Laserfiche WebLink
Beekeeping in Northern Climates <br />INSPECTIONS <br />1 Day After Hiving Packages or Nucs <br />:KHWKHU\RXKLYHGDSDFNDJHRUDQXFWKHLQVWUXFWLRQVIRUZKDWWRGRQH[WDUHWKHVDPH <br />&KHFNWKHIHHGHUSDLOVWRPDNHFHUWDLQWKHEHHVDUHREWDLQLQJVXJDUV\UXS'RQRWGLVWXUEWKHFRORQ\XQOHVV <br />\RXVXVSHFWWKHEHHVDUHQRWFRQVXPLQJWKHVXJDUV\UXS,IDIWHUKRXUVWKHEHHVKDYHQRWFRQVXPHGDQ\ <br />V\UXSFKHFNWKHSDLOWREHVXUHWKHKROHVDUHRSHQDQGQRWKLQJLVREVWUXFWLQJWKHKROHLQWKHLQQHUFRYHUWKDW <br />JLYHVWKHEHHVDFFHVVWRWKHIHHGHUSDLO)RUSDFNDJHEHHVPDNHVXUHWKHEHHVDUHFOXVWHUHGLQWKHPLGGOH <br />of the box. If the bees have clustered toward one side of the box, rearrange the empty frames so that the <br />FOXVWHULVFHQWHUHGDQGEHORZWKHIHHGHU1XFVZLOOUHPDLQFOXVWHUHGLQWKHFHQWHURQWKHEURRGIUDPHVEHFDXVH <br />WKH\QHHGWRLQFXEDWHWKHEURRG3DFNDJHEHHVZLOOQRWKDYHEURRGIRUVRPHGD\VDIWHUKLYLQJVRWKH\GRQRW <br />necessarily cluster in the center of the box. <br />)LJXUH$IUDPHRIZRUNHUEURRGLVSODFHGVWDQGLQJRQLWV <br />HQGZKLOHDEHHNHHSHUORRNVWKURXJKWKHFRORQ\3ODFLQJWKH <br />frame on its end and gently leaning it against the colony so only <br />the top of the frame touches the colony reduces the number of <br />VXUIDFHVWKHIUDPHDQGFRPEWRXFKGHFUHDVLQJWKHOLNHOLKRRGRI <br />VTXDVKLQJEHHV7KLVIUDPHLVPDGHIURPEODFNSODVWLFDQGQRW <br />the more typical wooden construction. <br />4-7 Days Later: First Inspection <br />)RXUWRVHYHQGD\VDIWHUKLYLQJWKHSDFNDJHRUQXF <br />conduct a brief colony inspection. <br />Prepare Yourself <br />Ɣ /LJKWWKHVPRNHUEHIRUHRSHQLQJWKH <br />FRORQ\DQGWDNHDIHZPLQXWHVWRHQVXUH <br />it stays lit. Put on your protective gear, <br />WDNHDGHHSEUHDWKDQGSUHSDUHWRPRYH <br />slowly. <br />Ɣ Approach the hive from behind or the side. <br />Do not stand in front of the entrance as <br />\RXZLOOEORFNWKHÀLJKWSDWKRIWKHEHHV. <br />Opening the Hive <br />Ɣ 8VLQJDKLYHWRRODQGNHHSLQJWKHVPRNHU <br />at hand, slowly remove the outer cover, <br />V\UXSEXFNHWDQGER[FRYHULQJWKHIHHGHU <br />Gently pry open the inner cover and puff a <br />OLWWOHVPRNHRYHUWKHEHHVREVHUYLQJKRZ <br />they move down into the box. <br />Ɣ Slowly and smoothly, remove a frame <br />toward the outside of the box, inspect what <br />is on it, and leave it on end outside the <br />FRORQ\ )LJXUH  <br />Ɣ 3XIIPRUHVPRNHZKHUH\RXSODQWRSODFH <br />your hands next, then one by one remove <br />DGMDFHQWIUDPHVWRFKHFNIRUHJJVDQGIRU <br />the queen. Return the frame to the box <br />after inspecting it.