A Bee Inspector Calls

[Madge]

I see Brds&Bs point. ... No need to wait for sunny, calm, 16˚ weather. In fact, if I didn't work my bees in off weather, I'd never get anything done. ...

I agree - when necessary a hive needs to be opened even when cool, particularly here in Scotland - but I think in the case (or cases) of advice B&B referred to, opening a hive would not have made any difference to the bees. All it would have done would have been to satisfy the beekeeper's curiosity. Anyway, those were the only cases I have seen on here where the advice was not to open (but I'm not reading all the threads).

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I agree - when necessary a hive needs to be opened even when cool, particularly here in Scotland - but I think in the case (or cases) of advice B&B referred to, opening a hive would not have made any difference to the bees. All it would have done would have been to satisfy the beekeeper's curiosity.

The magic word here is WHEN NECESSARY we've seen it even more this year than most with yootoob clips being posted of some daft baggott opening up in February and putting supers on, followed week later with a pollen trap - then everyone else is itching to get in and rip the brood apart from no other reason than idle curiosity. Most early season checks can be done with a quick heft or a lift of the crown board and a peek at the top of the frames.
The trick is to get your early spring issues addressed in the autumn. Seen a lot this year locally of beekeepers suffering losses as high as 100% most down to inadequate preparations (varroa treatment and feeding) in the autumn. No amount of opening up would have saved them in the spring.

 

[Tremyfro]

Certainly getting everything sorted in the autumn can circumvent a lot of Spring issues. In my double nuc...I knew they were trying to supersede the old queen....and they did. If I had requeened earlier the nuc would have been much stronger this spring...possibly. Although it went into the winter on about 8 frames of brood. It was only observation that led me to open the hive. I had noticed fewer and fewer bees coming out to forage...well temperatures have been low and the weather horrid...what did I expect? But something didn't sit right...on inspection...only a small area of sealed brood...loads of stores but a dying population. There was a new queen...perhaps she was slow to get going and not enough bees for her to lay more eggs....anyway the forum helped me to decide what to do...and now there is a marked increase in the amount of brood.
I had been happy to wait for better weather for starting inspections but I think intervention, in this case, may have saved my nuc.

 

[birdsandbees]

Great feedback everyone, I think what I wrote may have been slightly misunderstood.
All I meant was that too much advice to leave well alone can make people fearful of doing anything at all, as I say, telling someone that doing nothing makes them a good beekeeper isn't in my opinion good advice, hefting needs experience or comparison to be effective and I wouldn't condone pulling out every frame for several minutes while checking the brood on each frame, just that some new beekeepers will dote on every word from those with knowledge and experience where as, as someone already said, not every hive, colony or location is the same.

 

[Swarm]

You certainly missed my point.
"A Bee Inspector Calls"
OP ain't talking about checking stores etc, which can be done without pulling frames, by hefting as I've already said. The inspector will remove every frame and shake the bees off. From experience this will take far longer than two minutes and when the bees kick off, the inspector will leave you to put evrything back together while they conveniently write their notes.

 

[nantmoel]

The magic word here is WHEN NECESSARY we've seen it even more this year than most with yootoob clips being posted of some daft baggott opening up in February and putting supers on, followed week later with a pollen trap - then everyone else is itching to get in and rip the brood apart from no other reason than idle curiosity. Most early season checks can be done with a quick heft or a lift of the crown board and a peek at the top of the frames.
The trick is to get your early spring issues addressed in the autumn. Seen a lot this year locally of beekeepers suffering losses as high as 100% most down to inadequate preparations (varroa treatment and feeding) in the autumn. No amount of opening up would have saved them in the spring.

 

[misterbee82]

Sorry everyone, being that I am from the United States I am unfamiliar with the abbreviation SBI. Can someone please clarify the definition for me please.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Seasonal Bee Inspector - they are only deployed during the season and get paid accordingly unlike the Regional Bee inspectors who are paid the whole year

 

[Hivemaker.]

From experience this will take far longer than two minutes and when the bees kick off, the inspector will leave you to put evrything back together while they conveniently write their notes.

Get them to put the hive back together, and find the queen and make sure she is safe before they do any shaking.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Sorry everyone, being that I am from the United States I am unfamiliar with the abbreviation SBI. Can someone please clarify the definition for me please.

The UK goverment has a National Bee unit with regional areas such as south East England and Southern england , each region is under direction of a regional bee inspector, the RBI has summer assistance from five or six Seasonal Bee inspectors

Their role is to check for disease and exotic pests, ie if Amercian Foul brood or small hive beetle is found they will order the Hive burnt,

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Get them to put the hive back together, and find the queen and make sure she is safe before they do any shaking.

Ours always does - I just stand back and watch (unless we're doing the feral beekeeper's hives where it takes two to lift the supers in case they fall apart )

 

[BeeJayBee]

Get them to put the hive back together, and find the queen and make sure she is safe before they do any shaking.

Ours always does - I just stand back and watch ....

Same here.

They're the experts and I might miss out on learning something new if I interfere.

Sorry everyone, being that I am from the United States I am unfamiliar with the abbreviation SBI. Can someone please clarify the definition for me please.

Check out the National Bee Unit http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?sectionid=43

 

[user 6228]

5 years and still no bee inspector

 

[Madge]

... if Amercian Foul brood or small hive beetle is found they will order the Hive burnt,

AFB - yes, but small hive beetle? Will they burn a hive if SHB is ever found here?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

AFB - yes, but small hive beetle? Will they burn a hive if SHB is ever found here?

By what I can gather the first isolated incidents will almost definitely be a case of total destruction and sterilising of surrounding soil (same as in Italy) in the hope of eradicating each and every beetle and making the UK once again SHB free. The feeling is, that once it's established and accepted here to stay then it will be a case of 'live with it' as in other countries.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

(varroa treatment and feeding) in the autumn.

Big ? over vaping for me at present. Not seeing good results following that last warm winter, with Apiguard colonies doing much better.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

AFB - yes, but small hive beetle? Will they burn a hive if SHB is ever found here?

Contingency plan here http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/downloadDocument.cfm?id=797

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Big ? over vaping for me at present. Not seeing good results following that last warm winter, with Apiguard colonies doing much better.

Must be down to you then - excellent results here on all colonies.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Must be down to you then - excellent results here on all colonies.

Yes; the main colonies I vaped where on double brood at the time: the colonies were probably fairly high up and the fumes had far to travel. The 2 nucs that got 1g through the gauze are going great guns. Need to think / consult.

 

[madasafish]

Big ? over vaping for me at present. Not seeing good results following that last warm winter, with Apiguard colonies doing much better.

My first try with home made equipment seems to have done the job..