 29, 2010)

432 on a 48', 6 double deeps per pallet, stacked 3 pallets high


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

we used to have a 40 foot refrigerated trailer. It held over 600 singles with each one carried in by hand. good old days. load all night then drive all the next day.


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## Chip Euliss (Sep 2, 2010)

408 doubles of 816 singles unless they 're super heavy. Short conversation here ; just thawed out a frozen septic line for the dog kennel. Stinky job. I'm ready to get my bees back!!!


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