lost hive over winter ,,,getting new nuc ??

[neal/cheryl]

lost the hive over the winter
looks like they just starved ,there was plenty of honey on the other frames just didnt want to cross over to the next frame ( to cold ??)
I saw some mites on some of the bead bees
I am getting a nuc the 1st wk of may
Took out the honey wks ago so it wouldnt be robbed
Should I clean out the hive?
Or let the new bees clean it out ?
Or is there anything i should do like ( spray some ???? what ever in the boxes to clean it)
Thanks for any info
Neal

[Ravenseye]

Unless you suspect disease, you don't have to do much to clean the hive (I assume you mean the hive bodies). I scrape off any errant wax...clean and/or paint the outside if you do that, and let the new bees make a home. For frames, I shake / knock out the bees that are loose enough to easily remove and let the new bees take care of the rest. If you have any weird comb, now is a good time to cull it. I wouldn't spray a thing in the hive unless you really had to and based on your description, it doesn't sound like you need to.

[Rebel Rose]

Whenever I reuse hive bodies from 'lost colonies', I take the precaution of going over the inside of the hive bodies with a propane torch....not enough to burn anything, just just enough to hit the surface a bit. This is something that I learned from an old 'keeper and since he did so well with his hives, I continue to do the same with mine.

This old man kept bees alive through tough Illinois winters and they were kept for the most part in hive bodies that were falling apart! However his bees did very well and I continue to use most of his methods...except my hive bodies and supers are not falling apart! ;)

He used to tell me that those bees need lots of 'air' to survive the winters. I guess that the cracks and holes in his hive bodies were there for 'air'. ;) It was the damp that killed the bees he said and not the cold.

Brenda

[bnatural]

It was the damp that killed the bees he said and not the cold.

Brenda

He was right. Well, within reason. You don't want them getting blasted by cold air all winter, but, snug hives can drown in condensation (drips down on the cluster from above and soaks them), if not properly vented.

Bill