An inspector calls

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Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
2,984
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7
Location
Exmoor
Hive Type
None
Number of Hives
None of my own
Had a visit from my local inspector yesterday (pre arranged though he said that I'd appeared on a list for random inspection anyway).

He was extreamly helpful and (thankfully) reassuring, answered all my daft questions that I'd not got around to plaguing this forum with, and came up with a couple of very handy suggestions.

Just wanted to reassure new beeks who may have an inspection that this is a fantastic service, and totally free if you register on beebase. You can request an inspection/help anytime.
 
:iagree:

Seasonal Bee Inspector phoned last night to say that I had been singled out, had drawn the short straw and would be the victim of his New Beekeeper interrogation and thorough examination of all of my bees.

After waking from a somewhat troubled sleep and pacing up and down for most of the morning, I spent a thoroughly enjoyable and highly informative afternoon assisting my mentor throughout his inspection. Do these boys n girls know their stuff!!!

I picked up more tricks and tools of the trade this afternoon than I would have done in the proverbial month of Sundays.

His parting words were highly complimentary so I am a well-chuffed beekeeper this evening!
 
:iagree:

Seasonal Bee Inspector phoned last night to say that I had been singled out, had drawn the short straw and would be the victim of his New Beekeeper interrogation and thorough examination of all of my bees.

After waking from a somewhat troubled sleep and pacing up and down for most of the morning, I spent a thoroughly enjoyable and highly informative afternoon assisting my mentor throughout his inspection. Do these boys n girls know their stuff!!!

I picked up more tricks and tools of the trade this afternoon than I would have done in the proverbial month of Sundays.

His parting words were highly complimentary so I am a well-chuffed beekeeper this evening!

:hurray: Well done, it's good to get a little boost from those who know their craft isn't it :)
 
Kaz - whatever you do, don't tell anybody, but I'm like a well-pleased, pleased thing :) Well done on your earlier endeavours too. See, great oaks from little acorns and all that...
 
Agreed - my local inspector gave me sooo much confidence that I felt I had taken on something I could manage instead of being overwhelmed...
 
Anybody ever had access to the hive inspection record sheet that the Bee Inspector uses? Seemed to be very comprehensive (as one would expect) and perhaps adaptable for the masses (though I appreciate that the BBKA suggested template is such an adaptation). Just a thought.
 
From what I saw last year, the inspector visiting me used the attached. I cribbed it from somewhere - almost certainly the FERA site. As you will see, it is in table format and colum widths etc are easily adjustable. You don't have to fill every space by the way - just those that serve as an aide memoir.
 
I had an inspection by 2 inspectors for diseases a month ago. Still not had the results btw.
My only complaints was they drew the neighbours out by arriving in bee suits and lighting a smoker on the street! I've not told the neighbours about my bees, but I guess they'll think I had a swarm.
The inspectors were complimentary about my apiary set up and about the bees themselves. It's also interesting to watch experienced beeks at work
 
Thanks both. Afermo, the template that this Inspector used was a much more complex form, with all sorts of text boxes and columns, probably meaning much more to him than it would to me! Thanks for yours anyway. Sixfooter, could it be that the results have been posted only on the BeeBase site (assuming that you have registered)? That's where my report appeared.

I know what you mean, regarding the neighbours. As the apiary is located a few miles from home, the Inspector's appearance caused quite a bit of curtain twitching in suburbia! Standard workwear for him, but perhaps a cause for concern for neighbours who witnessed a fully overalled and wellied 'official' entering our premises. Goodness knows what they thought was going on!
 

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