I just started my first hive this past week; it is 8 frame med with foundationless frames. Installing the bees went well and after 3 days I removed queen box. While removing 2 frames to do this I saw 1/3 of the visible frame filled with comb, I did not remove any other frames to look. I was planning to take another look on day 10, is this a good time? One of my questions is how intrusive do you get when making an inspection i.e. removing frames and what do you look for? Also as for a water supply how close does it need to be and how big, there is a pond about 125 yards from the hive and they are feeding on 1:1 syrup.
Quote from: Dogguy on April 23, 2012, 12:33:22 AM
I was planning to take another look on day 10, is this a good time? One of my questions is how intrusive do you get when making an inspection i.e. removing frames and what do you look for?
For beginners, I recommend that you inspect every week to ten days during your first season. With foundationless, you'll have to be extra careful handling frames with new comb - be sure to hold them vertical and be very gentle with them. What you're looking for is a good brood pattern - eggs, larvae and capped brood. If you see the queen - great - but don't make that the objective. You want to see that she's been busy laying. You also want to see cells containing nectar and pollen. For a new colony, it might be awhile before you see any capped honey since they are often putting all their resources into just building up colony strength.
I'm in the same boat as you, except I used Plasticell foundation. I installed my package on the 18th, checked the queen cage on the 21st (she was already out) gonna do my first inspection late Sat the 28th.
Good luck
Also always start by removing frames from the outside edge of the hive - not in the middle. Set one frame aside and work toward the otherside.
This will give you room to work so you won't roll the queen or worker bees.
When your done center the frames in the middle of the hive.
John
Thanks for all the info! I was unsure weather or not to look at every frame on inspection, thought it may be too disruptive to the bees.
Hello Dogguy,
I am in a very different climate from you, so what we do here might not apply. But some points from my experience are that inspecting too often can weaken an already weak hive. They do take some time to recover after an inspection. There is also more risk of accidently losing the queen. The local beekeeper here only goes thoroughly into his brood boxes about 4 times a year. He says you can tell a lot from the outside of a hive. Also, I don't think you have to inspect every frame every time. Keeping brood together can be a good thing. Just making sure you have eggs might be enough most times. On the other hand, inspections are a good learning experience so you can know what is normal or if something unusual is happening.
I don't know what is the official preferred water distance for bees, except that feral hives are usually found pretty close to the banks of ponds. However, we did a tree cut out of a hive that was over a mile from any water source. Here, they generally go to a fish pond about 20 yards away. If you have neighbours close by you might like to provide water in your yard so they are less likely to bother the neighbours.
Lone
Personally, I wouldnt look at every frame. As soon as you see eggs, you know the queen is alive and laying. Close it up and leave them alone for a few weeks, giving time for "her" babies to hatch and the colony to settle and build a little. Too much inspection, slows bees down.