This Beehive Hasn't Been Opened In 10 Years...Until NOW!

Video Description

🎥 About This Video In this video I open a beehive that has not been inspected for around ten years and take you through exactly what I find inside. We look at how an abandoned beehive survives without regular management, what happens to the comb and equipment, and how the bees cope with pests, diseases and weather over such a long period. If you have ever wondered what an untouched hive looks like after years of neglect, this video will give you a detailed, real world view from a working UK apiary. 🐝 What We Learn From An Abandoned Beehive Abandoned hives can be a serious risk to other colonies if they are harbouring brood diseases, high levels of varroa mites, wax moth damage or contaminated equipment. In this inspection I show you how I carefully approach an old hive, how I assess colony strength, brood pattern, comb condition and stores, and what warning signs I watch for when deciding whether the bees can be saved or whether the equipment needs to be removed from the apiary. You will see how I balance bee welfare, biosecurity and practical beekeeping when dealing with a hive that has been left alone for so many years. 🧪 Practical Lessons For Everyday Beekeeping While this might seem like a one off situation, the lessons apply to everyday beekeeping. We talk about why regular hive inspections are so important, how to spot problems before they become disasters, and how to manage hive equipment so it does not become a source of infection for neighbouring colonies. You will pick up practical tips on cleaning and reusing old boxes, dealing with wild comb, checking for foulbrood, assessing queen performance and deciding whether to requeen, combine or move colonies that have been neglected. 🎓 Learn Beekeeping Step By Step With 14 Day Beekeeper If you want structured training that shows you how to inspect your colonies correctly so they never end up in this condition, 14 Day Beekeeper is my complete online course for UK beekeepers. It takes you through hive inspections, swarm control, feeding, winter preparation, pests, diseases and much more with clear, step by step video lessons so you can manage your bees with calm confidence instead of guesswork. Learn step by step with 14 Day Beekeeper: https://www.blackmountainhoney.co.uk/14-day-beekeeper-online-course https://www.blackmountainhoney.co.uk/product-page/14-day-beekeeper-online-training https://www.blackmountainhoney.co.uk/product-page/14-day-beekeeper-gift-card 🌐 More Support And Resources For additional help with inspections, abandoned hives, buying queens and nucs or improving your seasonal management, you can visit my website where you will find guides, blogs and information on products and services designed to support UK beekeepers at every stage of their journey. Everything is focused on calm, practical and efficient beekeeping so you and your bees can thrive. https://www.blackmountainhoney.co.uk 📺 Recommended Internal Videos: ▶ This Beehive Has Not Been Opened In 10 Years...Until Now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtEtPdQ3MLo ▶ UNTOUCHED For 10 Years - I Had To Step In https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhx7kZAnSXY ▶ This Hive Has Not Been Opened For 10 Years - Abandoned Beehive Inspection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2smS1Rb8Pw 📂 Recommended Playlists: Beekeeping Inspections https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyLxGqqW34TZwxEhVZ_PtE07b2-TddVwW Queen Problems https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyLxGqqW34TZbR3GOvNXcMfmmHh5F5xSS Apiary Set Up https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyLxGqqW34TbGGLEdO8chrchGjg8fFMCy ✅ Final Thoughts And Next Steps Opening a hive that has not been touched for years is a powerful reminder of why regular inspections, good record keeping and sensible equipment management matter so much in beekeeping. Use the lessons from this video to review your own apiaries, tighten up your inspection routines and make sure no hive is quietly drifting into trouble at the back of the yard. If you find this content helpful, please like the video, subscribe to the channel, share it with other beekeepers and leave a comment so we can continue to support you in becoming a more confident, consistent and calm beekeeper.