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Author Topic: 1st Year inspections vs 2nd Year  (Read 1219 times)

Offline TheMasonicHive

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1st Year inspections vs 2nd Year
« on: June 18, 2010, 05:52:33 pm »
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?
Christopher Peace
Oakland County, MI

"It teaches us that, as we come into the world rational and intelligent beings, so we should ever be industrious ones; never sitting down contented while our fellow-creatures around us are in want, when it is in our power to relieve them without inconvenience to ourselves." - Freemasonry on the Beehive

Offline D Coates

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Re: 1st Year inspections vs 2nd Year
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2010, 06:10:13 pm »
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.
Ninja, is not in the dictionary.  Well played Ninja's, well played...

 

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