Spring Clean Today

[Glenviewbee]

It was stunning weather down here in West Cornwall today so took the opportunity of doing 'Spring Cleans' on my 2 colonies (as recommended by my bee assoc)
Both colonies seem to be doing well - BIAS and stores in evidence. A couple of play cups in 1 colony, and both colonies had a frame with a small amount of drone brood.
The colonies were very well behaved and didn't seem to get too annoyed about being dismantled and evicted into a new hive - at the end of each procedure there was a lot of fanning going on at the entrances so I think I managed to not kill/lose either queen (though I didn't spot either of them)
Put a super on one colony - they were covering all frames in the BB with brood on 6. The other colony is a bit smaller so am leaving them to get on with it for the time being.

 

[itma]

Just a note to add to this, rather than a comment directly upon the post.

In some circles this 'spring clean' is referred to as "First Inspection" (with capital letters!) But it is daft over-caution (and not a good idea) to postpone your first look inside the hive until the weather is suitable for a full spring clean.
Some take that terminology far too seriously, and refuse to check their hives unless it is "t-shirt weather." Which is nonsense.
Any (earlier) time that the weather is half reasonable, you should take that opportunity to look if you have any concerns that you could actually do something about (like supplying fondant - or rearranging frames to avoid isolation starvation).
You shouldn't be opening up out of mere curiosity. But if you are concerned, find out rather than think that all the calendar allows you to do is worry and bung extra fondant ("just in case") above a hole in a coverboard. You can do much better than that.

"First Inspection" (capital initial letters) does not have to be your first check. (And I do rather think it shouldn't be...)

 

[Midland Beek]

Are your queens marked? It's a whole lot easier for a beginner if they are, and now is the time to do it. And what is a 'play cup'? Oh, you mean a queen cell cup?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Why this obsession with 'spring cleaning' to begin with - Manley derided the practice way back in 1946 as an obsession on tweed clad spinsters with nothing else to do!
If you have an OMF, there is no real need to change the floors, and unless there's a particular mess, why disturb the bees unneccessarily?

 

[Glenviewbee]

As Title said, this was a Spring Clean, not a First Inspection.

Haven't marked my queens - yes I am sure it makes it easier to spot them, but I haven't been able to do the deed as I can't find them easily as they aren't marked....... have got my marker when the opportunity arises.

Play cup - yes that would be the same as queen cups I suppose, sorry for the confusion.

I did the spring clean as this is the practice that our association recommends. Perhaps when I have a few more years of beekeeping under my belt I might have picked up enough practical experience and hands on knowledge to decide whether I will continue with the practice.

 

[itma]

As Title said, this was a Spring Clean, not a First Inspection.

...

Play cup - yes that would be the same as queen cups I suppose, sorry for the confusion.

..

My point was that spring cleaning is usually referred to by the BBKA as First Inspection (with capitals) but that it should not actually be the first inspection of the year!
Terminology!

And again with the terminology, I'm one of those who speaks of "play cups" (which are a normal part of the hive landscape) to distinguish them from charged Queen Cells which are always a "wake-up" call.


But to come back to the spring cleaning, its good to expose your OMF and at least brush it down - though there shouldn't be the need for the sort of attention that solid floors seem to have needed.
Also, I think its good to have a thorough frame scraping session, thoroughly removing any accumulated prop and brace comb. And there's no harm in moving the frames as they are cleaned into a freshly cleaned and sanitised brood box. The cleaner everything starts the season, the easier and more pleasant the future inspections should be. And it should also be a positive for the bees' health.
Whether or not its actually necessary, its not a bad thing to do ...

 

[Swarm]

Hello Glenviewbee,

I don't have an opinion about Spring cleaning, if you want to do it, it's up to you.
Your bees look lovely.