When to clean out?

[Jon Bleier]

Quick questions,

This is my first year my bees survived the winter. When should I clean out hives that have successfully overwintered? Are the temps warm enough to do this tomorrow or should I wait for warmer weather? I would hate to loose them at this point from opening / inspecting / cleaning the hives. Also, when I clean out should I reverse the deeps at the same time or wait?

Thanks,

Jon

[Paul Zelenski]

It is too early t mess with the hives, in my opinion. I'm not convinced winter is over yet. 

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[Matt H]

Agree, but I like to get a stick or something and pull out the dead bees from the bottom board.  Otherwise as the temps get warmer they tend to mold and rot.  They also can impede the bees from getting out.  Also, opening the top and making sure you have dried sugar left is a good thing to do when the temps get warm.  I agree with Paul though not to break the propolis seals.  

[Marcin]

My experience has been that strong and healthy colonies will clean out the dead bees from the bottom board. 

As for inspections, I wouldn't start breaking frames apart until it's low 60's, no wind and sunny. 

[Jon Bleier]

My feeling was to wait as well but it was nice to hear all your thoughts.

Thank you,

Jon

[marvin]

I cleaned off the bottom board a couple of weeks ago already.  I just take off the entrance reducer and use an L shaped wire to quickly fish the dead out.  I always felt that the sooner you can get that soggy mess out, the better.   This dry week we're having is a real change of pace from the cold, damp winter we've just had.  Getting that mess out really lets the air flow.  I would not, however, do much other than that.  Certainly no inspections requiring breaking the hive down.

[William Palmer]

Take a piece of wood smaller than the enterance reducer. Use it to clean out the dead bees. At this time of year the bees need a little help. Dead, rotten, smelly bees need to bee cleaned out.

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[Jon Bleier]

Today I started to clean up what I thought was a dead out in my TB but as I started taking frames out found out they are still very much alive. The wired thing is the TB bees have not been out and about like my Lang bees. That's why I thought they were dead. The TB has many frames of honey remaining. I did not look in the lang other then to check the dry suger supply, which is fine. When I partially took apart the TB I used a twig to remove as many dead bees from the entrance holes as possible. After putting it back together the bees decided to wake up. They were able to get in and out of the entrance and started to reorient and do their dancing, they must have known its St Patrick's day! I need to get the TB cleaned out soon as one of the combs has fallen off the TB. There are also dead bees on the bottom screen. As soon as we get a 60 degree day I will be in there but for now I'm happy they are all alive.

Jon

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[Jon Bleier]

Both topbar and lang are dead! There was little activivy the past couple days which made me suspicious. I thought they made it through winter. March 17 they were all active and buzzing.  I started clean out today to fine none alive. It appears a bad case of disantary. Have several frames of drawn colmb and honey. If someone has an extra package or wants to split, I'm interested. Would like to try Russians if I can find them.

I'm on the west side of Madison.

Jon

[Joseph Bessetti]

All of the Russian bee sources that I get updates on were sold out months ago, so you're likely to have trouble getting any now.   Leave your hives out through June and you're likely to catch a swarm.  

Joe

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From: mad...@googlegroups.com <mad...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Jon Bleier <jsbl...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2018 9:46 PM
To: mad...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [madbees] Re: When to clean out?

 

[Jon Bleier]

Joe

I checked several sites for Russians to find they are sold out or extremely expensive. I froze all the boxes and frames for 48 hrs then transferred mostly empty brood frames to nuke boxes (topbar and lang) I straped one ~12 ft up in a tree and another on top of our sunroom roof. Last year I caught a swarm in eagle heights so I will hope for the best to make use of my leftover resorces. There will for sure be honeybees in our yard as our apples, cherries, and peach, are getting closer to flower. There were a couple at the top of the pussy willow today collecting pollen.

Jon

[DL]

Joe,

I cleaned out a hive today that didn't make it through winter. There are 5-6 frames loaded with honey, I left in the hive with the thought of catching a swarm. Correct thing to do, as you mention?

[Greg V]

You don't want to leave honey frames in a bee-expressible, empty hive - they will just robbed out.

Extract the honey for yourself or freeze for future use by the bees.

Put out empty combs if you want to try to catch a swarm

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[Greg V]

I meant: bee-accessible (darn spell-checkey). :)

[Joseph Bessetti]

Greg is right.  Remove all of the frames of capped honey and extract or store them for later.   I'd leave any open nectar to be cleaned out. 

Leave at least 1 deep hive body, preferably two deeps or 2-3 mediums if you can, and some empty combs that previously had brood.  Frames with foundation is ok to fill the rest of the boxes if necessary; just make sure to fill the boxes with frames.  A couple drops of lemon grass oil on the landing board every 2-3 weeks may help too but isn't required. 

Regards,

Joe

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Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2018 8:31 PM

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