How to transit bee hives safely without them falling over

[suefirehorse]

Hi, I am about to move 2 bee hives. Its a 2 hour journey. I have a transporter van. I am wondering how to secure them for the journey. I suppose buy some ratchets like these? https://www.screwfix.com/p/ratchet-tie-down-strap-with-hooks-3m-x-25mm/22156 and wrap one vertically around each hive as well as one horizontally to attach them to the side of the van?

Someone suggested netting - what kind? where from? or bed sheets to cover them too.

I will block the doors after dark, and place foliage in front of the new entrances so they re-orientate.

[NigelP]

Welcome to the forum.
I would forget about adding the foliage they will re-orientate anyway. It's another beekeeping myth that keeps getting passed down along the misinformation trail.
First make sure you can lift your hives with the roofs off before taking any next step.
The important issue is ventilation during a 2 hour trip.
They generate a tremendous amount of heat when confined and they have to vent it somewhere.
I learned the hard way ....
Are they on open mesh floors? This will help. Myself I would go a bit OTT and remove crownboard and replace it with a travel screen the day before you move them (Like a crownboard but metal mesh in the middle) or if you have an Abelo poly crown board remove the discs and allow them to vent through the plastic mesh. If you have non of this then prop open the crownboard with matchsticks or something (before tightening the ratchet straps) similar so air can flow through and out of the hive but the bees can't.
Roofs off and 2 ratchets straps parrallel to one another should do the trick.

[stechad]

I use these straps
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heavy-duty-4x-Ratchet-Tie-Down-Straps-0-8-Tonnes-6mx25mm-Professional-Tool-New/223929230627?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I would use two straps vertically around each hive to help stop twisting after removing the roof and replacing with a vented travel screen and then strap to side and floor lashing points.
and watch for them damn speedbumps.

[AndrewLD]

Are we in time?
Double strapping the hives with ratchet straps is a good move but don't over-tighten, the floor is not that strong nearer to the back and you could break it.
I always put a third strap horizontally around the hive at the entrance level to cover whatever you have blocked the entrance with.
A two hour journey? I would definitely use a travel screen and I'd take a water spray bottle in case I got held up and the bees started to overheat (spray a light mist through the travel screen). The problem with relying on an OMF is that some have a very small gap for air when sat on a car/van floor. I put mine on a wooden hive cradle I built for transporting hives to ensure there is plenty of air flow and to give me and my assistant something to carry the hive with.
Once upon a lifetime ago I did a fair amount of travel in the back of a C130 Hercules aircraft and shared a house with one of the Mobile Air Movements teams - they taught me a lot about strapping loads in vehicles that might have to stop quickly - you need to use at least two more straps to stop the hive (a) shunting forward in a crash and (b) tipping over.
Even if you double strap a hive, if you don't secure it properly in the vehicle, it is unlikely to stay together if it has slammed forward into a bulkhead or the back of some seats - and then you'll have few thousand bees joining you - so wear your beesuit and be ready to pull over the hood.
I have black straps for the hive and blue for securing in the car so I don't take off the wrong ones at the destination.
Keep the engine running - the engine vibration seems to keep the bees calm and don't rush to open the hive when it is in its new position - let them settle. One beekeeper died when he made the error of opening a hive that he had just moved (to put on a feeder) - how he missed the noise of angry bees is another question and he wasn't even wearing a beesuit!
Safe journey

[Patrick]

All great advice.

I have had small twisting movement between the parts of wood hives in transit due to vibration etc making a gap through which bees can exit. Older equipment with propolis is actually less prone than new shiny stuff. The stack stays intact but slightly twisted, enough for bees to crawl out and once one has found it - everybody follow suit. So double strap as advised. If you have an ordinary hand staple gun, whack in a couple of staples on two opposite sides to bridge the gap of floor to brood box / brood to crownboard or travel screen etc. Its belt and braces but surprisingly effective at holding them together. They can be removed with a flat blade screwdriver in seconds. Not any good with Poly obviously.

Nigel, did i read correctly you suggesting putting matchsticks under crownboards ?? A moment to treasure..

[NigelP]

The BBKA has been an advocate for using matchsticks for a long time
Thought it might be worth them knowing their is a genuine practical use for them; as an emergency measure when no other means of providing ventilation when moving hives are available rather than the more often quoted overwintering in a chimney effect, sucking the heat from a cluster. Which from a basic biological point of view doing this to an insect trying to keep itself (the cluster) warm during the cold winter months is just bonkers.

[AdamD]

Nigel, did i read correctly you suggesting putting matchsticks under crownboards ?? A moment to treasure..