Using cube vans or detachable van boxes on flatdecks to move bees was a common practice in the days when hundreds of thousands of packages were shipped from the US to the Canadian west every spring. As recently as a couple of years ago I heard of beekeepers trying to get rid of those vans, for ridiculously low prices. Most of the units were well ventilated and some even had sprinkling systems to keep the bees cool on the long hot runs from California. Perhaps you could find one of those, Allen. Lost bees at truck stops and along major routes seem to be a major cause of Varroa spread in B.C. The monitoring we have done in the last couple of years has detected isolated Varroa infestations along highways used by migratory beekeepers travelling between Alberta and B.C. destinations. A lot of the infestations were found in yards closest to truck stops. In many cases we have found no other sign of Varroa in the area. We've also had an increase in complaints from Truck stops about clusters of bees hanging on lamp stands or flying around building lights at night after the bee trucks have moved on. A few stinging incidents have occurred. Truck stop personnel and customers are usually not amused. Not all migratory beekeepers are to blame. Some are conscientious and do a good jog of enclosing their bees, limit their stays at truck stops and travel as much as possible after dark. Others don't seem to give a damn and chuckle at the commotion they cause. Migration is a legitimate part of beekeeping here. Some Alberta beekeepers take advantage of the relatively mild winters in B.C. and earn some pollination income from fruit crops while here in the spring. Some B.C. beekeepers move their hives to Alberta for the potentially larger honey crops. Ministries of Agriculture in both provinces cooperate in a system of inspection that is easy for beekeepers to comply with and offers a chance of disease control for cooperators. Unfortuneately, the few that do not comply cause problems for everyone. If Africanized bees become more of an issue in the U.S. I'm afraid the public up here won't put up with swarms of bees hanging around gas stations. The issue will then be one of public health rather than bee disease control and beekeepers' freedom of movement could be sharply curtailed. As you said at the end of your last message Allen, this bothers me. Regards, John Gates, Apiculture Specialist B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 4607, 23rd. St. Vernon, B.C. Canada, V1T 4K7 Ph:( 604) 549-5580 fax:(604) 549-5488 Internet:[log in to unmask] PS. how's your snowboarding coming along?