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Transporting a beehive by car

 There always comes a time when you will have to transport a beehive a long distance. You will need to do this by car with or without a trailer. Here are some tips on how to do this safely and without damaging your bees and yourself.


Prepare the hives for transport:

A transport of beehives cannot be improvised. The ideal is to do the operation at the end of the day when all the foragers have returned. So you don't lose any. Whether it is a transport from your apiary to another or to bring a swarm home, try as much as possible to respect this rule.

Then you have to prepare the hive. When bees are locked up, they tend to generate heat. It is therefore important to close the hive so that the bees cannot fly freely, but also to ensure maximum ventilation to cool the bees. If the hive lacks ventilation, bees will die and fall to the floor and further decrease ventilation.

So a ventilated door in front of the hive, which lets air through.

For ventilation, leave all ventilation openings open, remove the drawer from the floor if it is fitted with a mesh, and finally remove the insulation plates normally installed in the roof.

Transportation

For transport, it is essential that the hive (s) cannot be opened. Secure them with straps and secure them so that they cannot move in the trailer or car. Place your beehives horizontally, especially during the period of honey flow to prevent liquid honey from flowing everywhere.

Also install the beehives with the frames in the direction of travel. This will greatly reduce the movement of the frames within the hive during transport and therefore limit bee crushing.

The ideal is to transport the beehives during the cooler hours, either early in the morning or in the evening to avoid overheating in the hive.

Ride carefully, avoiding holes and quick turns. If you must stop, park the beehives in the shade. If you are making a very long journey, opt, without hesitation, to drive at night.

The tools to take:

Remember to take some equipment with you:

  1. Protection against bees: gloves and a jacket,
  2. a smoker and matches,
  3. a frame lifter,
  4. a water sprayer,
  5. a spare strap,
  6. absorbent type paper to plug an entrance,
  7. a roll of wide adhesive paper.
  8. a flashlight if you ever need to intervene at night

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