# Transporting Bees



## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Hi Steve--I am assuming that the bees will be in the back of a pick up truck so that fresh air and overheating are not a problem. With the screened bottom board and vented top cover the bees will do just fine.
Yes you can just block the front entrance.
After placomg the hive where you want it to be unplug the entrance.


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## iddee (Jun 21, 2005)

Will they be on an open back pick-up, or open trailer, or in an enclosed camper shell or trailer. The wind on them makes all the difference in whether they cook or not.


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## Steve C (Jun 25, 2006)

Yes... they will be in the back of a truck bed tied so they want spill over...
I have some ratching tiedown straps that I was going to wrap over the hive to keep it togather...

So you are saying.... Let them go, as soon as you get home....????


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## iddee (Jun 21, 2005)

Maybe give them 10 to 20 minutes to calm down, or be prepared to jerk the closure away and RUN!!!
They need to be free to fly as soon as possible.

In the back, as PN said, the wind will keep them cool. DO NOT stop for an hour for breakfast. It will spell disaster.


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## Sharkey (May 27, 2004)

Well.........

It certainly isn't MANDATORY/NECESSARY that you screen in the entrance. Commercial keepers move them all the time without any blockers.

You will lose a few bees, but no big deal. 

You should load them up about 30 minutes before dark, and then drive away. If it HAS to be in the day time, then you DO need to block the entrance the night before while most of the bees are at home. You may have to herd them in with some smoke, then screen it off, and get them as soon as possible in the morning.


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## cphilip (May 25, 2006)

I was shown that a water spritz from a spray bottle hearded them in pretty good. 

Have had to herd them off the board and into the hive several times at dusk to do some things including running them out of the feeder to place a new jar. 

They move in orderly and promptly! Kind of seem to like it too.


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## rweakley (Jul 2, 2004)

Something you all forgot to mention. make sure to Staple the Hives together. Do not rely on the ratchet straps to hold them together. I forget the pattern bedcause I've never moved a hive with multiple levels. I think it's like this \/ to keep it from rocking side to side.


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Good point rwjedi---make the v wide at the bottom board and narrow at the top (on the long sides of the hive)--we use thin scraps of wood and smaller 6d nails not nailed in the complete depth so that the nails are easlily removed, at least one to a super and two is better.


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## shylock3 (Jun 8, 2006)

If you use a portable screw gun to attach and untach the slats, they get a little less upset that way. They don't like you pounding on the box. If you do it at night with a lite, they'll come after that, also, or they did me. I wish I'd have thought to let them settle down, good thing I was suited up, some of the girls followed me to the house.


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## Steve C (Jun 25, 2006)

Thanks for the Idea's

My box will be empty of bees till I get there. We will then transfer out the frames from a nuc into my box.


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## Ishi (Sep 27, 2005)

If you move them during the day with a screen top put on a spacer and a solid top do not let the sun cook them through the screen


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