Hi Stuart, you do not need to open the Flow Super if you can see the frames are fully capped via the viewing window, however just lifting the lid to inspect that the length of the frame is fully capped is not a bad thing, depending on the nature of your bees this should be achievable with only a veil and no smoke.
The brood box should be inspected regularly during the warmer months.
@Dexter
Why isn’t out location shown next to our names? Makes it a bit tricky to assess someones advice relevant to your own situation and having to ask people all the time where they are from is a bit inefficient. 
I’m in central Victoria, Australia.
So when checking for pre swarming what action do you take to prevent them swarming? Divide the hive, add more space destroying the new queen cells?
So “regular” inspection of brood is once per week? In the spring or throughout the production season? Around here bees can be active on sunny day (i’ve seen them on flowers around the place yesterday) but not many.
Is that because it was a good strong line of bees, exceptional conditions or something wrong with the hive?
If the bees came from a swam - could it just be possible they are swarmy bees?
Always keep an empty hive about during the swarm season as a spare or lure for swarming bees, gives them somewhere to go that’s within your reach. As for inspection, once every few weeks should suffice in Australia during the warmer months. Brood manipulation is a preferred method to prevent swarming it’s no guarantee and keep a check on hive beetles as they could dissipate your hive in a week. Do you have a local bee club in your area? Get yourself a mentor there’s a lot to learn.
1 Like
The Woodend Bee Friendly Society is my closest club (I think) I’ve been to one meeting so far.
I’m mainly trying to get a rough idea of how I could incorporate bee keeping into an integrated farming operation. I need to know enough about bees to be able to plan around them but I also need to find someone who would like to work with us.
Swarm control is both an art and a craft and there are many ways of doing it.
Joining a club and getting personal support makes things much easier.
As for opening up a colony twice a year…how do they get away with it?
1 Like