How to Perform a Hive Inspection: A Beginner’s Guide
This article is part of our complete guide to Starting Beekeeping in South Africa.
Regular hive inspections are essential for keeping your bee colony healthy, preventing disease, and ensuring optimal honey production. If you’re new to beekeeping, learning how to inspect your hive correctly will help you spot problems early and manage your bees effectively.
Why Are Hive Inspections Important?
- Check colony health – Identify pests, diseases, and queen status.
- Monitor honey production – Ensure proper food storage.
- Prevent swarming – Control overcrowding before bees leave.
- Identify hive issues – Spot broken combs, missing frames, or aggressive behavior.
✅ Regular inspections help prevent major losses and keep your bees productive.
When to Inspect Your Hive
📌 Best Times to Inspect:
- Mid-morning to early afternoon on a warm, sunny day (bees are out foraging).
- Every 7–10 days during peak seasons (spring and summer).
- Once a month in colder months (avoid disturbing winter clusters).
❌ Avoid Inspections:
- On cold or rainy days (can chill the brood and make bees aggressive).
- During a nectar dearth (bees are more defensive when food is scarce).
- Late afternoon or evening (bees are settling for the night).
✅ Tip: Always inspect from the side or back of the hive, not from the front (to avoid blocking their flight path).
Step-by-Step Hive Inspection Guide
Step 1: Prepare Your Equipment
✔️ Wear your bee suit, gloves, and veil.
✔️ Light your smoker and have extra fuel ready.
✔️ Bring a hive tool for lifting frames.
✔️ Keep a bee brush handy for gently moving bees.
✔️ Have a notebook or log to record observations.
Step 2: Approach the Hive Calmly
✔️ Use gentle, slow movements to avoid alarming the bees.
✔️ Puff 2–3 light puffs of smoke at the hive entrance.
✔️ Wait 30–60 seconds for the bees to calm before opening the hive.
Step 3: Open the Hive and Inspect Frames
🔹 Remove the hive lid slowly – avoid sudden movements.
🔹 Check the top of the frames – look for excess wax, propolis, or burr comb.
🔹 Gently lift a frame using a hive tool – start with an outer frame to avoid crushing bees.
🔹 Inspect for:
- Brood pattern – Evenly laid eggs and larvae indicate a healthy queen.
- Honey stores – Enough food for bees to survive between nectar flows.
- Queen status – Look for fresh eggs or the queen herself.
- Pests & diseases – Varroa mites, small hive beetles, or foulbrood symptoms.
- Bee behavior – Are they calm or overly aggressive?
Step 4: Record Your Observations
📝 Keep a Hive Inspection Log (for tracking changes over time):
- Number of frames with brood, honey, pollen
- Queen presence and behavior
- Any signs of pests or disease
- Swarm cells or overcrowding issues
- General bee temperament
✅ Tracking hive health helps with early problem detection and better hive management.
Step 5: Close the Hive Properly
✔️ Slowly replace each frame in its original position.
✔️ Avoid crushing bees when placing the inner cover back.
✔️ Give 1–2 light puffs of smoke before securing the hive lid.
✔️ Walk away calmly to avoid unnecessary aggression.
Common Hive Inspection Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Too much smoke – Can cause panic and disrupt colony behavior.
❌ Rough handling – Squishing bees can trigger defensive responses.
❌ Not recording findings – Without notes, tracking issues becomes difficult.
❌ Over-inspecting – Too many inspections stress the colony.
✅ Tip: If unsure, take a photo of your frames and ask for help from experienced beekeepers.
Downloadable Checklist
Click here to download a hive inspection checklist (Coming soon!)
Final Thoughts
A good hive inspection helps maintain a healthy, productive colony. Follow these steps to ensure smooth hive management without stressing your bees. Consistent, gentle inspections lead to strong, thriving hives!