Beekeeping for Beginners: Hive Check-Ups

Welcome back to our Beekeeping for Beginners series! Now that you’ve set up your hive and introduced your bees, it’s time to dive into one of the most crucial aspects of beekeeping: regular hive inspections. Consistent check-ups are essential for maintaining a healthy and productive bee colony. In this post, we’ll guide you through the steps and key points of conducting effective hive inspections.

It seems pretty intuitive that if you want to have a healthy hive, you must watch it with care and maintain it appropriately. However, there are a few more specific things to do/look for when doing a check-up to ensure health:

Monitor Colony Health: Detect diseases, pests, and other issues early before they become serious problems.

Check Brood Patterns: Ensure the queen is laying eggs properly and the colony is thriving.

Manage Hive Space: Add or remove hive components as needed to prevent overcrowding or provide additional storage.

Monitor Food Stores: Ensure the bees have enough honey and pollen to sustain the colony, especially during winter.

Now that you know a few of the reasons to inspect your hive, the interval at which you do so is also crucial. If you leave too much time between inspections, you risk your ability to intervene if the hive is on a downward spiral, however if you inspect too frequently, you simply waste your own time (unless you have nothing better to do, but I assume you probably do).

During the active season (spring through fall), aim to inspect your hive every 7-10 days. Personally, I check about 3 times a month. (Yes, I know this is in accordance with my own advice.) I have the most free time on weekends so I plan my visits in accordance to weather patterns. If it rains, you should avoid inspecting the hive. For more experienced beekeepers, if the rain is light, you can use an umbrella to cover the hive. Wings + water is never a good combo (unless it's mosquitoes or flies). The warmer the day, the better for inspection, as more bees are out foraging. Note that you most probably should make weekly inspections when starting a hive, as that is when it is most volatile. In winter, inspections should be minimal to avoid disturbing the bees.

After choosing the correct times and knowing what to look for, you need your equipment. I just posted about the basic equipment every new beekeeper needs to get into the world of beekeeping. (Go check that out if you haven’t already.) Here is an abridged list of what you need for an inspection:

Bee Suit and Gloves: Protect yourself from stings.

Smoker: Calms the bees and makes them easier to handle.

Hive Tool: Used to pry apart hive components and scrape off excess wax and propolis.

Empty Hive Box: If removing frames for an extraction, I recommend you bring empty frames to replace with the removed ones. 

With our equipment sorted, we are now ready to begin our inspection. 

1. Approach Calmly: Approach the hive calmly and confidently. Bees can sense nervousness and agitation, which can make them more defensive.

1. Use the Smoker: Light your smoker and puff a few gentle bursts of smoke at the hive entrance and under the outer cover. Wait a minute or two to allow the smoke to calm the bees. I would also smoke the inside of the hive for every layer you remove.

1. Remove the Outer Cover: Gently lift off the outer cover and set it aside.

1. Inspect the Inner Cover: Check the inner cover for any signs of pests, such as ants or small hive beetles.

1. Check the Brood Box:

1. Brood Pattern: Look for a solid, healthy brood pattern. The queen should be laying eggs in a consistent, tight pattern. You should see eggs, larvae, and capped broods in various stages.

2. Brood Boxes: Make sure the brood area isn’t overcrowded. If the colony is expanding, consider adding another brood box.

3. Queen: Spotting the queen is always a plus, but it’s not necessary every time. If you see eggs, you know she’s been there recently.

1. Pests and Diseases: The most common pest in North America is the Varroa mite. If you see a spotty brood pattern and/or see bees with deformed wings, it is a sure sign of a mite infestation. In a separate blog I will talk about ways to deal with this. 

1. Honey: Ensure the bees have sufficient honey stores. In the early season, they might need additional feeding with sugar syrup if stores are low.

1. Pollen: Make sure there is enough pollen stored, as it is essential for brood rearing.

1. Honey Supers: If honey stores are filling up, add additional supers to provide more storage space.

1. Reassemble the Hive: Once your inspection is complete, carefully reassemble the hive in the reverse order. Replace the inner cover, then the outer cover, and ensure everything is securely in place.

Now that you know how to perform an inspection, here are a few general reminders to keep in mind:

1. Be Gentle: Handle the frames and bees with care to avoid crushing bees or damaging the comb.

1. Stay Calm: Move slowly and deliberately to avoid startling the bees.

1. Keep Records: Maintain a log of your inspections, noting the date, observations, and any actions taken. This helps track the colony’s progress and identify patterns over time. (Also, depending on your state/county, you could be eligible for Property Tax Exemptions!)

During your inspection, it is necessary to assess the health of the hive. Doing so comes with experience, however, if you compare a weak hive to a strong hive side by side, you will clearly see a difference. Having at least two hives gives you the luxury of comparing a weak and a strong hive in real time.  You can also supplement a weak hive, by transferring comb, brood and nectar from a strong hive to the weak hive.  If you need tips on how to differentiate, drop your email below. 

Feeding your bees is essential during certain times of the year, especially in early spring,late fall, when starting a hive , or anytime natural forage may be scarce. Here’s what to consider:

Sugar Syrup: A 1:1 sugar-to-water ratio is typically used in the spring to stimulate brood rearing. In the fall, a 2:1 ratio is used to help bees build up winter stores. I like to add a tablespoon of Honey B Healthy per gallon , a natural stimulant for sugar/food uptake, to motivate the hive to get back on track. In hot summers, it also slows down mold growth within the sugar syrup.

Pollen Patties: These can be provided to ensure the colony has enough protein for brood rearing, particularly in early spring when natural pollen sources are limited. Avoid feeding this in large quantities in the middle of summer as it can also promote wax moth growth. If there is a pollen dearth in the summer, you can consider open feeding with pollen substitute at a convenient place close to the hive.

You now know when and how to inspect and supplement your hive when necessary!

Regular hive inspections are a cornerstone of successful beekeeping. By staying vigilant and attentive to your bees’ needs, you’ll help ensure a healthy, thriving colony. Stay tuned for the next post in our Beekeeping for Beginners series, where we’ll dive deeper into managing hive health and preparing for honey harvesting. Happy beekeeping!