Best time of day for inspection?

[redpola]

What's the best time of day to perform a hive inspection?

It would counter-intuitively seem best when the girls are busy foraging and engaged in other tasks that may distract them from defending the hive, despite the clouds of them coming and going, but (and maybe this is through inexperience) I'm considering going out now, as the foraging is letting up for the day and it's somewhat cooler to get togged up in my whites.

Is there even a best time to go?

Neil.

 

[Kate's Bees]

Would be interested to hear people's opinions on this as just starting out and work so for me most inspections happen in the evening when I get in or at the weekend.

I have noticed that they seem more happy to be messed about with in the evening that the morning even if the temps are comparable.

 

[drstitson]

middle of day when all foragers out.

 

[madasafish]

Bees happy, frames less crowded so you can see what's there, weather warm..

 

[MandF]

Aside from the number of bees in the hive (when inspecting never stand in front of the hive, esp during the afternoon!), the other thing to bear in mind which might be as relevant are what makes bees tetchy..

In my experience, bees are more tetchy when it is cold (below 15deg), windy, wet, humid, low pressure (storm coming). Some of those things will also mean more bees stay inside too, so a warm sunny evening is preferable to a windy wet lunchtime for me.

Ideally though, it would be a warm, dry, sunny early afternoon.

 

[Hivemaker.]

In the late afternoon or early evening if nice weather and you can,causes less disruption to a days foraging,and they have all night to settle down.

 

[MandF]

In the late afternoon or early evening if nice weather and you can,causes less disruption to a days foraging,and they have all night to settle down.

Interesting HM - do you think inspections disrupt (significantly) foraging?

I think any time of day when drones are flying is preferable, lot more space in the brood nest plus less chance of them getting into the supers behind your back

 

[Crg]

Interesting HM - do you think inspections disrupt (significantly) foraging?

I do, especially if you're using smoke.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Depends how long you are inspecting....if only around three minutes,then most likely not.
Don't understand what you mean about drones and supers,lost me there..cannot be waiting for drones to be flying to do inspections.

 

[MandF]

I do, especially if you're using smoke.

Why?

I don't use smoke unless absolutely needed (to drive bees off the edges of boxes when I am replacing a box), but I am wondering what smoke does to foragers? That significantly affects them I mean.. I can see how they might end up in the hive a bit longer than they would otherwise have been (distracted by the smoke and so on), but after they have unloaded they dont wait for the hive to be put back together do they? I assumed they just went towards the light and went off for another forage.

 

[MandF]

Depends how long you are inspecting....if only around three minutes,then most likely not.
Don't understand what you mean about drones and supers,lost me there..cannot be waiting for drones to be flying to do inspections.

I just mean I dont like lifting the crown board to find a few drones coming up.. it means they have been stuck inside the super for a week and have been eating the stores up there and also they tend to fly straight out and relieve themselves!

I find having to ensure the QE is clear of drones before replacing it is a lot easier if they are flying. Was meant as a jokey/glib comment, I certainly dont time my inspections around it

 

[oliver90owner]

I am wondering what smoke does to foragers?

Smoke is fairly transient. I would think it is going to upset the work rate for those few minutes while the bees gorge them selves with honey and eventually 'ungorge' themselves - after all we are hoping most of the foragers are out in the field.

Disruption to off-loading foragers will be but just part of it. I reckon the bees replacing the furniture (burr, brace and cappings) after all the frames have been dragged out will take up more than a few house keepers' time for several hours before all is tidy and secured again. Hivemakers suggestion (late in the afternoon?) is likely the optimum on an ideal day, but as some have suggested, it can depend on all sorts of variables. As a hobbyist with, say, one or two hives is rather different than as a bee farmer with rather more to inspect.

So there are multiple considerations, the first being for whom is it best? - the bees or the beekeeper.

If your bees are calm, and need little or no smoke, stay on the frames, etc, etc any appropriate time is OK for the beekeeper.

Direct sunshine on a hot day cannot be good for any tiny larvae if the frames are out for any length of time; frames can soon be 'sagging' on a very hot day.

So I would say there is no 'best time'; it could be in the morning, afternoon or early evening... depending...

RAB

 

[Andre cardona]

i go in at 11 two 12 good time for me and the bees. good words rad

 

[beeatshellards]

I usually inspect late afternoon or early evening simply because I can see into the frames better, to look for eggs, and the light seems kinder at this time of day

 

[MandF]

I usually inspect late afternoon or early evening simply because I can see into the frames better, to look for eggs, and the light seems kinder at this time of day

Good point!

 

[greatbritishhoney]

So there are multiple considerations, the first being for whom is it best? - the bees or the beekeeper.


RAB

Especially important if your apiary is in a relatively public place you should be aiming to inspect when there are the fewest people around. I've got some bees at a national trust property, so I aim to inspect them early evening when most of the public and staff have gone home.

 

[huntsman666]