>I could use some helpful advice on how to move some large beehives.

Hi Jeff and All:

I move my beehives on stands of five now with a boom (I have to move 900 in
a week), but believe me I have moved MANY big, tall, heavy beehives by hand.
If you have a friend it is no problem unless the weight goes over what you
are able to lift using your legs, and 125 pounds each (250 pound hive)
should be pretty straightforward.

I rarely use hive staples.  The only thing I might staple would be the
bottom board, because sometimes they will slide around.  It is extremely
rare for supers to move unless they have just been put on and have new
frames.  Otherwise the burr comb glues them together from sliding as long as
the whole hive is strapped together.  I use cheap ratchet straps (with just
a one inch wide strap).  If you get them tight (and you can!) you could lay
a hive over on wheeled dolly and stand it up again and it likely would not
come apart as long as it had not been opened for a couple of weeks.

The best method I have found for manhandling is that the two persons get on
either side of the hive.  Each puts one hand under the bottom board just
slightly in front of the middle.  That hand takes ALL the weight.  The other
hand is used at the back of the hive to steady it from tipping.  That is why
the underneath hand has to be a little bit ahead of centre so there is some
weight back on the steadying hand.  This hand can only push it has nothing
to pull on.

I can give you no advice about screening tops or entrances or whatever.  I
have never had any need or screening as I *ALWAYS* move hives with the
entrances wide open.  If the bees get hot they come out.  On a warm night
the hives are covered.  Keeps them from overheating.  You might lose a few
but the queen never comes out, so...   Smoking them a bit helps, although I
must admit that we rarely smoke bees just to move them.

>I would like to extract the remaining 4 hives before moving them (some have
>6 supers on top of the 2-3 brood chambers); but I am concerned that pulling
>off the supers will force the too many bees into too few hive bodies, and I
>won't be able to contain all of the bees for the move.

If the hives are too heavy to lift then you have to pull the honey.  If you
don't screen the entrance you don't have to worry about containing all the
bees.  If they get too hot they will come out.  If you put on an empty super
just before the move then you may kill more bees than you will lose off the
outside cluster because the frames will not be glued and they will rock,
which DOES kill bees, and maybe even that one important one.

You mentioned stings.  I must admit that moving bees does generally involve
some stings.  I work at least 75 hives most days, and I have rarely put my
veil on for the last three weeks.  But when I move hives by hand I put it on
and my gloves.  And wear boots.  Bees go into a different behaviour mode at
night.  I call it crawly behaviour.  They are pissed that you are messing
with them and they know they have a disadvantage because they can't fly
(although they can sure still jump!!!) and they make up for it by continuing
doggedly to crawl on you until they find that inevitable hole in the armour.
There is a little bit of time in the late evening when the field force has
almost all come in but crawly behaviour has not yet taken over.  If you can
load in that time window you will usually have a nice move.  Once on the
vehicle the vibrations from the engine will calm the hive and if you leave
it running you can lift them off peacefully.  On nights when we are moving
bees all night I like unloading the last load in the morning the best.  It
is amazing how they regain their normal gentle nature as soon as they can
fly again.

Regards, Stan