Weekly inspection necessary?

[BernardBlack]

Checked last week, first of year. All was well. Was due inspection tomorrow. Just wondered if weekly inspections are really necessary at the minute.

Is there any harm in leaving them for a few weeks? I mean, they're unlikely to swarm this early, aren't they?

Just don't want to keep opening up if it's not totally necessary, especially with the temperatures we've been having.

Any thoughts?

 

[B+.]

Just wondered if weekly inspections are really necessary at the minute.

Any thoughts?

I'd say that rather depends on what your bees are like. I haven't done a full inspection yet.

 

[mickbees23]

I wouldn't dream of doing a full inspection most years before end of March. But its all dependant on the temperature. This week its forecast 13c which is what we have in June. If the bees are flying in good numbers go for it. If all is quiet then leave them be. Its not like they are going to be raising queens for a while yet.

 

[enrico]

Once again. Before any inspection ask the question of what you are looking for and why. If you find something then are you prepared to deal with it. Then you open the hive and as soon as you find what you are looking for you close up. You keep an eye open for any abnormalities as a matter of course.
So..... Why would you need to to do weekly inspections now, not for swarming, so what are you looking for? If you know they have food then no need. If you are not sure then lift a frame or two to check. I won't be doing weekly inspections for a good few weeks yet due to weather, no drones, etc.
E

 

[Spikedog]

With proviso it depends where you are - I would hold off. Its 10C here at present but wind chill allows it much colder. Bees have been in, weather bound since last Friday(ish) and there are a few water carriers in/out today. Frost/snow burned landscape and all plants held back. Little plant life to garner pollen. The entire stock is on Pollen/Fondant. The forecast is not good this week - so save checking for food, won't do first cursory check (not full inspection) until late next week Wx permitting. Whereas I understand that 30 miles can make a micro Wx difference I am utterly amazed that there are such differences in progress on the site. There are folk already into manipulations, supering and speaking of swarms - and we nervously watchfor the first signs of spring .... OH! and a drone or two. Its as one thread put it Mad! Mad!!

 

[Swarm]

It may be 13 degrees but what was it yesterday, what will it be tomorrow and what will it drop to at night?

 

[colinc]

Once again. Before any inspection ask the question of what you are looking for and why. If you find something then are you prepared to deal with it. Then you open the hive and as soon as you find what you are looking for you close up. You keep an eye open for any abnormalities as a matter of course.
So..... Why would you need to to do weekly inspections now, not for swarming, so what are you looking for? If you know they have food then no need. If you are not sure then lift a frame or two to check. I won't be doing weekly inspections for a good few weeks yet due to weather, no drones, etc.
E

I am a fair bit north of you and as yet haven’t opened my own hives at all, they have only had 2 or 3 busy days this year, however, my neighbouring commercial beek has started inspections though and he is finding drones already, once the weather warms a bit we may see strong hives burst out of the stalls.


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[deemann1]

I couldn't believe how busy my hive was today pollen going in nicely.
My first inspection will be the next fine day gotta find queen Mark and clip her .
Will be my first time clipping

 

[drex]

Is it so important to find and mark the queen at the present. That will likely mean the hive is open a lot longer. My first inspection is usually a quick in and out, check brood, stores and space and that's about it.. I leave any queen marking etc for later on.
First time clipping- what if you damage her at this time in season?

 

[Kenson]

My plan for Saturday (If it is as forecast - warmest day of year so far):

1. They are in a 6 Frame (National) Nuc, they appear to be across all Frames (peering through the Miller Feeder window). So I think they have "Filled it" and plan to transfer them into a "national" body (Std. Brood depth, 216mm).

So I have prepared a National body with 6 empty frames (2 with foundation).

Plan is inspect all frames and transfer to national. Heater underneath in case of cold nights and to do a 36° session on a warm day.

2. Inspect all frames for situation as transferring. Looking for Queen, I can never find her, but I will get good at it eventually.

Checking for eggs, central and at bottom in cells, if they are, it doesn't matter too much if I haven't found the Queen.

Checking and noting Stores and state of BIAS on all frames/sides.

Get 10 year old daughter to Photograph all frames for later "mulling over".

3. Once installed in new home (pre-treated with a little Lemon grass, just a touch), add Ambrosia to one side of Miller feeder and Ultra Bee to the other

This should all take a few minutes, as the process planned is "Carefully remove frame, Scan for Queen, Eggs, Bias, Photograph, invert, repeat and carefully put frame in new hive body. Repeat until exhausted.

What to do next, when to inspect next, will depend on what I have seen, and what I can further work out from the Photos. Then some thinking, then next plan.

K

 

[drex]

Well, you have certainly thought it out! the heater bit might be a bit OTT . Ensure they go in the new box the same way they were situated in the old box. I add 2 new frames at a time, dummying down, and let them work on them before adding two more. Have fun

 

[enrico]

Kenson, let us know if it goes according to plan, they always seem to throw a spanner in thee works somehow...... But good to see you have thought about what you want to do. All I would add is that if you find something you don't expect then don't have a knee jerk reaction to it. Best of luck
E

 

[Kenson]

Hello again, reporting in

Yes. It went "acceptably", it is clearly going to be some years before anything goes "well"

Order of play:
1. Get children to put on Suits (Failed!)
2. Prepare all stuff, laid out, light smoker.
3. Move nuc ~1m ~East along stand.
4. Place Base and BB (Brood Box, Standard National Poly)
5. Remove each frame in turn (Look for queen, FAILED).
6. Photograph (Kensie) each frame and place in new BB in same order.
7. Add extra frames.
8. Place Miller feeder and roof.

All frames in the NUC had been fully drawn with comb. All the newer stuff in good order as per the written instructions I left in the Nuc for them.
Outer frames full with "Honey" (Mostly Ambrosia I think).
Some Pollen stored. "Honey" in top corners of all frames.
BIAS across 4 frames, but not as much as I had hoped for, perhaps due to "Overfeeding" by keen Beekeeper.
So there was a balance towards "lots of sugar stores", but hey they made it through the winter.

Kensie photographed all this, but not close enough for really good analysis, I'll explain that to her.

No stings no aggressive behavior throughout. Again as per the written instructions I have given them

Left "the Nuc" disassembled in front of the hive, for them to clean, and there were a good number of bees left in it, shook a few loose ones onto the landing board (not hard shaking).

+20 minutes, cleaning up in progress, half bees in Nuc gone into hive. Bees in entrance "fanning".

+1 hours, still cleaning most bees not cleaning in hive.

So. OK. I think. At least they're still there

They have stayed busy since, and I have halved the entrance, but they are using that, even in the rain. Not getting pollen though, so I have stuffed a little "Ultra bee" in through the door for now.

Temperature in the Miller has returned to ~22-°C, humidity down a bit at 80% (as against 92%). They do seem keen on taking in water (you can see them doing it on the landing board) anyway, that's the report

Any questions?

K

 

[Teemore]

Checked last week, first of year. All was well. Was due inspection tomorrow. Just wondered if weekly inspections are really necessary at the minute.

Is there any harm in leaving them for a few weeks? I mean, they're unlikely to swarm this early, aren't they?

Just don't want to keep opening up if it's not totally necessary, especially with the temperatures we've been having.

Any thoughts?

Probably no need to look at them for a while. there is a "BUT" coming... what did you see last week. Read the bees and that will dictate when you need to start more frequent inspections. It is always useful to keep in mind Hooper's questions and given the year so far, I would have to ask, how were the stores levels in the hive? I think I am probably quite near to you and have yet to open any hive for a look. I have been hefting and observing what is going on at hive entrances. For me, that is enough to be going on with.

 

[Poly Hive]

Some won't like this and so tough.

Beginners by the nature of their status are slow and worse easily distracted.. oh look at the pollen/nectar/ is that a drone....

That is how it is until they get their eyes in a move a bit faster. I wonder how long ITLD's staff take to do a routine inspection? Well under ten minutes I would think if not under 5.

So having said things are going to be slow and slow is not beneficial to the colony all in all why compound it with photographs? I just don't understand this at all. It's a layer that can be dumped for simplicity.

Sorry to be negative but surely the welfare of the bees comes first?

PH

 

[Kenson]

Poly, I don't mind criticism at all

I take it in the spirit you mean it, in a positive way.

K

 

[Poly Hive]

Thank you.

When I demonstrate I ask people not to use phones as it is both a distraction for me and worse for them as they are thinking PHONE and not BEES and I know which I am there for.

PH

 

[Walrus]

I wonder how long ITLD's staff take to do a routine inspection? Well under ten minutes I would think if not under 5.

PH

He told me the budget is 6 mins per hive but the more experienced workers do it in 4-5 mins on average. That includes doing any splits needed etc.

 

[mickbees23]

I wouldn't dream of doing a full inspection most years before end of March. But its all dependant on the temperature. This week its forecast 13c which is what we have in June. If the bees are flying in good numbers go for it. If all is quiet then leave them be. Its not like they are going to be raising queens for a while yet.

Forecast 13C, we actually have had below 6C all week with a easterly wind bringing rain and freezing mist, God help us. Inspections possibly next week if the latest forecast is to be believed but I wouldn't trust the weather men to put sh!t in a bucket.

 

[Eyeman]

Take a look at the insert tray and note the number of seams of debris. This will tell you which hives are likely to need space and open them up.