# can you go in your hives too much?



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

You can't learn anything if you never look at them. It may not be best for them, but it will be good for your education. Once a week isn't so bad. But you could also alternate between which hives you get into to let them have a longer spell of no intrusion.


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## ProfessorBob (Jun 17, 2015)

Michael Bush said:


> You can't learn anything if you never look at them. It may not be best for them, but it will be good for your education. Once a week isn't so bad. But you could also alternate between which hives you get into to let them have a longer spell of no intrusion.


Like you, I am new to beekeeping too. But, like most, I can't wait to get in there and see what is going on. I totally agree with Michael. How else are you going to possibly see the queen or distinguish drone cells from worker cells? I always choose sunny, warm days to do this and try to limit it to no more than once/week. Afterwards, make notes of what you are seeing. Soon you'll hopefully begin to connect some of the dots....


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## cheryl1 (Mar 7, 2015)

I need more hives so I can rotate playing with them every day and not bother one hive too much


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

I agree very strongly with Michael. While I preach to always have a reason/something you want to discover before beginning an inspection, in this case the reason is personal knowledge growth.

So can you go in your hive often enough to set them back? Well, yes. That may provide incentive to team up with other new beekeepers on inspections.


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## Westhill (Jul 26, 2012)

You can also take photos of your frames and look at them later with magnification. I have learned a ton of things just by studying my photos after each inspection. There are so many things going on that you may miss them when looking at your bees "live," and photos give you a chance to see it later.


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## max2 (Dec 24, 2009)

jakec said:


> how often can you go into a hive without setting them back too bad? I go in mine every weekend but would like to get in them more. the main reason is just to learn and smash hive beetles. I only have 2 hives so that gives me 5 days a week I cant go into a beehive.


Every weekend - I don't think the bees mind but forget about reducing SHB numbers. I find that hives I need to open more often ( and yes, I smash them too) often have MORE SHB . You figure? The smell of an open hive? Probably.


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## rmcpb (Aug 15, 2012)

Remember that the best defence to SHB Is a steong hive. if you go digging around in there too much then the hive is stresses/disturbed and will be weaker. This helps the SHB but gives you more knowledge, so its a balance. I try to only go in when there is something to do BUT spend a lot of time just watching the hives from the outside. Lots to learn that way too.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

There are times when you don't want to inspect weekly. For instance you go check one day, the bees are meaner than usual, you find no queen, no eggs, some larva, and capped brood but a few capped queen cells. Wait two weeks minimum until you go into that one again unless you like taking risks.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

I've often thought a nice thing to have might be an observation hive in the spare room, with a live stream web cam feeding into the big screen TV in the living room... with a bowl of popcorn of course.


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## Montyb (May 27, 2013)

Dot know if it's true or not but I've heard it sets them back about 3 days every time you go in. We've prob been in our 5 hives 3 maybe 4 times since spring. There all doing great.


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## JoshuaW (Feb 2, 2015)

This is my first year with bees, too. I went in about every 3-5 days, and they still built up from 5-frame nucs to 4 full 8-frame boxes. And as one beek told me: "Don't worry, a good strong hive will let you know when they don't want you around." Enjoy!


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## larryh (Jul 28, 2014)

JoshuaW said:


> ...as one beek told me: "Don't worry, a good strong hive will let you know when they don't want you around." Enjoy!


As a couple of mine have done recently. 

My first year too and I could hardly keep myself out earlier in the year. I've cut back on my curiosity inspections lately because they have less patience with me. When they all of a sudden come boiling out of there, it kind of scares me And also, I would hate to be the one to make them queenless this time of year.


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## rmcpb (Aug 15, 2012)

JoshuaW said:


> This is my first year with bees, too. I went in about every 3-5 days, and they still built up from 5-frame nucs to 4 full 8-frame boxes. And as one beek told me: "Don't worry, a good strong hive will let you know when they don't want you around." Enjoy!


Sounds familiar. Spring here and the girls are cranky. Almost made it through the second hive before they got too angry. Good thing I thought about the gauntlets this time.....


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## jakec (May 26, 2015)

thanks for the replies. when I do go in them all I do is pull frames to look at and smash beetles. ive never had to actually DO anything to them, no weird comb to fix or anything like that. doesn't seem like it would really set them back since im just putting the frames right back in. I guess im mainly trying to learn what to not worry out about. I really suck at typing out what im thinking so forgive the rambling.


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## Fuzzymiss9 (Jan 8, 2015)

I've been going in every two weeks around the weather. It was really cool to see them draw the comb out, all festooning in the spring, and how white the wax was. Now I'm looking for storage of honey, and watching their behaviour. When they were queenless it was bedlam, now everyone has a job to do, they seem less interested in me. I was told only go in if you need to answer a specific question...wish I had a webcam in there!


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## thehackleguy (Jul 29, 2014)

Jake,

I started with a swarm last fall, did a BUNCH of reading here, attended bee school, and then attended BEE SCHOOL in my yard. I had one hive last fall, bought 5 nucs in spring, split hives to 11, had a laying worker, and when I finally decided to go into them ONLY every two weeks this fall (only due to vacation) I had two hives swarm (I could have had two queen-right nucs out of them instead if I had looked). I have learned a TON and I'm going into winter with 8 strong hives, if I come out with at least two I know I can rebuild to 10 due to my work and learning this year.........IF I never HAVE to buy bees again unless I really want to then it has all been worth it! Good luck, this has been one of the most exciting years I have had since I got married 15 years ago (that first year is pretty good  )

P.S. I also harvested 80 lbs of honey with stores left for winter :thumbsup:


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## agastache (Jun 27, 2013)

if going in the hive set them back three days, my hives would still be in last year. I enjoy looking at them, try not to disrupt them much, and am still learning every time I open the hive.


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

I go into them every week during the spring & early summer. Helps me keep moving frames so they pull more comb and I increase the brood comb. Also seems like if you are not watching closely, swarm time happens really easily. 

Since I am going foundationless, I cannot place an empty hive box with empty frames on top and hope the bees pull comb and start storing honey. Or at least it has not worked so far :scratch:. 

I might set them back three days each week, but if they swarm from a nuc, you are set back a few weeks waiting for that queen to mate and start laying again. So it is worth it in my opinion.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

When I first started in beekeeping I inspected my hives 2 times a day. Once in the
morning and once in the evening just before the sunset. 
Years later after reading a post here about the commercial setting that time his hive after
an inspection to see when everything will be back to normal again, now I just do my hive
inspection after the sunset when they are all inside the hive. Well almost all if you count the
ones on your bee suit. It works for me!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I've often thought a nice thing to have might be an observation hive in the spare room, with a live stream web cam feeding into the big screen TV in the living room... 

Wouldn't it be more fun to put the observation hive in the living room and watch the bees directly?


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

I know a beek that would go into his hives daily and pull every frame and look at it. He bought nucs, captured swarms, and did cutouts but always ended up with no bees because they kept absconding. Several folks told him not to go in every day but he kept doing it. I gave him five swarms this year, captured and hived them in his equipment. So far he still has all five and I hope he is not going in more often so he'll get a chance to over winter some hives and get to see them build up next year.
All of this to say, yes you can go in more often than once a week but you may lose some hives if you do a frame by frame inspection more often. Good luck with your bees!


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## cmcpherson (May 10, 2014)

That propolis that is being broken every time is probably leaving the SHB access.
I too looked in my hives a whole lot in the very beginning but now that the original newness has worn off, I try to find the time to do an inspection once a month or so and seem to be noticing increase in strength since.
SHB are down too.


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## Rodhandy (Feb 8, 2015)

Have you tried the micro/fiber washcloths, the SHB get their foot caught and can not get away, I check every other day and smash them with my hive tool. I have done this without smoke and the bees don't seem to care. It is kind of fun to watch the bees chase the SHB around the hive..


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## bdbee (Jul 29, 2013)

Call me a skeptic, but I have come to doubt that inspecting (without smoking) causes any setback at all.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Call me a skeptic, but I have come to doubt that inspecting (without smoking) causes any setback at all.

I'd say inspecting without smoke sets them back more than inspecting with smoke. I can't see any difference in their behavior at all if I avoid a defensive reaction. I see a noticeable difference in their behavior for as much as a week if I let them get defensive by not using smoke. Of course all of these things depend on the details. If you tear up a lot of comb, slam the boxes around etc. you can have a marked effect.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beessmoke.htm


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## bdbee (Jul 29, 2013)

Michael Bush said:


> >Call me a skeptic, but I have come to doubt that inspecting (without smoking) causes any setback at all.
> 
> I'd say inspecting without smoke sets them back more than inspecting with smoke. I can't see any difference in their behavior at all if I avoid a defensive reaction. I see a noticeable difference in their behavior for as much as a week if I let them get defensive by not using smoke. Of course all of these things depend on the details. If you tear up a lot of comb, slam the boxes around etc. you can have a marked effect.
> 
> http://www.bushfarms.com/beessmoke.htm


I'll remain a skeptic until I see some measurable, and then measured, definition of being "set back".


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

I've heard that you kill around 300 bees per inspection. Start doing the math and you'll see that once every ten to 14 days is plenty often.


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## cheryl1 (Mar 7, 2015)

No way I kill 300. Maybe 10 if I'm not careful


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Since I keep bees all year long with winter feeding too, for the
last 3 years I have not light up a smoker on my hive check. The
smoker is still brand new ever since I got the gentle type bees after
the first year. But again I do not disturb them too much because I do
night inspection with a small bright LED miner's light. At night they are too
lazy to fly on a hard day of work. No more disturbing their daily routine.


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

cheryl1 said:


> I need more hives so I can rotate playing with them every day and not bother one hive too much


That's the primary reason I got more hives, so I can rotate inspections. Even at that, when I can see from entrance and lifting the lid that they are doing well I won't go through them often. Maybe I need more hives


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

BeePro - these feral varmints would tear me up without smoke. 

Aunt Betty - I don't see that as happening every time. Once in a while, but every visit, I don't see that happening.


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## asd (Jun 10, 2015)

As a beginner I went into hives too much out of anxiety. Now I still have the curiosity but also the satisfaction of leaving them alone for longer periods of time.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

MMP--Perhaps you should try our gentlest local queens here. Carnis/Cordovan/Italians, etc.
Each season I only graft from the best laying and gentle type queens.
If they are even a bit jumpy I will eliminate her genetics. I want
the solid laying queens only to improve my apiary. 
So far so good!

asd--In my first year I was too stressed out and worried about them.
I did hive inspection twice a day, once in the early morning and once in the
late evening with a small bright LED miner's light. I still do night inspection
to try finding a virgin. It was my curiosity that got me to inspect them more than
often.


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

Montyb said:


> Dot know if it's true or not but I've heard it sets them back about 3 days every time you go in. We've prob been in our 5 hives 3 maybe 4 times since spring. There all doing great.


Lately the "wise ones" are saying it only sets them back a couple of hours unless the order of the hive is changed.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Have too many hives to check them more than weekly. It's gotten where I can't check them all in one visit.
14 in one yard. Can check about 6-8 before I'm totally soaking wet. Getting better at it an faster. Would like to be able to just do all at one stop but I'm too old and worn out. 
Treating with MAQ's right now and that's easy compared to full inspections. Giving myself a week off so the treatments can be left alone. Sweet! I get a break.


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## asd (Jun 10, 2015)

Night inspections? Sound scary to me.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Yes, when you have the gentle type bees then doing a night inspection will not disturb
their hives as much compared to the day time. Like anything else the more you do the more you get used to it.
I find that during the day more guard bees are on duty than the night time inspection. Maybe I'm used to it already so
nothing to be scare about. To build up your skill first start with an average size in bee population nuc. The purpose is to
try to find the virgin queen among them. In the day inspection the virgin might get frighten and fly away to LA LA LAND!
Night inspection is another world to itself. See all those nice pics on the queen forum here. All are taken at night time (inspection.)
Be sure to fully suit up on either day or night inspection for your protection!


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## asd (Jun 10, 2015)

beepro said:


> Be sure to fully suit up on either day or night inspection for your protection!


I don't have a suit so there'll be no night inspections for me... at least not spreading frames apart.


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

Michael Bush said:


> >Call me a skeptic, but I have come to doubt that inspecting (without smoking) causes any setback at all.
> 
> I'd say inspecting without smoke sets them back more than inspecting with smoke. I can't see any difference in their behavior at all if I avoid a defensive reaction. I see a noticeable difference in their behavior for as much as a week if I let them get defensive by not using smoke. Of course all of these things depend on the details. If you tear up a lot of comb, slam the boxes around etc. you can have a marked effect.
> 
> http://www.bushfarms.com/beessmoke.htm


I definitely agree with this. I think the smoke is for the bees more than the beekeeper. Inspecting like smoke is like a dentist drilling without novacaine.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

> Inspecting like smoke is like a dentist drilling without novacaine.

I'd like to use that quote. Who would I credit? I assume that it was meant to be something like this though, "Inspecting without smoke is like a dentist drilling without novacaine."-- ?


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## Montyb (May 27, 2013)

That's interesting, because unless it's a root canal I never have novacaine. And we only use one puff of smoke at entrance - never have problem with irate bees. Must be the weather up here that makes them mellow.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

> And we only use one puff of smoke at entrance - never have problem with irate bees.

Most of the time that is the perfect amount, plus whatever smoke is in the air from the smoker being lit.


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