I recently helped out a mate who had a couple of hives at his place that hadn't been opened for several years. I took the hives away so that he could clear out this area of his yard that was getting overtaken by a hedge. While I had the hives I replaced some of the boxes that were breaking apart and also some of the older frames. I was then able to return the hives to his yard, complete with supers ready for collecting honey in the new season.
It's important that you regularly check and manage your hives, including Flow Hives to make sure the bees are happy, have the correct amount of room and keep an eye out for pests or diseases. The bet way to manage your hive against hive beetle and prevent swarming is to make sure that the bees have the right amount of space - too much and they will struggle to maintain temperature and keep out pests; too little and they will split or swarm and look for a new home.
If you have hives and need a hand with tending them, give me a call and I can either talk you through the process or come and give a hand. Happy bees are less likely to cause issues with you, your family or your neighbours.
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