1st Year inspections vs 2nd Year

[TheMasonicHive]

Hello everyone,


In all the books I've read I've heard you should check once a week...at most...at your hives for your first year.  The books say it gives you a better idea of how things work.

Now I don't want to sound like a know it all, but I think I've got the basic grasp I need, and I know I've got a lot to learn.

My question is am I better off just leaving them alone and checking them once a month?  It seems like a whole lot could go wrong in a month.

You beeks that have a larger apiary, what do you do?

[D Coates]

I do inspect hives every 3 weeks while I'm doing drone removal.  When the flow is on I leave them alone and simply check the upper super to make sure they have room.  Of course if there's a hive I'm concerned about I will review as needed.  Removing a drone frame can tell you a lot while your in there.  If there are no eggs, larva or capped brood in the drone frame you can count on there being trouble.  Thet's when I go digging.

I made sure to requeen all my hives last fall (except one I couldn't find the queen in) and it's made it really easy (knock on wood) as no one has shown an itch to swarm.  Except for the one hive I didn't requeen.  I was lucky enough to find her about week before she was going to swarm.  I removed her and 3 frames of capped brood that are now doing well in my 5 frame observation hive.