Best Time of Day and Conditions for Hive Inspections

This answer depends a bit on the time of year, but here are some general rules of thumb that may be helpful:

1. The ideal time to check hives is when most of the foragers are out—as foragers tend to be more defensive. This typically occurs mid-morning to late afternoon. I’ll break down ideal times by season below.

2. It’s best to get to know your own hives and work around your schedule.
   If your bees tend to be on the defensive side, it’s a good idea to inspect them when the foragers are out of the hive. On the other hand, you may find your bees to be gentle and easy to work with at any time of day. Odds are, you’ll notice your hives behave quite differently at various times of the year.

3. Bees can be more defensive no matter the time of day if:

   a. You don’t use your smoker properly. (See “How to Light & Use a Smoker”)

   b. The weather is cloudy, rainy, drizzly, unusually chilly, windy, or there’s an approaching storm.

   Tip: It’s best to inspect your hives on calm, sunny days. However, if you must check them in less-than-ideal conditions, suit up well, have your smoker ready, and aim for a quick inspection.

   c. The hive is queenless, has been requeened with a more aggressive queen, or was recently jostled, mowed around, or disturbed in some way.
   (See “Why Are My Bees So Mean?” for a deeper dive into sudden hive aggression.)

4. Regarding time of day and hive health:
   Bees don’t particularly care what time of day you inspect them. Looking in at a “less-than-ideal” time won’t usually harm them—it may just be more unpleasant for you. That said, most hives with gentle genetics are relatively calm the majority of the time.

Seasonal Recommendations: Best Times to Inspect

Spring
During most of spring, bees are usually gentle as they stay busy gathering nectar. The busier they are, the less defensive they tend to be—especially during a strong honey flow.

Ideal time: A few hours after they start flying in the morning, and an hour or so before they stop flying in the evening.

Summer
During early summer and strong nectar flow, bees are generally gentle. However, when the flow stops suddenly, older foragers may become agitated from lack of work.

Ideal time: A few hours after sunrise or an hour or two before sunset.
Note: Avoid inspecting in the heat of the day, especially in 90°F+ temperatures. Combs can melt in the sun, and it's uncomfortable for you and your bees. Many beekeepers prefer early morning or late evening, even if behavior can be a bit worse.

Fall
As temperatures drop slightly and nectar or pollen may trickle in, bees tend to settle.

Ideal time: Mid-afternoon on warm, sunny, and calm days.

Winter
Cold weather often means bees are clustered to stay warm.

Ideal time: Midday, on a sunny, warm day.
If you’re only checking cluster size or lifting the box to assess weight, this can be done quickly—even in freezing temperatures—as long as the hive is not open for more than a minute or two.

🎥 Check out this video where I show “How To” do a Hive Inspection!

By: Blake Shook