An integral part of good beekeeping is periodic inspections of the hives and apiary area. External inspections should be performed commonly, a minimum of once every two weeks. When performing apiary inspections, always be sure to follow proper apiary etiquette. You should normally not need to wear your bee suit, unless you are directly inspecting the hive entrance, as shown here. You should observe the following conditions during an inspection:
General physical condition of the hives
There should be no significant change in the appearance of the hives since your last visit to the apiary. Any movement or displacement of the hives or damage should be closely investigated. A properly-situated, constructed and maintained apiary will minimize the possibility of disturbance.
Foraging activity
A mature, healthy colony should have relatively constant flight activity in and out of the hive entrance during daylight hours. If you observe little activity, determine why. If there are no nectar sources and the bees are not being fed, the hives are in danger of starvation. Other conditions, such as disease, mites or wax moths, or small hive beetle invasions, can also weaken foraging activity. And if the hive has swarmed, a good portion of its population has packed up and left, so foraging activity will be significantly reduced. A good rule of thumb for a mature, active colony is that you should see a field bee enter the hive an average of at least once a second. An immature, new colony will have less activity, especially if they are being fed with sugar syrup. You can also tell if the bees are obtaining food sources by parking yourself by the side of the hive and closely watching the field bees arriving back at the entrance. If you see bees arriving with pollen baskets loaded with pollen, you can be assured they are finding good food sources.
Evidence of disease or mites
Various factors indicate the possibility of a diseased or mite-plagued colony. Brown streaks on the bottom board or landing board are evidence of dysentery, which accompanies various maladies. Numerous dead bees, larvae or pupae littering the bee yard in front of the hives are also indicators of serious problems. Be especially concerned if you detect a foul, unpleasant odor in the apiary. This could be evidence of American foulbrood disease. Listless, wandering bees walking on the ground near the hives are reason for concern, and could be caused by various maladies, including nosema and tracheal mites.
Wax moths
Weak hives that are low in population can be plagued with wax moths. A serious infestation of wax moths in a hive usually indicates a bigger problem, such as disease, an under-producing queen, starvation, or swarming. A healthy, well-populated colony will not have a problem with wax moths. Evidence of a wax moth convention in your hive includes moth cocoons or pupae at the hive entrance or on the ground, many small dark specks on the bottom board, which may be larvae feces, and larvae webs.
Small Hive Beetles (SHB)
This especially destructive pest can wreak havoc in your beehives, destroying your colonies in short order. The only method of detecting SHB in an external inspection is to notice a decayed-orange smell, which is evidence of the fermenting honey that results from SHB fecal contamination. This smell indicates that a serious infestation of SHB is already underway in your apiary. Immediate action is required to eliminate the threat, as your honeybees cannot properly defend themselves against this marauder.
Insect invaders
A constant stream of ants on the legs of the hive stand or the sides of the hive body is a dead give-away that you have a serious ant problem. The most destructive types of ants that could maraud and threaten your apiary are fire ants, carpenter ants and Argentine ants, and they are capable of destroying a hive completely if left unchecked. Termites can eventually destroy the hive parts if allowed to propagate in the apiary. Keep the apiary mowed and grease or oil the hive stand legs to control these dangerous pests. You should use weather-treated lumber for construction of the hive stand legs to minimize termite damage and generally have a much more durable setup. Minimize the use of insecticides in the apiary, as these kill bees just as well as they kill other insects.
Condition of the apiary grounds
Make sure grass and weeds immediately around the hives are kept mowed, not only so other insects have no access to the hive via the plant stalks, but also that you will have easy access to the hives when visiting the apiary. And it's always nice to have an attractive, well-groomed bee yard of which you can be proud to show off to friends and neighbors. Keep the yard free of other debris, especially wood, which attracts termites and carpenter ants.
Apiary Etiquette
Feeding and Watering
Preparing to Visit the Apiary
Reasons for Opening the Hive
Opening and Inspecting the Hive
Small Hive Beetle (SHB)
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