inspection good or bad?

[T Beek]

I look at my hives every day that I'm home, in fact....I'm looking at them now roughly 100' from our front door.  I do simple routine inspections about every 10 days to 2 weeks, only going to the very bottom if there is a question to be answered.  Generally I only go to the very bottom ONCE per year during early Spring.  I do sticky boards to monitor mites all summer, perhaps 4-5 times per colony.  I haven't any mite issues ever.  I have mites but my bees handle them as I don't treat with anything other than syrup feeding as needed and my colonies are 95% foundationless, with comb cycled out after 4-5 seasons.....but I still look  ;)

In a weeks time away from the beeyard much can happen.  Simply tipping boxes only exposes the bottom and any Q cells located there.  However; It tells us nothing about laying patterns, pollen stores, congestion, whether there are eggs/brood or supercedure/after cells (which appear in the middle of frames).  

All of which require looking.  Our failure to notice some of these issues because we simply don't bother to look can spell the end for a colony of bees IMO.  Then when our bees die we blame CCD or some other problem outside of own reach instead of accepting our responsibility for keeping these wonderful creatures ALIVE.

Like I said earlier in the thread, we will always have BeeKEEPERS and BeeHAVERS.  The choice is always ours to make and most BEEKS know the difference.  That doesn't make one opinion or method any better or worse than any another.  It is what it is..............Both groups are trying to help bees, no?

Our 'common' goal; to assure our honeybees survival and well-being is what brings us all together, right?



And Heck,  I sure don't mind those minimalist BEEKS providing the World with swarms every year  :-D

[Finski]

,
The beekeeping skills will arouse so that you learn the natural hive cycle and you learn to foresee, what bees are going to do next.

- much old brood  ... soon more room
- blooming gap and strong hives.... soon they will have swarm cells
- not clipping queen  wings.... soon the swarms are on tree tops...
- swarm escapes .. no more honey this summer from that hive and the whole year's work for vain.
- if this pasture does not give honey, put the hive on sedan carry and drive it to better pastures

Last summer I got average yield 200 lbs/hive. It really needs work. It is not only inspecting procedure.
Yield period is short here. If you do not act then, you will loose the whole years work.

My experience is that if you open the hive 3 times in a year, you get honey not at all.
It is very sure.

Honey does not flow from heaven like in Bible

.

[riverrat]

Tbeek and Finski thanks for the warm welcome I am not sure how I have produced over a ton of honey a year not checking my hive everyday :th_thumbsupup:

[Finski]

I have produced over a ton of honey a year not checking my hive everyday :th_thumbsupup:

You just said that 3 times a year.  If you say so.

Listen wise man. I have lived in capital city and worked there normally. I have my hives on summer cottage 100 miles away.  It takes 2.00 hours to drive that distance

I have not either checked my hives every day. 


.

[Finski]

You can see a lot of whats goin on in the hive by watching the front porch traffic.

Of course not. And with my 51 years experience that is mere imagination.

Traffic varies lots during same day. So it depends, when you visit on each hives.

I know very much about these things. I have watched bee traffic enough.
To me traffic tells first of all, how local pastures work compared to another site.




.

[RHBee]

You can see a lot of whats goin on in the hive by watching the front porch traffic.

Of course not. And with my 51 years experience that is mere imagination.

Traffic varies lots during same day. So it depends, when you visit on each hives.

I know very much about these things. I have watched bee traffic enough.
To me traffic tells first of all, how local pastures work compared to another site.




.

Things I look for on the front porch:
Activity-directly proportional to colony strength, also indication of nectar flow, pollen being collected.
Health-active healthy bees, dead brood being hauled out and so on, bad smell, DWV
Flow Period- Same as above, bearding? Over crowded need ventilation?
Watching orientation flights-direct indication of brood rearing and colony strength.
Sounds-Happy hum, queensless roar
Aggression-being robbed, queenless, somethings changed, something is aggravating them.

Are these observations not valid?

[Finski]

Things I look for on the front porch:
Activity-directly proportional to colony strength, also indication of nectar flow, pollen being collected.
Health-active healthy bees, dead brood being hauled out and so on, bad smell, DWV
Flow Period- Same as above, bearding? Over crowded need ventilation?
Watching orientation flights-direct indication of brood rearing and colony strength.
Sounds-Happy hum, queensless roar
Aggression-being robbed, queenless, somethings changed, something is aggravating them.

Are these observations not valid?

You must be hionest to yourself. That way you achieve things.

To be a beekeeper, you must find out, what is imagination and what is truth.

Beekeepers tend to see things which never happened. (Happy Hum!)

.

[RHBee]

<Beekeepers tend to see things which never happened. (Happy Hum!)>

All right, all right, I could have used a more descriptive choice of words. I was trying to use words that were "G" rated. :-D Well, this is what I have noticed. The noise that a colony makes when it is agitated is some what harsher than when it is calm. Queenlessness is just another form of agitation. Bees don't like being without a queen kind of like when you smoke them to much. I know that you have to have noticed this difference in your years of beekeeping. I know others on this forum have.

[Finski]

I know that you have to have noticed this difference in your years of beekeeping. I know others on this forum have.

IDifficult to what has happened to my skills in my years. But I remember my average honey yields which tells about skills.

40 years ago .....40 kg/hive
50 kg/hive

60 kg per hive

Now narmal yield 60-80 kg yield

90kg is not rare

the best 130 kg in year 1994

But hives 200 kg/hive. 20 years ago I could not even dream about that size yield what I get now.

And what is the biggest difference? 
25  y ago I kept hives 10 hives in one punch. Then I noticed that if they are in different places, I get information about quality of different pasture areas. Then it become a main point in my learning, because I allready knew, how to rear big hives.

Now I keep 1-3 hives in one point. I take care that main pastures are inside 1 km radius. I move my hives if needed flying is not good.  Differences are amazing even if the hives are one mile apart.

OK, somebody get sick that fooling, but what about Golf playing? 4 hours walk on lawn doing what, - nothing?

I play my golf with hives  150 kg honey into entrance hole!   (Not one in hole....)

[Finski]

.
What is learning

When I learn new things, it is like onion.
I notice first layer. I think it through and then I am ready to make new observations.
Layer after layer.

What is the value of observations? It is like a tool box. You use some tools and and you do not use some.
Who knows what is important. It will be revieled after years.

The most important observation, when I start with car to my hives is that I do not collide my car when I leave my home yard. Sometimes it has been near.
Next orservation: are my tools with me: smoker, bee hat, knife, .....extra boxes...
firetools, smoke stuff...water bottle is usefull...gasoline in tank...

Humming bees...it does not matter, do they hum or not. I cannot help them.

.yeah, old age does not arrive alone...
.

[RHBee]

Finski, My friend, I don't discount your ability to keep bees. All that I'm saying is that observations on the outside of the hive can give you some indication as to what is going on inside the hive. That's all. I know that once you see something that looks different, the only way to really know is to perform an inspection.
I remember something that you once posted about finding a queen. "In a large colony it is difficult to find a queen. One method is to split the colony in half. The split portion that has the queen will have bees fanning at the entrance. The other will not." This is from memory so forgive me if the quote is not work for word. I do try to pay attention. I'll search for the post.

[Finski]

Finski, My friend, I don't discount your ability to keep bees.

Cool!

That is exactly what I need.
God bless America!!!
.

[RHBee]

.
What is learning

When I learn new things, it is like onion.
I notice first layer. I think it through and then I am ready to make new observations.
Layer after layer.

What is the value of observations? It is like a tool box. You use some tools and and you do not use some.
Who knows what is important. It will be revieled after years.

The most important observation, when I start with car to my hives is that I do not collide my car when I leave my home yard. Sometimes it has been near.
Next orservation: are my tools with me: smoker, bee hat, knife, .....extra boxes...
firetools, smoke stuff...water bottle is usefull...gasoline in tank...

Humming bees...it does not matter, do they hum or not. I cannot help them.

.yeah, old age does not arrive alone...
.

Ok, I understand now. I have a saying "Getting old ain't for sissies, You got to be tough to get old."

I'm not that far behind you.

[RHBee]

Finski, My friend, I don't discount your ability to keep bees.

Cool!

That is exactly what I need.
God bless America!!!
.

Finski, your a hoot. :-D

[Finski]

I remember something that you once posted about finding a queen. "In a large colony it is difficult to find a queen. One method is to split the colony in half. The split portion that has the queen will have bees fanning at the entrance.

During 50 years I have used it couple of times. I have in my tool box 15 tricks how to find a queen.
But I am very skillfull to find it with mere eyes. If I do not find it this time, I wait that it emerge into my sight in some another inspecting.

But that method is especially to mad hives which not not let make a normal inspection.
Those which attack first on  the smoker.

I enjoys to use different methods to different hives. I do not make to myself stupid rules. It is not fun at all " 3 times is enough".

[RHBee]

What makes me ask this is I went to a guys house to inspect his bees yesterday. He got them last spring and has read little and know little about bees. I went in his hive last May he has not been in them again till yesterday. Needless to say everything was glued together real bad.
But the hive was perfect, good stores, saw the Q, brood, egg and lots of bees.

I have had all kinds of issues with my 6 hives this year so what the hick, should we just stop going in to inspect? I told him he was just lucky this year and needs to keep a eye on them, but I have to say his hive looked good.

dan

Dan,
Sorry about all that. I my opinion to many frame by frame inspections cause problems. I believe there is a balance in everything we do. You have to weigh the help against the harm and choose wisely. Just my opinion.
Ray

[T Beek]

WOW! 

It might be helpful if all readers and especially those who are posting a response actually read what they were commenting on.........you know who you are ;) Well maybe.... :-\

If we can't take the time to actually absorb another's thoughts 'in writing' on a forum w/out getting all worked up and offended there's little hope we could ever do so face to face, not a very promising future, heh?

There is a very good reason why we have 2 ears, 2 eyes and ONLY ONE MOUTH.  Do I need to say what the reason is?

Zip em up Boys  :-D   Someone start another thread PLEASE!

[Finski]

WOW! 


There is a very good reason why we have 2 ears, 2 eyes and ONLY ONE MOUTH.  Do I need to say what the reason is?

10 fingers!!!

[RHBee]

WOW! 

It might be helpful if all readers and especially those who are posting a response actually read what they were commenting on.........you know who you are ;) Well maybe.... :-\

If we can't take the time to actually absorb another's thoughts 'in writing' on a forum w/out getting all worked up and offended there's little hope we could ever do so face to face, not a very promising future, heh?

There is a very good reason why we have 2 ears, 2 eyes and ONLY ONE MOUTH.  Do I need to say what the reason is?

Zip em up Boys  :-D   Someone start another thread PLEASE!

Morning.

<If we can't take the time to actually absorb another's thoughts 'in writing' on a forum w/out getting all worked up and offended there's little hope we could ever do so face to face, not a very promising future, heh?>

I didn't see anyone getting worked up. But, I really can't see Finski.

<There is a very good reason why we have 2 ears, 2 eyes and ONLY ONE MOUTH.  Do I need to say what the reason is?>

LOL,  :lau: Wait my mom told me that one.

<Zip em up Boys  :-D   Someone start another thread PLEASE!>

I wholeheartedly agree... :deadhorse:

[Finski]

 not a very promising future, heh?>

: Wait my mom told me that one.

What mom really said...

machine gun grandma