# moving bees into blueberries this week



## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

Hi all, this is our second year pollinating blueberries, we take 64 hives per trip and it is around 3 hours each way plus unloading into the fields. What my question is, If it is raining out like it is supposed to, has any of you moved bees in the daytime instead of driving all night hours ? Everything is on 4 way pallets and I don't net the bees in or reduce entrances.

Any thoughts ?


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## Heintz88 (Feb 26, 2012)

Yea you can get em moved. You do however risk losing em if it stops raining and you have to stop for any reason. I'd check weather before dark and as long as it's raining up till dark I'd move them.


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

I would load just before dark and try to leave at 5 the next morning. anymore I hate driving after dark. the temp is the biggest concern and early morning works best.


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## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

Last year was terrible, we left late in the evening @ dusk and got home at dawn LOL 
We felt like zombies for a week and then 2 weeks or so later we did it again when picking them up but were home a little earlier, not much though,

We were talking it over tonight and think we will get the truck loaded and be ready for 3-4 am, we have to meet the guy at an exit to guide us to the field, so I will have to run it by him to see if that will work. We are trying to get 2 loads in on Wednesday 1 very early in the rain and the other at night. Thursday night will be our final load


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

that sounds good. we used to put about 600 onto apples and worked all night. what was I thinking? now if a move has to be done we load at night and get up early. we take bees to south Carolina. used to drive straight thru. now we stop just before dark get a good meal and take our time. not sure if im getting lazy or smarter. think smarter. lol


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

beeware10 said:


> I would load just before dark and try to leave at 5 the next morning. anymore I hate driving after dark. the temp is the biggest concern and early morning works best.


I would too, if you're not driving through a heavily populated pedestrian area. Take a net along in case there is some delay. Yes, I'm familiar with the zombie feeling. I've tried the all night thing and don't like it. Everything takes longer and is more dangerous in the dark. I've found if I can just get 3 or 4 hours of sleep by working late and getting up early, I can still function the next day, though I wouldn't want to try it for too many consecutive days.


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## B&E (Dec 27, 2011)

Regarding moving in the rain, obviously sometimes it can't be avoided on long trips, and I do prefer it over high temps with netted bees. However, one time we drove through a tremendous downpour for over 2 hours. I mean it was crazy hard rain, like grandma pulled over hard. When we unloaded the bees the back 3 rows were completely ruined. The spray off the the trailer axles must have caused some swirling so extreme that in went into the entrances. All the the hives were full of soaked cold bees trying to climg to the brood frames. I lost 80 or so hives, and the rental after trucking them 14 hours. 

Fortunately, I have not seen that happen since. Anyone seen that before?


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Never seen dead bees in the hives from rain but if there are lots of bees on the net when a hard rain hits it can be pretty tough on them.


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## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

The way my 4 way pallets are laid out, the entrances are pointing parallel with the truck, no sides to get sprayed with rain. Now the weather has changed, I still think going with the early shipment will be best though.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Like was already stated, load in the evening, sleep in your own bed, get up just before first light, and drive. Drive into the coming day. Three hours you aught to be able to do without stopping.

Does your grower care when your bees arrive?

Your pallet hive's entrances face the front and back of the truck? Why did you build them that way? Got photos?


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## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

I like the design, I saw a picture of it from another beekeeper in NS. I like the fact that the opening aren't facing me when loading and I thought the frames would sway less when driving.
I have more pictures on the facebook tab below , no membership required. just click on photos and scroll down a ways.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Nice, Ben.

Swaying frames is an over rated idea. Maybe if all the frames are brand new and hives with packages just recently installed.

Nice truck.


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## GageFamilyBeekeeping (Mar 10, 2011)

Hi Ben

I move bees during the day all the time. I never work all night. Here in Delaware we use trailers with hives loaded on. I generally move them off the field at dusk and onto the field in the morning. I generally just close the entrance up with a board that looks like an entrance reducer but no hole. And yes, if it's raining I don't even close the entrance

Craig


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Ben Little said:


> Last year was terrible, we left late in the evening @ dusk and got home at dawn LOL
> *We felt like zombies for a week *and then 2 weeks or so later we did it again when picking them up but were home a little earlier, not much though,


Welcome to the pollination gig. Where every move is determined by the guy with the gold. 

Bet that every dream you had a few years back about "being in business for yourself" didn't have that pounding head segment as the premier feature. 

Welcome aboard.......... Think of the positive side. Your young and have a small outfit. Think of the glory ahead when trucks are stuck at age 70 and ten employees just quit.inch::waiting:


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Ben has those two thing he NEEDS to make this beekeeping thing work, initiative and drive  Everything else will fall into place.

Good luck on your move Ben!


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

I like moving my bees at night, then again, im more of a night person than a day person, especially with all the traffic here in CA!! I just turn up the radio, drink my coffee and pass a lot of the big commercial guys with flatbed trucks and forklifts doing it right!


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## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

All moved out into the fields, now to sleep for a few days straight and then go check on nucs and mow the yards without pallets of bees and make some new yards too.
Then in about 3 weeks we go get them and put honey supers on.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

So now with the bees out, looking back on this spring, who is buying who a beer? lol ! 
Did things work out as planned or did you need to adjust your expectations down due to weather ?


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## Ben Little (Apr 9, 2012)

Most of the hives were great, we didn't get 14 out of the 100 I wanted split done because they were low on bees but all in all, I would say I owe you a beer Ian :banana:


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Cheers to that bud!


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