How to move a hive any distance
It’s really odd to find something you wrote being used as the main topic of somebody else’s video, especially when you’ve never met or even heard of the person. That’s the internet for you. In this case the videographer is LDSPrepper and, luckily, he found that my technique for moving a hive worked perfectly for him.
He refers to me by name “Rusty” for a while and then devolves into “Ray” which, I guess, is fine. Oh yes, he also refers to me as “he” which I guess is understandable, but it tells me he’s not a regular reader. Gotcha. Anyway, I forgive him because he gave me high marks in Beekeeping Myth Busting 101.
Anyway, here’s his video.
Comments
Great job teaching, Ray!
Thanks, I think.
“Call me anything you want. Just don’t call me late for dinner.” Good job Ray.
I can’t tell if you are puzzled or peeved by this, but you shouldn’t be surprised by someone using knowledge they gained from your posts in their own post, be it a ‘video post’.
In the video he credits you several times, and shows your website address in the video, which is great.
(I create DIY and how-to videos, and have video documented my first years of beekeeping, and when I reference someone else’s work, I do the same thing.)
I’m dyslexic with names of people, many people are, and mangle people’s names on a regular basis, so I wouldn’t make a big deal about him getting your name wrong. He’s not a professional broadcaster, just a guy with a video camera and some beehives.
And unless you dig deep into this site, one can’t determine the gender of the author of HoneyBeeSuite easily.
I think your site is great, I’ve learned a lot from you, I’ve posted about it on Twitter and Facebook, even sent you a fan email (never heard back…)
So instead of being puzzled – be flattered! – Mr Prepper just made a great video for you, and you didn’t have to do anything!
And, now I know how to easily move the 3 hives I have to move about 100′! i was going to truck them across town for a week and then bring them back, now I don’t have to. I’ll make a video about moving the hives and credit you with showing me the technique.
Thanks again for all your hard work on the site here, always learning something, Eric.
Now, Eric, you’ve got it all wrong. Like lots of folks, you don’t understand my sometimes dry sense of humor. I am neither puzzled nor peeved, but flattered. If I wasn’t pleased, or if I didn’t like the video, I would not have embedded it. I’m pretty particular about what gets posted.
Mr. Prepper not only did a nice job of demonstrating the technique, he has beautiful hives. I love looking at them. He has a pleasant voice as well and absolutely gorgeous oak leaves.
You don’t have to dig too deep to determine my gender. Lots of folks say I think like a woman (probably not a compliment). And I write about my husband all the time . . . as in the post before this one.
As for fan mail . . . you’ve got me there. I try to answer everything that comes in, although I do better with comments than e-mail. In any case, I’m sorry if I failed to answer. I definitely remember both you and your Twitter-ments.
So take it easy. I was just havin’ fun.
Good to hear that.
The problem with the web, and comments especially, is that they lack tone a lot of the time, not everyone can tell when it’s humor or when its not.
Maybe you’ll post my video homage to HoneyBeeSuite on ‘moving hives the easy way’; though my hives are a not as shiny & new
Eric,
Maybe I will. Send me a link.
This technique has been around for a while. You’re not the first person to think of this. It’s common knowledge to close up a nuc after a split in the same bee-yard for 3 days.
Just saying.
Hi Charlie,
I absolutely agree that the technique has been around for a long time . . . after all, everything I know I learned from somebody else. However, I do not agree that it’s common knowledge. What is more common is the “three feet or three mile” advice. What I try to do here at Honey Bee Suite is distill and clarify piles of confusing information. Most techniques I write about I didn’t invent, I just re-phrased. The answers are all out there but oftentimes they are hard to find and/or hard to decipher.
Just saying.
Good stuff. We have a similar sense of humor and you knoooooow I’m going to start calling you Ray from now on.
Johnny,
No surprise there. Even my daughter is calling me Ray.
I watched another of his videos. His hives are beautiful because they’re coated in fibreglass. Or that may be part of the reason, anyway. I used linseed oil to preserve the natural look of my hives. I’m switching to paint because the linseed oil wears out quickly. But if I knew anything about fibreglass, I’d give it a go. I wonder how safe it is for bee hives…
Phillip,
I never heard of anyone fibreglassing a hive, but I suspect it would make it really heavy. I helped fibreglass a wooden boat once, and it weighed a ton afterward. That was a long time ago, though. Maybe things have improved.
The fiberglass part of the finish would be un-necessary in this case, you could use just use the epoxy if you wanted, it would probably be difficult, messy, and expensive. If you want a more durable finish that will last you might try spar varnish, it is commonly used on the exposed woodwork on boats.
I have done a fair bit of fibreglassing and it would certainly protect your hive from the elements, but as Ray says it would increase the weight significantly. Although there are a few new (they claim) eco-friendly resins, I would worry about the toxicity of traditional fibreglass resins.
Love your sense of humour Ray! And your website!
Rusty,
I don’t have a problem with what you said, “Most techniques I write about I didn’t invent, I just re-phrased. The answers are all out there but oftentimes they are hard to find and/or hard to decipher.”
I do have a problem when you “re-phrase” and call it your technique leading readers to believe you came up with it all on your own. The reader who posted the video was very happy to give you the credit for “your” technique. (That video was very well done by the way, great narration). You should give credit to whoever you learned this technique from instead of calling it your own.
Charlie,
I see your point but the problem with that kind of knowledge (you called it “common” knowledge, I believe) is that who knows where it comes from? Much of this stuff I picked up years ago. Maybe it came from my grandfather? I have no idea. You know that ice melts at room temperature, okay? To whom do you credit that knowledge?
When I use the word “my” I simply mean my interpretation or my post or my writing or my site. When I hear about various techniques I try them, modify them in a way that works best for me, and then write about them. I supposed you could say the modifications are my own, but I’m not claiming that either. By the way, when I know the source of information, I always refer to it.
Charlie, if any person learns something from this site then I have accomplished my goal of accumulating, filtering, and simplifying the vast amount of bee knowledge that is out there. Many people appreciate it, obviously some do not. Although I hate to lose a reader, I realize my site is not for everyone.
Thank you for writing.
All good points. I love your site BTW and read it often and will continue to do so. You have a gift for writing in which I give you all the credit!
Charlie
Thank you, Charlie. Your points are well-taken as well.
Hi Rusty,
Thanks so much for your website. I live in the tropics (Malaysia) and being a typical male, I got my bees and hive first, then looked for instructions on what and how to do. First thing, the hive was in the wrong place, so I needed to move it. Everything I read said the old 3 ft to 3 mile rule. Then I came across your site. I moved my hive 4 nights ago to the other side of my house about 20 meters as the crow flies. First night all ok, second night half the hive managed to escape, but stayed on the hive, third day I let the rest of the bees out and all are quite happy in their new location. Thanks for your how-to page. I will be back as I haven’t a clue what I am doing, but am having fun learning and getting stung! Thanks Alan
Alan,
I’m glad that worked for you. Thanks for letting me know.