May 23

Make Sure Inspect Your Hives Every Two Weeks

Lena’s hive two weeks ago.

Lena Rocks – Discovers Missing Queen and Replaces

Yep folks, it is true.  A brand new set of bees and when Lena inspected her hive this past Saturday she New there was a problem….she had listened closely, read her book, and knew what to look for.  Her inspection showed less bees, no eggs or larva, and just a bit of capped brood.  When she reported this to me I was in the mountains and asked Erin, (now in her third year of beekeeping with me) to have a look and she confirmed what I suspected.  Sheknew what had to be done and who to contact (she had accompanied me to pick up our bees this year) and helped Lena locate a new queen before they even contacted me.

Yesterday I observed as Lena properly inserted her new queen.  She will be going back this Saturday to see if her girls have released her.  All this to remind you all that the number one cause of hive failure with new bee keepers is not completing inspections and knowing how to determine if their Queen was healthy and present.  Lena has done her homework.  How about you?  We all need to be doing inspections every two weeks to determine the health of our hives and making sure we have a queen who is producing.  I suggest we all go back and read in our Backyard Beekeeper text, especially the sections on hive inspections and how to determine if our queens are present and doing their job.  Hats off to Erin Denison for her help and guidance.  I am now back in town and if anyone needs me to help with a hive inspection, please do not hesitate to call.

With all the rain we definitely need to consider putting feeders back on new bees as the nectar will be quite diluted.  My new bees are really taking in the sugar water and so are The Blacks and Lena’s girls!

Bee the best Beekeeper you can Bee!

When something needs to be done for your bees, do it right away.  Lena did and she will succeed because she has already proven herself a very serious student of beekeeping!

Erin Denison celebrates the replenishment of bees in the Smith Educational Apiary with her instructor Mr. G!


Posted May 23, 2018 by Scott Griffin. (Mr. G) in category Uncategorized

About the Author

Elementary Teacher (37 years retired), Photographer, Storyteller, Bee Keeper. Started keeping bees with my grandson when he was 3 years old. It is something we enjoy learning and doing together. Proud member of the Gaston County Beekeepers Association, North Carolina Beekeepers Association. Graduate of the Penn State Beekeeping School. We are all about the bees first. The honey is simply their way of saying thank you!🐝🐝🐝

2 thoughts on “Make Sure Inspect Your Hives Every Two Weeks

  1. Sean Moore

    Hive Inspections:
    I went to the apiary Saturday trying to beat the rain. When I started taking the top off the rain started with a very light drizzle. I took the feeder off quickly and could tell from all the activity outside the hove and what I could see from the few frames I took out the Queen was likely doing her thing and going any further when the rain started would not be good. I left a gallon of 1:1 with some Beee Heathy added and left to take care of my hive at my house. It was not raining when I got home. I installed a medium box, feeder and gallon of 1:1 and Bee Healthy. I was able to do a full inspection and saw lots of Brood, and the expansion to the outer frames and looking to be needing the room with the extra box. Both hives were relatively calm compared to last year’s bees and not as aggressive. No Queen sighted in either hive. I watch the bees at the house every day and they seem to be doing their thing and enjoying the Rose bushes in the backyard. Thanks,

    Sean Moore

    Reply
    1. mhfmbeeapiary (Post author)

      You are definitely a beekeeper now Sean. My observations from afar told me your hive was in good shape…but as good stewards, we want to be checking every couple of weeks right now…especially since they are new hives. Great to see you are using the Honeybee Healthy. I am going to make up some of my homemade today as a matter of fact. Continue to feed as long as they are taking the sugar water well. They are working to build up wax in the hive.

      Reply

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