Introduction
The number one cause for a colony dying out is beekeeper error! It pays to prepare for and perform hive inspections so as to minimise detrimental effects to the colony. There should be a valid beekeeping reason for the inspection – disturbing colonies unnecessarily causes stress and disrupts the nest. After an inspection, the bees will need to restore the temperature of the nest to its normal level and regain the normal functioning of the colony.
At least once a year, an inspection should focus on disease; foulbroods are notoriously difficult for many beekeepers to spot. Looking at healthy brood is the normal state of affairs. As soon as something is out of line with ‘normal’ then further investigation is needed.
If going out on your own, let someone who has your phone number know where you are going.
When to Inspect Your Hives
Hive inspections should normally be performed at weekly intervals during swarming season but may be less frequent at other times.
By understanding bee behaviour, we can choose an appropriate day/time for an inspection to make it easier for the beekeeper and less disruptive for the colony.
The weather is a major factor:
- A warm, sunny day with little wind is the best scenario.
- A cold, windy and damp day is the worst – for you and the bees.
- Avoid thundery weather (bees seem to sense an impending storm and opening up will cause increased stress and defensiveness).
Timing of inspections is also important:
- Opening a hive at evening time means most foragers will be in the hive.
- Around midday, most foragers will be out of the hive; fewer bees makes a huge difference when looking for the queen, for example.
Always Wear PPE
A good quality beesuit, wellingtons and gloves are vital for the beekeeper’s protection.
- Ensure vehicle keys and mobile phone are easily accessible without opening up your beesuit, i.e. not in trouser pockets.
- Don your PPE well away from the bees.
- Always wear your PPE when visiting the bees.
Equipment
Have all the essential pieces of equipment to hand, e.g. smoker, hive tool, queen cage, marking pen, bee brush and anything else that is part of your normal inspection routine. During swarming season, you will need spare hives/nuc boxes available in case immediate swarm control actions are required.
- In the brood box, use of Hoffman (self spacing) frames, non-castellated runners and a dummy board allow easier access.
- In supers, castellated runners or top-bar spacers will avoid accidental frame movement.
Performing the Inspection
During inspections there are five questions that need answering:
- Do the bees have enough stores to last them until the next visit (and beyond)?
- Is the queen present (seeing the queen is not necessary as presence of eggs or young larvae confirms this)?
- Are there signs of swarm preparation or queen cells?
- Do the bees have enough space?
- Are there any signs of disease?
Experienced beekeepers can inspect a colony in a matter of minutes which minimises stress on the bees. Those learning the craft will take longer but the aim should be to complete inspections as quickly as possible.
A lot can be learnt about a colony before the roof is taken off so before opening a hive:
- Light the smoker and get it going well (before donning gloves and face veil – fire hazard)
- Don your PPE
- Stand by the side of the hive and observe the activity at the entrance. If pollen is being brought in it is an indication that brood is present.
- Check if there are dead bees outside the entrance – possible paralysis virus.
- Check if the hive wall has ‘staining’ then nosema may be a problem.
- Observe other hives in the apiary – do they all have similar foraging activity? One with little activity may mean it has swarmed or has disease.
All the following actions should be performed as gently as possible to keep the bees calm.
- Smoke the hive entrance gently and remove the roof standing at the rear of the hive.
- Puff some smoke into the feed hole of crown board
- If supers are present, remove them and place on the upturned roof (if you use pitched roofs, your will need a spare empty brood box or super). Supers must not come into contact with the ground to avoid contamination from botulism spores.
- Remove the queen excluder, checking that the queen is not on or underneath it (she might get lost in the grass or find her way into the supers which can cause serious issues for the colony).
- Working from the back, remove the dummy board to make space to slide back frames; without a dummy board bees will be ‘rolled’ as a frame is taken out which can anger them. Remove the first frame and place it in a safe location (frame hanger or nuc box). This gives space to work.
- During swarming season, aim to check most if not all the frames containing brood for presence of queen cells.
Work carefully with each frame inspecting it in accordance with answering the 5 questions.
- If the queen is spotted, it is good practice to cage her in the event that swarm preparations are subsequently found and swarm control action is required. If she is unmarked, it is an opportunity to mark
- Many beekeepers also clip a small part of one wing to help with swarm control (some beekeepers disagree with this practice). During swarming season, clipping a queen’s wing allows the interval between inspections to be a few days longer than 7 days. If the queen is clipped, she will not be able fly with a swarm and, if swarming is attempted, the queen and the swarm bees sometimes find their way to under the floor. Do check under the hive during swarming time when inspecting a colony.
- If performing a detailed disease inspection, shake (preferable) or brush the bees from each frame so the comb and brood cells can be clearly observed in order to spot abnormalities with cell cappings or open brood.
- When returning frames and supers take care not to squash bees. Nurse bees will remove dead and squashed bees with their mouth parts and this is a way that disease is spread.
- Record the results of an inspection before moving to the next hive. Keeping a record per colony of each inspection provides a history of the colony to help the beekeeper prepare for subsequent inspections. Is the queen marked, is it a well behaved colony or not, is the colony thriving as it should? Noting such points helps build up a picture of the colony during the year to guide decision making for that queen and her colony’s future.
Afterwards
When the last colony has been inspected, take a look around the apiary; it is very easy to leave a piece of equipment or pieces of wax etc lying around.
Extinguish/secure the smoker (a fireproof box is a good option)
Move well away from the apiary and, before removing your beesuit, check for the presence of bees especially on your back (a bee buddy or mirror can help).
Don’t forget to clean any equipment when you get home so it is ready for the next time.
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Last update: January 2025