Springing into beekeeping

First Hive Inspections of the Year – A Fresh Start!

As the days grow longer and the sun begins to warm the landscape, beekeepers across the UK are donning their suits and heading out for one of the most important tasks of the season – the first hive inspections of the year.

This moment is always a blend of anticipation and caution. You’re eager to see how your colonies have fared through the winter, but there’s also the awareness that any misstep at this time can set back the health of the hive. At Hive-Five, we believe that every little decision – from the timing of your inspection to the equipment you use – can make a big difference.

I swapped out the Hive-Five Multi-Guard mouse guard screen for our Spring Reduced Entrance Screen .

Why the Change?

The mouse guard has long been the standard for winter protection, keeping rodents out while still allowing some airflow. But as temperatures rise and activity within the hive ramps up, mouse guards can start to work against you. They restrict traffic and limit ventilation at a time when bees are trying to expand and regulate their internal environment.

That’s where our Spring Reduced Entrance Screen comes in.

The Benefits of the Spring Reduced Entrance Screen

Designed specifically for transitional months, this screen strikes a balance between protection and performance:

• Improved Ventilation: The screen allows better airflow, which is critical as brood rearing picks up.
• Enhanced Security: Still deters robbers and larger pests while allowing easy access for workers.
• Smooth Transition: Helps colonies adapt from the quiet of winter to the buzz of spring without bottlenecks at the entrance.

Observations from My First Inspection

During my first check this spring, I was happy to find active, healthy colonies with minimal signs of stress or dampness. One hive was hopelessly Queenless – but they had one going into winter and there were lots of bees so she must have died recently. There were not enough drones around for any new unmated queen to mate successfully, so there was no point giving them a frame of brood in all stages for them to make a queen cell on. In the end, I merged these bees with a much stronger hive using the ’Newspaper method’. I put the brood box of queenless bees directly on top of a queenright hive, with a sheet of newspaper between them. By the time the bees have chewed through the paper to get to each other, they all smell of the same queen’s pheromone and they don’t fight – they just build one strong colony.  

Changing from the mouse guard to the spring entrance, the bees were able to move freely through the reduced screen, and the hive’s internal temperature felt just right. Even better, there was noticeably less debris near the entrance – a sign that ventilation was helping maintain cleanliness and airflow.

This small switch has made a big impact, and I’d highly recommend other beekeepers consider making the change if they haven’t already.

Ready for Spring?

Whether you’re preparing for your own first inspections or looking to optimize your hive setup, we’re here to help. Visit our online shop to learn more about the Hive-Five Multi-Guard and other products designed to make beekeeping smoother, smarter, and more bee-friendly.

Let’s give our colonies the best start to the season – one screen at a time.

– The Hive-Five Team
www.hive-five.co.uk