Growers can easily check hives to see if they are adequate for their pollination needs. It will require the cooperation or assistance of the beekeeper. An inexperienced person can damage bees, and could also get into some serious stinging, so growers should not attempt to open hives alone.
However, beekeepers who are not willing to let growers see what is in the hives should be avoided. There are occasional cases of fraud perpetrated by dishonest beekeepers, who may avoid detection because so many people fear bees, and keep away.
Most professional beekeepers carry an extra veil. If a person is still afraid, wearing a veil, he can remain in a closed vehicle with the windows up, while the beekeeper opens hives.
The quick and simple check requires that the cover be removed, with just a little smoke, then bees be watched to see how many frames they cover, as they run back to the tops of the frames.
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Ideally the bees should cover
seven to eight frames. This represents about five to six frames of brood. In our business
we guarantee five frames, and try to average six frames of brood. This example shows a
hive with eight frames of bees. |
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A hive with only five frames
covered with bees. This hive is not quite up to par, unless a lot of bees are out
foraging, in which case it may be barely okay. A Possible Solution: If the queen is good, add a couple brood frames. |
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A hive with ten frames covered.
This hive may actually be too strong. Bees that have no space to develop and fill, will be
apt to swarm or at least shut down the queen. Swarmy bees have their minds on reproduction
and are poor workers. If the queens cannot find cells in which to lay, there will be
little new brood, and bees will not need pollen. A Possible Solution: Remove a couple frames of sealed brood, replacing with empty comb to give queen some laying space. Add a super. |
