What should I do to prepare for the bee inspector?

[Bead]

I asked the Seasonal Inspector to visit a couple of months ago as I was worried about varroa infestation. He was so helpful - answered all my daft questions patiently and with good humour. Checked through the hive thoroughly, and marked my queen for me. I know he was extremely busy, but he found the time to reassure and encourage a novice beek.

Brilliant!

 

[Hebeegeebee]

An inspection by the bee inspector is not an exam where you pass or fail. He or she is there to assess, guide and assist. You won't get prosecuted of you drop a frame or anything!

 

[tkwinston4]

After reading all the above and from personal experience; do we think somewhere out there, hidden away is a horrible bee inspector?

They all come across as nice and friendly and ever so helpful that it makes me think that maybe they have been cloned from one very very nice bee inspector!

Is that me being too cynical?

 

[Moggs]

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised at the level of involvement and a very genuine commitment to the provision of ongoing assistance and advice on top of the help so freely given at the time of the inspection. Over and above the call of duty, if you will.

On reflection it shouldn't have been a surprise as we are both beekeepers with a common interest and shared enthusiasm. It is perhaps the 'authoratitive intervention' and the latent power of control that seems to put people on edge. As a newbeek of this year, my fears were that I might have been doing something stupid, that I should have known better or similar. I now realise that it is probably because of most new beekeepers' preparatory training and yearning to 'get it right' as far as they can, that make these visits 'pleasant', on the whole.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

They all come across as nice and friendly and ever so helpful that it makes me think that maybe they have been cloned from one very very nice bee inspector!

Selective breeding

 

[Rosti]

Selective breeding

Mmmmm, all very well, but if varroa is anything to go by, if one SBI gets head lice then they'll all have them

 

[alex]

Final Update:

Two inspectors have just visited. They confirmed that this inspection is related to the local foulbrood outbreak, obviously. They were both very friendly and professional, of course.

Beatrix had the all-clear, then I had a really scary moment halfway through Charlie's colony when they both went a bit quiet and poked a rather sickly-looking larva out with a stick. They were in the process of doing a foulbrood test on it when the heavens opened. We all belted for cover to wait for the downpour to pass by (having closed the hive up again, of course) and waited for the test result.

It was a bit like waiting for a pregnancy test stick again, but this time hoping for a negative! It did eventually come back as a negative result, a massive relief of course.

Dipsy's colony were as moody as ever, so we saved them till last, and we've finally found out why we've been noticing that this one smells different - it's the ivy honey, really rather stinky!

It was a great experience and I'd thoroughly recommend it. It did feel a bit strange to see somebody else inspect my bees (it reminded me of the dentist inspecting our children's teeth for the first time!) but it was a great opportunity to watch professionals at work.

 

[Queens59]

Well-done, sounds like all went well - even with the pregnant pause!!