Re-using poly hives

[Levitt53]

I've finally got the bees transferred from the poly hive that I took delivery of this time last year. I have no idea how long the previous beekeeper was using the poly hive for but it really is a but yucky. The floor was caked with debris. I've unscrewed the mesh and am soaking it but I don't think I can salvage that. I've scraped what I can off everything else and given it a good scrub with washing soda in a wheel barrow. It isn't painted either so that needs to be done before I can re-use it. I know it's always good to change brood boxes and floors each year and hopefully I can keep it all in check. My question to other poly users is you change it every year are they fairly easy to clean? I hope I'm not going to be faced with this mess each year or else I might revert to wood and a blow torch.

 

[Swarm]

You have to think how you would look after one. No doubt you wouldn't allow such a mess, I don't. I recently cleaned three poly broods with a hive tool, brush and cillit bang. Hive tool to remove bits of wax and propolis, cillit bang, brush, rinse and dry.

 

[Beefriendly]

If it's of any use mine seem remain fairly clean. Spot of wax here and there and that's about it. The mess though may be related to the strain of bees you keep , so my experiences might not be typical. So far the Buckfast, their F1's, F2's, Irish Amm's and Slovenian Carniolans have not messed it up. A quick scrape and spray with Virkon S100 and good hose down afterwards is all I do to keep them clean.

 

[pargyle]

Mine don't seem to get that yucky .. I don't change and clean brood boxes unless there is a need for it ...usually if I've split a colony or combined one and the box is empty. Cleaning is usually just a scrape to remove any attached bits of wax, a scrub with washing soda and a good rinse out with the hosepipe. I usually then give them a fresh coat of propolis varnish inside (just propolis dissolved in meths) and a coat of paint on the outside.

I don't see the need for this fetish of changing floors and brood boxes every year - bees are about the cleanest organisms on the planet .. I suspect that, having scrubbed a brood box to the point that we view it as clean - as soon as you give it back to a colony they will recoat it in propolis anyway !

 

[Poly Hive]

Precisely.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't see the need for this fetish of changing floors and brood boxes every year

 

[Poly Hive]

Look no further than the dear BBKA.

PH

 

[pargyle]

Look no further than the dear BBKA.

PH

Hmmm ... Not surprised but, to be honest, I don't look at anything much to do with the BBKA these days ...

 

[Levitt53]

Ok so I'll clean it as best I can. Cilit Bang is interesting, I'll give that a try. Then I'll paint it as it needs that. The mesh I will replace as it was solid - I've left it soaking overnight but don't expect much improvement.

Thanks, I hate cleaning so don't want to start out on something that is too arduous.

 

[sherwood]

Ok so I'll clean it as best I can. Cilit Bang is interesting, I'll give that a try. Then I'll paint it as it needs that. The mesh I will replace as it was solid - I've left it soaking overnight but don't expect much improvement.

Thanks, I hate cleaning so don't want to start out on something that is too arduous.

So why not pressure wash the mesh or even use a blow torch and then brush it is highly likely that most of whar is bunging up the mesh is propalis.

 

[Swarm]

Easier still, ditch the floor and make your own replacement.

 

[welshgirl]

You have to think how you would look after one. No doubt you wouldn't allow such a mess, I don't. I recently cleaned three poly broods with a hive tool, brush and cillit bang. Hive tool to remove bits of wax and propolis, cillit bang, brush, rinse and dry.

So which cillit bang do you use - the orange limescale and shine or the green grease and sparkle?

 

[pargyle]

So which cillit bang do you use - the orange limescale and shine or the green grease and sparkle?

That's a good question ... they used to do just one variant ... now they are conning us into thinking we need to buy FOUR different ones ! I've banned the stuff from our house .. if you look at the ingredients it's about the worst thing you could put on anything you value.

I think washing soda is as good as anything for poly hives ... and even then I don't clean them excessively ...

 

[Swarm]

So which cillit bang do you use - the orange limescale and shine or the green grease and sparkle?

Orange one but I've used the green as well.

 

[Levitt53]

I sprayed it with cillit bang then scrubbed it with a Brillo pad, fairly gently I'll add. It isn't painted but that's this morning's job. Hopefully I won't let it get in that state again as yes I'm a little nervous about using something like cillit bang routinely.

 

[Swarm]

I sprayed it with cillit bang then scrubbed it with a Brillo pad, fairly gently I'll add. It isn't painted but that's this morning's job. Hopefully I won't let it get in that state again as yes I'm a little nervous about using something like cillit bang routinely.

I'd be more concerned about the brillo pad and what that's done to the surface, I've only ever used a brush. You do wash it down afterwards so all the alarmism about cillit bang is way OTT, IMO.

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I sprayed it with cillit bang then scrubbed it with a Brillo pad, fairly gently I'll add. It isn't painted but that's this morning's job. Hopefully I won't let it get in that state again as yes I'm a little nervous about using something like cillit bang routinely.

It is possible to get a plastic scraper with a moderately flexible edge at many supermarkets and car accessory shops, which would be excellent for use on poly. Unless there has been an outbreak of disease, the need for cleaning is very limited.

 

[Magwat]

My Swienty hives are 8 years old and routinely scraped with a metal hive tool with no detriment to the material. The masonry paint on the exterior has never needed touching up. I scrub with washing soda or bleach and a stiff brush.
You do not need to treat them with kid gloves, just don't put your smoker on them and keep away from solvents.