How to store an empty hive?

[VixyB]

Hi,

I have a hive that is now empty and I was wondering whether I can leave it over the winter at the apiary?

I live about 4 miles from the apiary, so am hoping to be able to leave it there so that I don't have to transport it backwards and forwards.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Moggett]

I'd take it home, clean it, then leave it in the garden until needed. Less likely to be stolen too as you can keep an eye on it.

 

[VixyB]

Thank you! If I store it in my garden, can I leave the frames in it?

 

[Apple]

Thank you! If I store it in my garden, can I leave the frames in it?

I do
I have even had an "early" swarm move in!

James

 

[VixyB]

I do
I have even had an "early" swarm move in!

James

Let's hope I have the same luck!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

If there are stores in the frames take them out. Robbers and wax moth and mice spring to mind.

 

[VixyB]

There are stores in some of them. Will they be okay in the garage in a brood box or do they need to be kept more carefully?

Thanks

 

[Erichalfbee]

Capped honey is ok in your garage. Make sure nothing can get into the box. Pollen will go mouldy. Best option if you have room is the freezer.

 

[VixyB]

So if I don't have freezer room and there are pollen stores, should I throw those combs away and start again next year?

Thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No, unless you have a frame with nothing but pollen. Bees will just clean out any mouldy cells before using them again

 

[yeogi75]

put a solid floor or board and some thing breathable on top of brood box, the bees will clean mouldy coombes up in spring.

 

[bontbee]

Is Danbee still a member of this forum? I seem to recall he or Ken wrote an article in, I think, Beecraft. It mentioned "encouraging" pollen mites(?) so that the pollen in any stored frames was reduced to dust before it could go mouldy and hard as rock. I always wondered what to do to encourage pollen mites: sometimes they seem to find the stored frames and sometimes they don't. This year they didn't...

Any ideas?
ta

 

[REDWOOD]

As Said the bees will clean the pollen out but I have washed the pollen out with a hose pipe before now

 

[bontbee]

I agree, usually they do, but for some reason this year the pollen was set so hard the bees couldn't clear it out. Even though I scraped the pollen filled areas as far back to the midrib as I could, the bees still couldn't completely remove all of the encrusted bits of pollen...