Spotting Egg's

[Millet]

My eye's are not the best but they are ok i can clearly read and see anything within around 8 / 12in from my face.. i have even resorted to glasses (not that i need them) when inspecting the hive but can i hell spot the egg's especially in the darker comb.. i tilt the frames towards the sun at all angles with no joy.. the Queen is obviously laying egg's because i can spot the brood when very young up until they are ready to be capped.. will it come with experience when looking through the veil or do you old hand's have any helpful tip's.. i did think of shining a torch in each comb but i fear the bee's will not appreciate a black foreign object over there precious babies.. Thank's Steve.

 

[midnight sun]

My eye's are not the best but they are ok i can clearly read and see anything within around 8 / 12in from my face.. i have even resorted to glasses (not that i need them) when inspecting the hive but can i hell spot the egg's especially in the darker comb.. i tilt the frames towards the sun at all angles with no joy.. the Queen is obviously laying egg's because i can spot the brood when very young up until they are ready to be capped.. will it come with experience when looking through the veil or do you old hand's have any helpful tip's.. i did think of shining a torch in each comb but i fear the bee's will not appreciate a black foreign object over there precious babies.. Thank's Steve.

Buy something like a 'mini maglight' torch so you can shine the beam into the end of the cell. It's often difficult to get the light right for seeing eggs depending on the weather, if you rely on the (non existent) sun .

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bright white LED pen torch.
Always works for me.

 

[B+.]

Bright white LED pen torch.
Always works for me.

I have a multi-LED headtorch (9-cells) that I got from the 99p store. It's great for grafting larvae with a opti-visor

 

[MuswellMetro]

Cree LED torch and jeweler's loup pocket magnifier for dark overcast days, though after several seasons finding them become instinctive in good light

 

[Millet]

Brilliant..thank you all for your very quick sensible replies.. i have seen what they are like when the cannon camera goes near the frame's so i presumed the torch would have the same angry bee problem.. i will give it a go this weekend.. thank you..

 

[Karsal]

You can buy two small magnifying glasses on a card from one of the pound shops. Keep one in your top pocket. Can come in handy.

 

[Millet]

Thank you Karsal but my mince pie's are working ok.. i think. ? .. it's the available good light issue that causes me problem's me think's.. thanks again.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

My eye's are not the best but they are ok i can clearly read and see anything within around 8 / 12in from my face.. i have even resorted to glasses (not that i need them) when inspecting the hive but can i hell spot the egg's especially in the darker comb.. i tilt the frames towards the sun at all angles with no joy.. the Queen is obviously laying egg's because i can spot the brood when very young up until they are ready to be capped.. will it come with experience when looking through the veil or do you old hand's have any helpful tip's.. i did think of shining a torch in each comb but i fear the bee's will not appreciate a black foreign object over there precious babies.. Thank's Steve.

Try a UV torch (couple of quid - eBay). If you're bothered about colour you can wrap it in coloured tape.
If your veil fabric is losing its blackness it can make a difference to your ease of spotting. I had to reblack the front of mine when it had been washed in sodium carbonate a lot of times.

 

[Mrs Shoot]

I take a photo with my phone. pop the frame back in. Look at the picture on my phone which you can also expand so you can see in quite a few of the cells. The flash lights up the cells so you can see in them.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What I want to know is - who is Egg - and what are we endeavouring to spot that is his?

 

[wessexmario]

get yourself one of these:
http://g02.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB13rRiIFXXXXX9XXXXq6xXFXXXl/1pcs-Credit-Card-88-57-9mm-Led-font-b-Magnifier-b-font-loupe-with-light-Leather.jpg

x3 and x6 magnification (just right for eggs and varroa)
led light,
credit card size and flat so goes in pocket easy,
nice flat area to hold with sticky fingers/gloves so keeping lens clean,
rectangular lens makes scanning across both comb and inspection boards easier without missing areas,
just a couple of quid from the main auction sites.

can't recommend them enough.

 

[wessexmario]

alternatively...
if you have a smartphone, then a free magnifying glass app will give the same features.
(but you might not want to get your smartphone smeared with propolis)

 

[Obee1]

alternatively...
if you have a smartphone, then a free magnifying glass app will give the same features.
(but you might not want to get your smartphone smeared with propolis)

Also it's nigh on impossible to use the touch screen with gloves on.

 

[B+.]

Also it's nigh on impossible to use the touch screen with gloves on.

My Samsung works fine with blue nitrile gloves on

 

[wessexmario]

Also it's nigh on impossible to use the touch screen with gloves on.

you're both right.
It depends on the technology of the screen and how it works - some work with gloves, some don't.

 

[Millet]

What I want to know is - who is Egg - and what are we endeavouring (endeavoring lol) to spot that is his?

If you are little and fat you are egg man / woman..

 

[Millet]

alternatively...
if you have a smartphone, then a free magnifying glass app will give the same features.
(but you might not want to get your smartphone smeared with propolis)

Smart phone? what is one of them lol.. i have a £20 Nokia with no camera on it..i do however have a DSLR camera that takes ok picture's but it is more stuff to carry about.. thank you though for your time i will give a torch a go.. i have a good one here that cost me a small fortune with 3 beam setting's..
here it is if you fancy one..

http://www.nightmaster.co.uk/hunting-lamping-light.shtml

 

[Erichalfbee]

Smart phone's OK
I use mine on audio for hive notes

 

[Millet]

I dare not try a smart phone Eric as i'm pretty good at breaking things like that..