Inspections: How often is too often for a new beekeeper?

[Pond Creek Farm]

I have read and been told varying and seemingly conflicting advice on how often to inspect a hive, a package and a nuc.  Specifically some have told me that as a new beekeeper that I should tear in as often as once a week to see how things develop.  Others say that to do so is a sure fire way to ruin everything. Now I am confused.  How often should I look at things when I am just learning the ropes?

[Moonshae]

I went in every two weeks last year when I started, and both my hives made it through the winter. I can't imagine that going in more often would have done anything but satisfy my desire to be interacting more with my bees. If I had been smart, I'd have done one this week,a nd the other the next...but that does limit how much you can compare.

[Kathyp]

there is some risk to going in often, but there is also reward.  you can not learn if you do not see.  you don't have to go through the whole thing every time, but it does not hurt to take a look each week, or more, if your curiosity gets to you  :-).

[Pond Creek Farm]

Thanks for the advice.  The reason I asked was because I just took a butt chewing from a beekeeper of 30 plus years (he reminded me of it three times in our conversation) about looking in a hive I just bought from him.  I was told, by him, to fill up a frame feeder that was in it, so I did.  While I had the hive open, I looked around and noticed that while there were lots of capped brood and bees, I saw no open brood.  I called to ask about it and while he assured me that this was allright, he called back later to tell me that if there is no queen that it was my fault for looking too early.  While I wished that he had told me this before hand, I saw no point in arguing and listened to what he had to say.  I suppose if I made a mistake, it was only a fifteen dollar one in that I can later introduce another queen.  I was a bit burned by the tone of his rebuke but I also understand that very expereinced people sometimes do not suffer well the ignorance of newcomers. 

[deejaycee]

he called back later to tell me that if there is no queen that it was my fault for looking too early

...bollocks!

A queen is either there or not.  If he sold you a hive with a working queen, then she should be there.  And queens are remarkably good at evading beekeepers and thereby staying out of harms way.

If he sold you a hive without a queen, but with queen cells in place (ie, if he's implying you may have broken a queen cell in looking), then you most certainly should have been aware of that being the case.   If he's done so without your knowledge, then he's a scoundrel who's tried to sell you a sow's ear for a silk purse.... not that a sow's ear doesn't have value.. but it's no silk purse.

This guy sounds fishy.

[gottabee]

My first year I was not careful to keep the integrity of the brood nest when I moved frames. I think they would have done better if I not disrupted the brood almost weekly. Despite my constant badgering they did make it.
For me once every two weeks is okay unless there is an issue. I believe for a new beekeeper the best way to learn is to get into the hive often. There is no clear consensus on how often. True the bees are disturbed each time but hopefully the investment will help us learn to be better beekeepers and take better care of the bees.
These days I do a quick look by observing the behaviors of the bees, looking into the hive and then turning up the hive bodies and looking underneath, and inspecting the bottom board or insert. I don't tear it apart unless I suspect a problem - Queen status, SHB, mites, swarm cells, temperament, ....  

I often say the bees survived in spite of me.

[gottabee]

I would ignore the butt chewing and enjoy my bees. Remember - you are learning and that requires getting in amongst the bees. Just tell him to buzz off.

[Kathyp]

ya, the guy is full of crap.  do what works for you.  if you kill a queen, you have learned even from that.  if you are careful, she'll get out of your way most of the time, or just hang out on the frame.  i do agree with MB about looking for the queen.  it's pretty much a wast of time unless you have a good reason to find her.  other things are important.  you need to recognize different kinds of cells.  different ages of brood.  critters that don't belong, etc...  there is no substitute for looking and taking pictures.

[stinger27]

     Brother I feel your pain.  I went into the broodbox a week after capturing my swarm.  I told two of my local beekeeper friends and they said "you better stay the heck out of that brood box or you are going to lose your queen."  I just can't contain my curiousity. I just gotta look in about once a week.  Did my other hive that way and it is just fine.

[sc-bee]

Look as often as you feel comfortable with---that's why you got them , to enjoy :). At this point the enjoyment may be more in the looking and as you continue that may change ;)

[Pond Creek Farm]

Thanks for the support and encouragement.  I'll know in three weeks at most if I did something stupid, but I really enjoyed the inspection and learned a lot by noting the difference between this and my other hives.  I will continue my inspections and my quest to learn.  I may (and will) do stupid things in retrospect, but I learned a long time ago that experience is the exercise of good judgment and that one gains experience by exercising bad judgment. I try to emulate the judgment of others on this forum and have read and reread Mr. Bush's sites more times than I care to admit, bi tin the end, I must see.  I only wish I had an interpreter there with me to explain what I see.  Unfortunately, I am left to see, think about it, wonder if I have read things correctly and interpretted the writings appropriately.   This forum and the sites of members has been wonderful in my education, but in the end I think that trial and error will play its own role in my development as a beekeeper and steward.

[doak]

Any and every new beekeeper should read at least one book.
Or get second opinions like you did. To often can be disturbing to the bees, But I would think 5 to 7 days on a newly started colony isn't to often. That is, after the queen has been released. Once a week till you get the second brood box on and start putting honey supers on. If you have a nectar flow like I do
from 20 th of April till mid May, then don't expect a shallow super to last over 5 days, medium 7 days.
where I am I start my inspections in Mid Feb. and have to have my first honey supers on no later than April 10th.
21st of June to July the queen will start tapering off on laying. Day light hours start going the other way along then.
One thing is to have a purpose for going onto the colony.
If you are going to keep bees there will be plenty time to get all in the deepest part of it.

I always try to take the out side frame out and stand it up against the hive.
Then take the next one, as they come in order, If not so many bees and/or no brood on it, sit it aside also. this gives room to pull the next frame away from the other frame before lifting it up, reduces the chance of squishing bees and/or the queen.

Some time it isn't necessary to go in to far. see whats happing at the entrance then take the top off and have a peek inside. If nothing is broken, it doesn't need fixing.
:)doak

[debay]

I was told that too often is bad, but regular visits keeps them "used" to the intrusions and may help keep them docile. I like to watch them and kind of keep in pace with their development. I watched my first brood hatchlings today. On may to the hive I noticed some bees flying big circles around the hive. I can only guess that these are orientation flights. It wasnt the spotty zig zag of robbers so Im pretty happy. good luck with your hive.

[Rex]

When I first got my 2 hives set up and bees installed, I wanted to open up the hives every day to see what was going on, and it was torture to have to wait to take a look at them.  It's been 5 weeks now and I have gotten into a routine of weekly inspections of my hives, and this seems to work pretty well for all involved.  Sometimes I look at each frame, sometimes just a couple representatives seems enough.

What debay just said reminded me...last weekend, I got the feeling that the bees might be getting used to my regular intrusions. They were all stirred up at first, but as I was slow and gentle as possible, trying not to threaten, the buzzing quieted and the little girls seemed to be ok with me as I was gently pulling out parts of their home.

[sc-bee]

STUPID THINGS---- I just killed my best queen--- and not really a mistake---just a dumb move on my part :'(!!!
Just part of the learning curve I guess :?.

[doak]

When you see all capped brood on a frame what does it mean?
Nothing more than the queen is doing her job,"or was", the open brood will be some where near by.
To go to the deepest part doesn't mean you have to take all the frames out to see what is happening,
Like I said before start on the outer edge and work your way in to the middle.
If you have a second brood box on start with the one on top.
If what you are looking for is not in that one just put all the frames back and sit it on the inverted top cover With something covering it while you have that look at the bottom box.
Once a week is not too often this time of year with one exception.

This exception being.
If you have done a weekly inspection and had to add another brood box, Up until the time you start putting honey supers on. You shouldn't have to go back into the brood chamber again until after your honey harvest. Unless some drastic measures has to be taken be cause of some unexpected "Thing" happening.
At the time I start putting honey supers on I like to check and if I have to I will switch the brood chambers,(flip flop). I like to have the queen and young brood on bottom and the capped brood on top.
In the event this queen doesn't want to or doesn't find her way back down.
This gives the top box time for the brood to emerge and leaves it ready for the queen to "COME ON" up and do her thing.

As for a queen excluder,  yes I do use one, but not always. But I do like to have a top entrance when I do.

Remember, if you are working with starter strips and/or have smaller bees, there is no reason not to use the excluder, Our bigger bred bees have been the problem with the excluder. Not because the bees don't  want to go through it, but because they "Can't".
This has been evident in my findings, dead bees hung up in the excluder. Can anyone think of anything else to kill my theory?
gotta go now. doak

[Pond Creek Farm]

Thanks for the advice Doak. I know I appreciate the detailed explanations of this sort of thing.