Bee Hive Lifts, Carriers and Carts: Moving Heavy Hives Safely
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A full deep hive box weighs roughly 80–90 lb, and a full medium super roughly 50–60 lb, so lifting and moving hives is hard on your back. For carrying single boxes, a two-person hive carrier is the cheapest, safest tool. For rolling hives or stacks of supers, use a hand truck or furniture dollies. If you work many hives alone, a commercial bee hive lift that clamps and raises boxes for you is worth the cost. Below we compare them, explain how to lift safely, and cover how to strap a hive for a move.
How heavy is a beehive?
Weights vary with wood, frame count and how much honey the bees have stored, so treat these as rough figures for full 10-frame Langstroth boxes:
| Box (10-frame, full of honey) | Rough weight |
|---|---|
| Shallow super | About 35–40 lb |
| Medium super | About 50–60 lb |
| Deep brood box | About 80–90 lb |
| Whole hive, 2 deeps + 2 mediums, late summer | Often 200 lb or more |
An 8-frame box holds a fifth fewer frames, so it weighs roughly a fifth less. Brood boxes are usually lighter than a box of capped honey, but you rarely know what you are lifting until it is off the hive.
Hive carriers vs dollies vs hive lifts
| Tool | People needed | Moves | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-person hive carrier | Two | One box at a time | Carrying supers to the truck or honey house; lifting boxes off a tall hive |
| Hand truck | One | A strapped stack or whole hive | Moving a closed-up hive across a yard or up a ramp |
| Furniture dollies | One | Stacks of supers | Flat floors: garage, honey house, extraction day |
| Commercial hive lift or hoist | One | One or several boxes | Beekeepers working alone with many hives, or with back problems |
Hive carriers are steel frames with a handle at each end and grips that hook under the handholds of a box. Two people share the load and keep it level, which also stops frames sliding.
Hand trucks and dollies are general-purpose, not beekeeping gear, but they work well. Strap the boxes down first so a bump cannot slide one off.
Commercial hive lifts are sold by beekeeping suppliers. Most are a wheeled frame with arms that clamp a box, and a hand crank, winch or battery motor that raises it, so you can lift the top boxes off, inspect the brood box, and lower them back. They cost far more than a carrier, but they let one person work a heavy hive without lifting anything.
The best hive carriers and carts
1. Mann Lake Hive Carrier (best overall hive carrier)
Mann Lake’s carrier is the one we would buy for carrying full boxes. It is made of galvanized steel tubing, so it will not rust in a damp shed, and it is rated to support up to 150 lb, well above the weight of a full deep box. Two people take a handle each, the grips go under the box, and the load stays level between you.
It is the simplest way to take heavy supers off a tall hive and carry them to a truck or honey house without either person straining. When the season is over, it comes apart for storage, so it does not take up much room on the wall.
- Good: Galvanized steel tubing, 150 lb capacity, two-person handles, disassembles for storage
- Watch for: Needs two people, and it carries one box at a time.
2. Black Galvanized Folding Hive Carrier (best for 8- and 10-frame hives)
This two-person carrier is black galvanized steel and fits both 8- and 10-frame boxes, which is useful if you run a mix of hive sizes or are switching to lighter 8-frame equipment. It folds flat when you are not using it.
It is rated to about 100 lb, which covers a full medium or deep box, but gives less margin than the Mann Lake carrier. It is a new listing with no reviews yet, so it is a reasonable pick if you need the 8-frame fit, but the Mann Lake carrier has the longer track record.
- Good: Galvanized steel, fits 8- and 10-frame boxes, folds for storage, two-person design
- Watch for: About 100 lb capacity; new listing with no reviews yet.
3. Voipvvii Folding Hand Truck (best for moving a whole hive alone)
A hand truck is not beekeeping gear, but it is the easiest way for one person to move a strapped, closed-up hive. This folding one weighs only 6.5 lb yet is rated to 500 lb, far more than any hive. It rolls on six TPE wheels, two fixed and four swivel, so it is easy to steer around the yard.
The platform adjusts, and it comes with two elastic ropes. Those are fine for empty boxes, but strap a live hive with a ratchet strap as well so the boxes cannot shift. Keep the hive upright and go slowly on rough ground.
- Good: 500 lb rating, 6.5 lb and folding, six wheels including four swivel, adjustable platform, two elastic ropes included
- Watch for: Small wheels suit paths and hard ground better than long grass; add a ratchet strap for live hives.
4. WEN Hardwood Furniture Dollies, 2-Pack (best for supers on flat floors)
On extraction day, a pair of furniture dollies saves a lot of lifting. Stack full supers on a dolly in the garage or honey house and roll them to the extractor instead of carrying each one. Each WEN dolly is 18 x 30 in, the pair is rated to 1,320 lb, and ball-bearing swivel casters let them turn easily.
The ends are carpeted, which stops boxes sliding and protects them. They also work for moving hives across a flat patio or driveway. They are made for smooth floors, though, and will not roll on grass or gravel.
- Good: Two dollies, 18 x 30 in each, 1,320 lb rating for the pair, ball-bearing swivel casters, carpeted ends
- Watch for: Flat, hard floors only; not for use out in the apiary.
How to lift hive boxes safely
- Lift with your legs. Stand close, bend your knees, keep your back straight and the box against your body. Do not twist while holding it; move your feet instead.
- Take boxes off one at a time. Never try to lift two full supers together.
- Lighten a heavy box first. Put an empty box beside the hive and move frames across one by one until the full box is light enough, then move the box and put the frames back.
- Have somewhere to set it down at waist height, such as a spare stand, an upturned box or a cart, rather than on the ground. A hive stand with a side rail helps; see the best hive stands.
- Break the propolis seal with your hive tool before you lift, so the box does not stick and then jerk free.
- Get help for anything over what you can comfortably lift. A second person and a carrier are safer than a pulled back.
Setting up for a long-lived back
The simplest way to lift less is to use lighter boxes. Many beekeepers switch to all medium boxes for brood and honey: a full medium is far lighter than a deep, and every frame fits every box. 8-frame hives cut the weight of each box again. Combine the two and your heaviest box is roughly 40–50 lb instead of 90. Keeping hives at a comfortable working height on a stand also saves bending. See our Langstroth hive guide for box sizes, and a medium hive body as an example.
How to move a heavy beehive
Moving a whole hive means moving it closed, with the bees inside:
- Move at night or very early, when the foragers are home.
- Close the entrance with a screen, foam strip or entrance closure after dark. In hot weather give the bees ventilation with a screened entrance or screened top.
- Strap the hive from bottom board to lid with one or two ratchet straps so the boxes cannot slide apart. Hive staples or connectors between boxes add security for long drives.
- Lighten it if you can: take off honey supers and move them separately.
- Keep it level on a hand truck, and tie it down upright in the vehicle.
- Open the entrance once the hive is on its new stand and the bees have settled.
Distance matters: move a hive under 3 feet or over about 3 miles, or foragers fly back to the old spot. For the details, see how and when to move a beehive.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a full beehive weigh?
A typical two-deep hive with honey supers can weigh 200 lb or more in late summer. A single full deep is roughly 80–90 lb and a full medium roughly 50–60 lb, depending on how much honey is in it.
Can one person move a beehive?
Yes, if you move it in pieces or on wheels. Strap it and roll it on a hand truck, or take it apart box by box. For lifting boxes during inspections, a commercial hive lift lets one person do the work.
What is a hive lifter?
The term covers two things: a two-person carrier that grips a box by its handholds, and a mechanical hive lift that clamps a box and raises it with a crank or motor. Carriers are cheap and simple; mechanical lifts are expensive but remove the lifting entirely.
Should I use 8-frame boxes to save my back?
Many beekeepers do. An 8-frame box is roughly a fifth lighter than a 10-frame box of the same depth, and an all-medium 8-frame hive keeps every box to a manageable weight. You need a few more boxes for the same space.
How do you strap a beehive for moving?
Run a ratchet strap under the bottom board and over the lid, tighten it firmly, and add a second strap at right angles for long trips. Close the entrance at night before strapping, and keep the hive upright in the vehicle.
For more equipment, browse our beekeeping tools and bee care guides.
