Was talking with a retiered gentleman customer the other morning and as we were walking through his property I saw he had a couple hives. Eventually we got most business out of the way and I asked him how long he'd been keeping. He said he hadn't ever been in the hive since he set it up 4 years ago because the bees were mean (they didn't sting him, they were buzzing near his face)when he tried taking the cover off. Sounds like he put the telescoping cover directly on a box without an inner cover. According to him a swarm moved in the year he set his hive up.
Further discussion revealed he doesn't really have any knowledge or experience. The bees were quite gentle looking and calm, even when I put my finger up to, and edging into, their entrance. He's got 2 deeps, a medium, the inner cover then two more deeps on top. He said the bees chewed a hole and were using an entrance abut halfway up. It was the notch in the inner cover but they've propolised it shut now.
I pulled out my Flir I use at work and did a little thermal imaging and could show him where the brood nest was in the second deep. He said he sees them swarm every year and set up a second box ten feet away hoping they'd move in but is surprised every time they leave. I told him I'd come back and help him do an inspection, maybe harvest some honey, or do a split for him if he wants.