I need to do some hammering

[BugsInABox]

…and drilling on a couple of occupied top bar hives at some point this winter. Just general maintenance on a couple of hives made from off cuts of soft pine wood.
I’d assumed I’d be best doing it in the depth of winter when they are tightly clustered but wondering now if it’ll disturb them anyway and it’ll cause more problems than if I just suit up and do it on a day like today when they are active anyway.
Thoughts?
Cheers
BIAB

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

do it now - the danger in the winter, if they are tightly clustered, is you may dislodge bees from the cluster and they will be too chilled to rejoin it

 

[blackcloud]

Use screws instead of nails.
For the future keep a spare hive in good order-swap it for a damaged one during the season.

 

[BugsInABox]

Use screws instead of nails.

I will but I didn’t want to title the thread “I need to do some screwing”

 

[BugsInABox]

For the future keep a spare hive in good order-swap it for a damaged one during the season.

Trouble is that with a TBH, try as I might, I never quite get one just like another - so the combs don’t easily transfer from one hive to another.

 

[blackcloud]

I see.
Theres always hollow tree beekeeping?

 

[BugsInABox]

I see.
Theres always hollow tree beekeeping?

Even cheaper!?

 

[Amari]

I will but I didn’t want to title the thread “I need to do some screwing”

When we visited our son in Oz a few years ago he was searching for a particular type of spanner. I volunteered to google Screwfix for him. I got offered some delightful-looking Russian brides..........