Summer inspections

[Do224]

Is it still necessary to do weekly inspections as the summer progresses (to prevent swarming), or can the bees be left to it in the brood box and just keep an eye on when/if to add more supers?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have stopped looking in mine. Once swarming is managed you’re usually ok.

 

[Ian123]

Your certainly past the worst of it now but for the beek with a couple of hives I’d still be inspecting. For those with many time/labour and the list of other things to do can be factored in to the odd loss. A time to also consider backing off is the period after the main flow finishes Bees go on the defensive and opening up hives can lead to robbing. Ian

 

[Curly green finger's]

Is it still necessary to do weekly inspections as the summer progresses (to prevent swarming), or can the bees be left to it in the brood box and just keep an eye on when/if to add more supers?

My inspections have eased somewhat hives have loads of space and really the only ones I'm checking on regularly know are smaller colonys, nucs, Mating nucs etc when required.
It does feel like there is a bit of a repreave

 

[papa_sierra]

We've just caught and hived a really big swarm, so not all over yet. (not from our apiary),

 

[Erichalfbee]

We've just caught and hived a really big swarm, so not all over yet. (not from our apiary),

Yes it depends totally on what’s in your brood boxes and supers

 

[Do224]

Yes it depends totally on what’s in your brood boxes and supers

Do you mean in terms of space or something else?...won’t most brood boxes be pretty full at this time of year

 

[Dutchman]

In my production hives the drones have mostly been thrown out already so I don't check for queen cells anymore but I do need to check once a week to make sure they have enough space to store what they collect. And my splits that are building up need a couple of new combs every week so until the end of our current flow, or until the weather breaks I will be doing weekly inspections.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Do you mean in terms of space or something else?...won’t most brood boxes be pretty full at this time of year

Everything. Space Flow whether the colony has made swarm preps already or not.
Queens’ lay rate has reached its peak and is now reducing.
My broods on cursory glance lately have been stuffed with nectar because it’s coming in so fast

 

[philipm]

Moved a massive swarm in the bait hive on top of the shed roof tonight,there were still some bees flying after it had gone dark so just had to leave them behind.Who says swarming has finished my bait hives have never been so busy never known a year like it.There is still a flow on with us Bramble ,Clover and Rosebay Willowherb.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Moved a massive swarm in the bait hive on top of the shed roof tonight,there were still some bees flying after it had gone dark so just had to leave them behind.Who says swarming has finished my bait hives have never been so busy never known a year like it.There is still a flow on with us Bramble ,Clover and Rosebay Willowherb.

It depends how colonies are being managed

 

[Levitt53]

I left two at an out apiary for 9 days in early July - they'll be fine I said - both had swarmed!! On the plus side I picked up a massive swarm just last week.

 

[BoStor]

Omitted brood inspection today. Have one super which was added to new colony on 30th June. All frames now drawn and 80% + have nectar but
few have been capped. What is the thinking on this situation?

 

[drex]

They only cap when water content is low enough and the cells are full. Moving frames round can help with this
Still plenty of time

 

[North End Bees]

Omitted brood inspection today. Have one super which was added to new colony on 30th June. All frames now drawn and 80% + have nectar but
few have been capped. What is the thinking on this situation?

Is the nectar flow still on where you are? Locally to me it's still coming in in bucket loads.
If super is 80% filled, will need another asap to give them space while the first is being capped.

 

[Do224]

Is the nectar flow still on where you are? Locally to me it's still coming in in bucket loads.
If super is 80% filled, will need another asap to give them space while the first is being capped.

As a rule, at what point should you add the next super...how full should the previous super be?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As a rule, at what point should you add the next super...how full should the previous super be?

when it's full of bees (not honey)