Author Topic: Relocating a hive  (Read 1629 times)

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Offline Bakersdozen

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Relocating a hive
« on: May 27, 2018, 08:30:15 am »
Yesterday morning my husband helped me move a hive to a woman's backyard about 30 minutes away.  She was excited to have them in place for pollination and for watching them work.  All went smooth.  We pulled up to her house at 7 a.m.  I had ratcheted down the two brood boxes with two ratchet straps.  I was going to leave the straps in place because there was no rush, but my husband started to remove them.  In the final moments of getting the straps from underneath the hive he lifted the lid slightly.  Out came curious bees, not angry, just disoriented.  We waited a few minutes while talking to the homeowner. 
Before getting home she sent me a picture of how the bees were clustering on the outside.  I reassured her that they were disoriented and it was hot and very humid.  Later she sent me this picture.



We headed back.  This time in my husband's air conditioned car.  My truck doesn't have working air.  One bank thermometer read 100 degrees.

My thoughts were that the queen had ran out the lid when it was slightly opened or she was stuck on top of the inner cover. 
I lifted the lid and there were bees absolutely everywhere, but mostly on the one side and bearding off the bottom board in front.  They were bearding off the lid so when I lifted the lid, clusters of bees fell to the ground.
In the end, I brushed the bees back on to the frames as best as possible.  I had place the inner cover leaning up against the side of the hive.  Lots of bees on that.  I shook and brushed the bees off of that.  I had brought a notched inner cover, so I put that in place.  A quick look at the old inner cover had bees back on it and they were fanning.  She was not there, but I think she had been there and they were still sensing her pheromones.
In the end, the bees were starting to work their way back in.  Fingers crossed that she is in the hive and alive and well.
I received another picture from the homeowner showing the bees were still bearding some off the bottom board and some on the front of the hive.  That picture looked much better.
The homeowner and I commented how my bees were all over the white dutch clover in her yard.  Her buckwheat was in bloom and I forgot to look to see if they were working that.
I will probably receive another picture from her this morning.  ;D
Every beekeeping day is a learning experience  :yes: and an adventure  :D  and sometimes you get to go eat authentic Mexican food afterwards.   :occasion14:

Offline Jen

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Re: Relocating a hive
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2018, 10:52:33 am »
Good story Baker, completely agree with every beekeeping day is a learning experience. Every time I lift a lid I don't know what I'm going to find. This season has been a real head scratcher for me.
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Offline Les

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Re: Relocating a hive
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2018, 06:24:17 pm »
We’d be disoriented too if someone picked up our home and moved it to another neighborhood.  Once the black locust finishes blooming here, I will be moving a hive to a friend’s yard.  I appreciate your tale and what we might experience. Good luck with that hive!

Offline riverbee

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Re: Relocating a hive
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2018, 12:29:03 am »
bakers, it's hard to tell from the pic, it's possible the queen wound up outside.

a double deep full of bees, relocated, disoriented, and to add, hot humid weather, they will beard and cluster outside the hive.  it was good that you reassured the owner! and also, went back!

give it a couple days or so, barring any other anomaly to check on them, i am certain you already have that as a plan!

thanks for the great post!

one more question......did you move the bees in your truck with no air conditioning? in the bed of the truck or the cab?........ :D
or your husband's air conditioned car?......... :D
i keep wild things in a box..........™
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Offline efmesch

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Re: Relocating a hive
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2018, 05:48:20 am »
If the queen's missing, an examination of the hive today would probably show the presence of emergency queen cells among the brood.
The woman who received the hive could experience a "first thrill" of beekeeping if she is up to making the examination.  Finding queen cells is a lot easier than finding queens.  If she can't find any queen cells and if there are eggs that she can can find, she'll can be sure that the queen is still around.

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Relocating a hive
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2018, 07:49:24 am »
bakers, it's hard to tell from the pic, it's possible the queen wound up outside.


one more question......did you move the bees in your truck with no air conditioning? in the bed of the truck or the cab?........ :D
or your husband's air conditioned car?......... :D
:laugh: :laugh:
Thanks for the chuckle, riverbee.
Unlike some folks we know...I didn't move them in the cab of the truck or inside a car.  I moved them in the bed of the truck about 6:30 a.m. before it warmed up.

I think she was either inside stuck between the inner and outer cover or she was outside near the telescoping lid.   The truck was in the shop all day yesterday so I wasn't able to go check on them.  BTW the air is still not working but there was no charge. 

efmesch, I probably didn't make the situation clear.  I placed the colony on the ladies' property at her request.  They are still mine, she just wants the pollination and to observe them.  She has no equipment and won't be managing them.  I didn't expect the pleasant perk of her keeping me up to date with photos from her phone. 


Offline efmesch

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Re: Relocating a hive
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2018, 11:45:26 am »
That means that you'll have to drive 1/2 an hour each way when you want to attend to the hive---maybe she'll get the bee bite bug and decide to help you by learning the simple basics??
I certainly hope, for your sake, that the queen really is there.  Long distance beekeeping for one hive can be a real drag.

Offline riverbee

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Re: Relocating a hive
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2018, 01:04:55 am »
":laugh: :laugh:
Thanks for the chuckle, riverbee.
Unlike some folks we know...I didn't move them in the cab of the truck or inside a car."


............. :D....... ;D
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Relocating a hive
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2018, 08:34:31 am »
efmesch, I seem to make frequent trips there.  We have a lot of close family that lives there and I go to monthly bee meetings there as well.

Offline efmesch

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Re: Relocating a hive
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2018, 08:56:39 am »
efmesch, I seem to make frequent trips there.  We have a lot of close family that lives there and I go to monthly bee meetings there as well.
B13, that, of course, changes the entire picture....instead of being a drag, it becomes a  wise act of multitasking.   :yes: :yes: :yes: