Tips To Inspecting A Honey Bee Hive

Inspecting beehive every now and often is vital to ensure everything is going well. It is suggested to inspect a hive once in a week. More than this will disrupt their work and they will lag behind by a day. But, this requires a proper plan. If anything goes wrong, you have to be ready for the consequences. However, if you follow the plan and go by some tips, inspecting a beehive will not be as tough as that.

So, here are the tips for properly inspecting a beehive.

Tips to Inspect A Beehive:

Before going ahead,

·       Ensure to wear a jacket and veil

·       Get the smoke ready

·       Also, get the feed ready if the feeder needs to be refilled.

Start with Opening the Hive:

First, smoke in front of the hive. Remove the outer cover slightly to allow the smoke to go in. Cover back again for the smoke to take effect. Wait for two minutes and have a check. If required, smoke again for the bees to get calm down.

Remove the covers:

First, remove the outer cover. Now, allow some smoke to enter through the inner hole. Take out the inner cover then with hive tools and keep it safely. Be very careful not to smash any bees. Also, pry up the honey super if there is any. Remove the Super finally to go more deep into the hive.

Smoke and remove the deep hive box:

Now, it requires you to smoke the second deep hive box. If you have two deep boxes, then take out the second deep hive box to reach to the bottom. In case of three deep boxes, this step should be repeated. Remember the inspection will be started from the bottom box. So, keep the second deep box safely.

Remove the first frame:

Now, puff direct smoke to the bottom deep hive box and remove the first frame to start the inspection process.

Inspect the frames:

Make all the frames free using a hive tool and inspect them carefully.

·       Try to identify the queen. If it is marked, it will become easy enough. However, try to search one with long slender unstriped abdomen. Also, the queen will be in the middle, with many workers around her.

·       Check for any parasites or pests.

·       Check how many frames are drawn out. If 8 to 10 frames are drawn in the bottom deep, you can add the second one now.

·       Look for eggs. Eggs look like grains of rice. There should be one at the middle of each cell.

·       Also, check for the larvae. The brood, capped and uncapped larvae along with egg should be present in the hives.

Once the inspection is done, replace all the frames, inner cover, outer cover using the hive tools. Be very careful while replacing the frames and covers.

Finally, keep records of the inspection, which will help you take corrective steps in the future.