First spring inspection 2015

[irishguy]

Seeing as this will be my first year opening a hive after over wintering, im just curious what to expect when i do. The temp will be touching 15 tomorrow where i am, and im thinking maybe i should open and have a look to see how the hives are getting on, but thought best to ask here. If not tomorrow, ill probably go in a week later if getting same temps or above thou next week suits me better.

Is there anyting particular i should look out for or is it just same, check for queen,brood and stores and close up.
Is there going to be anything different from summer inspections.
How much stores is enough before i should think of feeding or will i feed anyway to help with brood rearing.

 

[eatmorebeans]

I was always told by experienced beeks that you should wait until the currants are in blossom, and you need a "T shirt" day with an air temperature of 17 degrees or over.

I've no intention of going in my hives until mid/late April. I can't see what there is to gain by going in early. (Ducks.....)

 

[Dishmop]

My bees were about as happy to go out today as I was in temp of 9° and no sun.

 

[Dave /Oscroft]

Im itching to get started as well, but today its not stopped raining all day. I'v some hives across a couple of fields in an out apiary I was hoping to go and look at them even if its quick peep ! but that field with wet grass is going to be a b****r now to get across even if im in the Landy! still farmers got a tractor to pull me out, but its still a pain !!!!!! and a lot of walking.
and im a lazy *****. just have to eat all the Easter eggs instead.

Dave

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've no intention of going in my hives until mid/late April. I can't see what there is to gain by going in early. (Ducks.....)

limiting my interference to hefting and checking fondant levels - plenty to do at the moment preparing all the kit for when the fun starts - now if it was blazing sunshirne and constant high temperatures with plenty of pollen going in I might have felt different - and gone in in a couple of weeks

 

[For want of a better word]

I was always told by experienced beeks that you should wait until the currants are in blossom, and you need a "T shirt" day with an air temperature of 17 degrees or over.

I've no intention of going in my hives until mid/late April. I can't see what there is to gain by going in early. (Ducks.....)

Curiosity killed the cat
Patience is a virtue
Tortoise and the Hare


Any other sayings?


Yeghes da

 

[Dishmop]

limiting my interference to hefting and checking fondant levels - plenty to do at the moment

I settle for looking out of the window at them.

Quite plese yesterday to find brood in the obs hive. Not earth shattering news but there aint many bees left in there.

 

[Headnavigator]

Just good to hear the hum of the hives again; no way am I looking in there for a week or so yet (except through the glass quilt on a warm day).

 

[irishguy]

I was always told by experienced beeks that you should wait until the currants are in blossom, and you need a "T shirt" day with an air temperature of 17 degrees or over.

I've no intention of going in my hives until mid/late April. I can't see what there is to gain by going in early. (Ducks.....)

Ive no intention in going in either if not needed but have been reading quite a few(on here and out in the real world) have entered already and i was thinking maybe if i leave it to late, either the queen wont have room to lay anymore or maybe not enough stores. Alot of guess work seeing as its my 2nd year and in the books its saying feed in march and a quick look. Just dont want to f**k up like i did last season and seeing as spring is a very important part of the year, i was thinking i might miss the feeding time but insaying that, i know over feeding can have a negative effect on them also so caught between a rock and a hard place again trying to make the right decision.

 

[irishguy]

Just good to hear the hum of the hives again; no way am I looking in there for a week or so yet (except through the glass quilt on a warm day).

I had it in my head for next weekend but after seeing temp will be 15 tomorrow i thought maybe this will be a good opportunity to get an earlyish inspection to really see whats happening before it all kicks off and maybe go in and a queen cell or 2 and the **** hitting the fan again.

 

[oliver90owner]

Is there going to be anything different from summer inspections.-

If you cannot think of even just a few differences, you are nowhere near being called a beekeeper yet.

With all tne help you have so far received on the forum, I despair at a posting like that. Really just disbelief!

 

[Hivemaker.]

I had it in my head for next weekend but after seeing temp will be 15 tomorrow i thought maybe this will be a good opportunity to get an earlyish inspection to really see whats happening before it all kicks off and maybe go in and a queen cell or 2 and the **** hitting the fan again.

If you get some nice weather tomorrow, then do your spring inspections, does not take very long to check for the usual things.

 

[Hawklord]

I like to get in as early as possible to see if there are any problems. I remember inspecting in February 1 year.

 

[irishguy]

Is there going to be anything different from summer inspections.-

If you cannot think of even just a few differences, you are nowhere near being called a beekeeper yet.

With all tne help you have so far received on the forum, I despair at a posting like that. Really just disbelief!

A jesus here we go again. Ive been flat out reading in books and on net and all im getting is conflicting bullsh1t everywhere i look so thought best to come on here and as few questions seeing this will be my first year opening up the hives, and wanted some advice on what to look out for. Ya know, not every hive thats opened will all be the same so why not ask such questions. Meeting people like you on these forums makes me want to pour petrol over these bees and have done with them and take up a new hobby. Why not just answer the Q instead of this negative balls from you.

Theres always one!

 

[oliver90owner]

Brain from Ireland - have you not gleaned at least some tiny miniscule iota of information from all your readings ( I remember your earlier posting where you stated categorically that you did not read 'how to')?

There is a difference between spring, summer and autumn inspections. Get real. Most beekeeping books document those differences, often to the point of explaining what to look for at the first inspection, in particular.

Pouring petrol over your colonies would be an utter waste of resources. It does, however, somewhat indicate how you value your bees. Something ringing in my head warns me that you have likely not given anything any thought whatsoever.

 

[Fatbee]

Just think a bit. What is the forage like round you at the moment. Round me there is very little so queen running out of space yet is unlikely - more likely low on stores.

First inspection if you must, and that is only a call you can make, I would do no more than ease one of the outside frames out, slide frames along to a gap in the brood nest and see by peering in if there is capped worker brood. If so, then all is good - you don't need to see the queen. Then look at tops of other frames - if you see capped stores then all is good, if not and the hive feels light then maybe feed. Would do no more than that until you start seeing forage coming out in far greater quantity. When I see plenty of dandelions I know spring has properly sprung. So, if you do open don't rip apart the brood nest much.

I for one have not gone this far yet because I weigh my hives so happy with store situation and pollen is going in (a good albeit not certain sign that queen us OK)

 

[For want of a better word]

I had it in my head for next weekend but after seeing temp will be 15 tomorrow i thought maybe this will be a good opportunity to get an earlyish inspection to really see whats happening before it all kicks off and maybe go in and a queen cell or 2 and the **** hitting the fan again.

It is a terribly nail biting time of year... go with your instincts...............

A FANTASTIC full moor over Dartmoor as I sit here... Shall I go outside for a howl?

Yeghes da

 

[Finman]

Seeing as this will be my first year opening a hive after over wintering, im just curious what to expect when i do. The temp will be touching 15 tomorrow where i am,.....i should think of feeding or will i feed anyway to help with brood rearing.

That temp is enough to me to make an inspection. But wind is bad .
WHAT I LOOK pretty fast:

I take first store frames off and I do not lift brood frames from the heat of hive.

- how many frames the colony covers in the box

- hive has a queen. There are brood. Do not try to see the queen.
- how many frames of capped brood the hive has. How it is going to expand?

- when willow is blooming, colony rears as much brood as it can keep warm.
- Take extra store frames off. One box colony needs 2 store frames and 5 frame nuc needs one frame.

- If colony had covered only 5 frames with bees, restrict space for 5 frames.

- Close the mesh floor before inspection and keep it closed.

 

[jonnybeegood]

A jesus here we go again. Ive been flat out reading in books and on net and all im getting is conflicting bullsh1t everywhere i look so thought best to come on here and as few questions seeing this will be my first year opening up the hives, and wanted some advice on what to look out for. Ya know, not every hive thats opened will all be the same so why not ask such questions. Meeting people like you on these forums makes me want to pour petrol over these bees and have done with them and take up a new hobby. Why not just answer the Q instead of this negative balls from you.

Theres always one!

Oh you too, welcome to the olly hates beginners club.
Anyway, i am in the same boat as you, i havent been into my hives yet but i also have 3 nucs which are pretty full of bees i noticed when adding fondant. My bees have been taking in so much pollen lately i am thinking maybe wrongly that there must be brood. I think my hives have plenty of room, but i am concerned about the nucs. & early swarming so if the weathers 15 degrees i will check on the nucs, if ok i might leave the hives a couple more weeks. I am only a beginner & just saying what i am doing.
Now cue olly's post.

 

[BrianO]

Well weather here for next few days to be good , blocking high to keep our Atlantic rain fronts at bay until Wednsday next. Temps to be elevated in relation to what they were in order of 13-15 degrees.

So... If you picked your day, decent sunshine, afternoon so temp is up you should be good to go !

Its all about not chilling the brood, so you need to monitor temp