Hive Inspections: A Guide to Understanding and Efficient Management

Does this sound like you? “I get into my hives, and it never looks like it’s supposed to. As I look, I get confused by what I’m seeing and what to do with it!”
We’ve all been there!

Understanding what you’re seeing in your hive—while it may look different each time—comes with experience. That’s what ultimately helps guide you toward the right decisions.

Keep It Simple: Don’t Overcomplicate Hive Inspections

Remember, hive inspections don’t have to be elaborate! Whether you're conducting a quick check or deep hive dive, all you need is five to seven minutes. How? Be prepared with the proper tools, extra boxes, frames, and any pest control equipment you may need (e.g., Small Hive Beetle traps). Stay focused on the tasks—get in, get out!

There are two types of hive inspections:

1.      Hive check: Biweekly (except during winter months, then monthly).
You need to pull only a few frames to determine if the queen is laying eggs and if resources (honey, nectar, pollen) are available and in the right amounts. Note: If problems are found, a hive check should turn into a full hive inspection to resolve any issues.

2.      Hive inspection: Seasonal inspections (February – spring buildup, May – prior to supering, August – dearth, or stress time for our bees, November – before overwintering).
This involves pulling most of the frames and thoroughly inspecting each for any issues.

Hive inspections can include requeening, making splits, Varroa testing and treating, space adjustments, and frame manipulation (equalizing between boxes) when necessary.

The Common Principles of Hive Inspections

Regardless of whether you're just checking your hives or conducting a more in-depth "hive dive," the same principles apply. During your inspection, you’ll want to look for:

• Population: Growing, especially in early spring
• Frames of brood: Expanding beyond the center few frames
• Eggs and larvae: Indicating the queen is present and laying
• Frames of honey/stores: Do you need to feed the bees?
• Pollen in the hive: Should you supplement the pollen?
• Well-fed brood: Larvae should have a milky liquid surrounding them
• Space: Is there too little or too much? Add boxes or reduce space accordingly
• Brood disease or Varroa mites: React immediately if found

What to Do Based on Your Findings

Depending on what you discover, you may need to return to the hive quickly. Here are some potential situations and their resolutions:

• Hive is out of food and no nectar flow is coming in yet: Feed the bees the same day.
• Hive is running out of space for the queen to lay and it’s a single deep: Either add a queen excluder and a medium super (for those who want to keep a story-and-a-half hive) or add an additional brood box to make a double deep. Don’t delay—these bees could swarm!
• Hive is running out of space and it’s in a double deep: Make a split, share some brood with another hive that isn’t as full, or add a honey super if a minor nectar flow has begun. Again, don’t delay! These bees will swarm!
• Evidence of Varroa mites: Test for Varroa immediately. Do not put this off! A mite infestation will cause rapid colony decline, including low brood and honey production. Have a plan for managing high mite loads and implement it.
• Poor brood pattern: This could be due to an old queen, or it could indicate a Varroa mite infestation or disease. Order a new queen and requeen the hive. A new queen will ramp up quickly, and the brood break caused by requeening can help control the Varroa mites.

Poor Brood Pattern

The Most Important Thing to Remember

If you find something wrong in your hive, research the solution. If you can't find a good solution on your own, reach out for help! That’s where those photos can come in handy. As the old saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words!” This holds true in beekeeping too!

Seasonal Hive Characteristics

Space is often the most overlooked and under-adjusted aspect of hive management. The key to knowing when space needs to be adjusted is to consider these factors:

• Season
• Population growth (February – July): As the colony grows, running out of space can lead to swarming. Add boxes when the hive reaches 80% capacity or consider splitting. Never add boxes after the nectar flow (post-July) unless you plan to feed heavily. Adding boxes late in the summer may not result in full boxes by winter, which could leave the colony unprepared for cold weather.
• Population decline/dormancy (August – January): Too much space during this time can lead to pests (such as small hive beetles or wax moths) overtaking the colony. Robbing can also become an issue with weaker colonies.
• Hive Condition
• Queenless: If the hive has been queenless for any period, it may have a reduced population that can’t properly defend the hive.
• Varroa mite infestation: High mite loads can reduce colony populations.
• Health: A colony that lacks consistent nutrition (e.g., starving) will also be weaker and more susceptible to pests.

Helpful Tips for Hive Inspections

• Run nine frames instead of ten in a ten-frame box to make inspections easier.
• Remove one outer honey frame before starting your inspection.
• Take out one frame at a time while inspecting the hive, starting with the frame closest to you.
• Quickly scan for the queen. If she’s present, proceed with caution when inspecting the frame to avoid harming her.
• As you move through the box, look for the components mentioned earlier—brood, stores, and any pests or diseases.
• If you spot issues like poor brood patterns, disease, or anything that concerns you, take a quick photo with your phone and note which frame it's on. This will be your homework after the inspection. Tip: With most hives, you can remove your glove briefly to take a photo.
• Work with your most aggressive hive last.

Conclusion

It’s essential to manage your hives with respect for their natural dynamics. Always take action when your bees show you that they need help! By staying vigilant and following these best practices, you’ll be able to support your colonies effectively throughout the seasons.