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Just cleaning a few myself. Scrub with wire scourer/ stiff brush/ scraper and washing soda. Try to remove all traces of wax/ propolis/ debris but be careful that on poly hives, the corners and edges abrade easily. Then dip in bleach solution. You will need something to weight them down! I use a...

That's a bit worrying. What next, horsemeat?

Welcome to the Forum. A good plan to prepare this year before committing. Here's how it goes: Read. Attend course. Read more. Ask questions here as books will make you curious. Consult books again to filter 15 different answers to your question here. Buy more books. Resort to forum as more...

Change floor, especially if in need of a deep clean. Change hive boxes if any in need of repair. Move old frames to outside for replacement. Tidy up any brace comb. If ample brood, check carefully for disease. Not necessarily all at first inspection of course (though disease check important ASAP).

To dust is to apply a light sprinkling, which IMO is a waste of sugar. To roll, on the other hand is to coat the bees in a much heavier application. Far more effective (and maybe worthwhile).

Indeed, my advice relates to such a swarm - the one that causes concern for you. There are times when the most honourable of principles may need to bend. I won't tell anyone if you don't. ;)

I'm a bit puzzled. They may have a high varroa load. You are loathe to treat. If a pet dog was infested with fleas, would we withhold treatment? Treatments have been approved by the VMD. OK, we would probably all prefer to have bees in the strongest of health. We don't. I wouldn't be...

"What's that buzzing?" Brilliant :) sign me up for a subscription!

Perhaps. But my creaking vertebrae are often testament to the amount of work in manipulating 100 of them over a weekend!

Can we assume that your choice is between national and 14x12? Other formats are available! I use 14x12 and much prefer them over nats, primarily to suit more prolific queen traits (it had been argued that nationals were better suited to the old British bee that was quite happy to brood on 8 or...

Indeed

DEFRA guidance is 1 part bleach to 6 of water for 20 minutes for most bacteria. Spores are tough little blighters. A dip in some strong soda is better than no dip at all, one might think.

Easy. Small honey buckets x2. Soda in one and the other empty for hive debris. 2 hive tools, one in the soda bucket, one in the hand, alternating between hives. Gloves (nitryl) easily rinsed at the time of tool change.

Ahhh - but maybe it came up at night? :laughing-smiley-014

Astonishment at the resilience of these creatures. Heat of summer, cold of winter and now the latest assault in the wettest and coldest of wet and cold summers that we can remember.

Though much better to change five or six frames than sixty! Many factors in play. I would imagine that most new beekeepers are influenced by the traditional mindset of the majority ("we've always done it this way") and nationals form the focus of early years. How many beekeepers move on, to...

Baa! Though it makes sense to understand any compatibility issues concerning the local beekeeping preference, I wouldn't allow this to unduly influence my choice. I started on standard nationals and was so glad to move up a gear to 14x12. Agreed, no need to be a nonconformist for the sake of...

Hearty congratulations. I said 'an' association (of many moons ago) - my feeble attempt at humour ought not be misconstrued!

Hi Westart. Welcome. Sorry that I can't be much help specifically but yours reminds me of my own experience in trying to join an Association in winter. "Oh, I'm not sure about that; not much happens at this time of year...". Perhaps Association admin in bee-like torpor? Don't break the...

I'm intrigued as to how the bees can get into the gaps. Indeed, what gaps? Perhaps my Painy polys are of a different close-fitting design... Certainly wouldn't want to dob Vaseline all over them just to create potential for harbouring nasties.