I have been up and down to the apiary for the last few days gradually bringing roofs, floors and boxes back for spring cleaning.
Each hive has the floor removed and replaced with a cleaned one. Bottom brood boxes are being removed for cleaning, this also gets the hive volume down and then the bees can keep the nest temperature up with less effort.
This is a dirty floor.
I then scrub the boxes vigorously with a scrubbing brush and detergent, and sometimes a scouring pad to shift any loose paint.. after that I give them a coat of acrylic paint... masonry or proper hive paint with a brush or spray gun.
then they are returned to the apiary and the next lot are recovered!
A quick look round the apiairy for you all....
Spring is nearly fully here... pollen is coming in.....
Last thoughts... I have noticed some frames are a bit tight as I put them in to the new boxes.... after a few moments I realised that the bees had put a lot of propolis on the edges of the Hoffman spacers.. so scraped it off... they then fitted!
Propolis is a very useful hive product... even my dentist recommended it for mouth ulcers!
I am often asked for some by a local customer who uses it on her horses, and by others who make a tincture for wound treatment... it is very effective...
This raspberry sized ball came from the frames I just mentioned... it has a lovely medicinal smell to it!
Happy beekeeping......
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