Hi Fred,
Not mine, but I have noticed a number of these very dark bees coming in to drink at a bird bath I maintain for the bees. I suspect that the black bees down my way are from feral colonies that live nearby.
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Ladies and gentlemen, after 33 days of anguish wondering if I have successfully split my colony, I am happy show proof of a laying queen!
I also donated 3 frames of brood in all stages from the parent hive including a frame of nurse bees. This should give them a good boost going into summer. I was also able to inspect this colony without smoke. They are so nice to work with. I did however find 4-5 wax moth larvae on the bottom. So far the bees seem to be keeping them at bay.
The queen in the parent hive is still laying beautifully. Both queens still elude me!
Thank you all for your help and tips to date. Words can’t explain how happy of a bee keeper I am today.
Sting Count: 3
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That is so good to hear mate. I want to follow in your footsteps!
Once you find those queens you should mark them I think. Not that it’s necessary but I find it nice to easily spot my marked queen.
So you donated another three brood frames form the original hive? You guys are drastic with your donations, I’m impressed.
My understanding is that a strong hive will control wax moth easily. So don’t stress
Well done with the split Fred, and the queen has been laying really well. It is so much more satisfying to have produced your own queen than just buying one if you are happy to wait 4 weeks.
There is so much of a buzz in opening up the hive to find that there is a laying queen doing her thing.
Very daunting doing a split and producing a queen for the first time but I’ll bet you feel really proud about it. 
Cheers Fred
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I sure did. I’ve thrown everything at this hive and it has seemed to thrive - mistakes and all. So I didn’t see any harm given how quickly they drew the last set of new comb and started laying. They still have plenty of honey stores in the super and a strong population.
Absolutely! Thanks for your tips and words of wisdom along the way.
Cheers
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Thanks for taking the time to share Fred. I found your thread interesting, and helpful.
Inspected both my hives yesterday.
I inspected my new hive first without smoke and when I pulled out the 2nd frame, I found the queen! She’s still laying beautifully. They are also making good progress on the flow super which I put on 2 weeks back.
The old hive was next. I started the inspection without smoke, but ended up lighting up part way through as the bees weren’t getting out of my way (no matter how much I blew). Didn’t find her majesty. This hive has been busy burcoming and sorting honey between the frames and QE. So a lot of cleanup was required.
4 hour inspection… amazing how much slower I work without smoke. I was knackered by the end. How do the commercial guys do it with so many hives?..
Sorry, no photos of the Queen to show… but I reckon not smoking caught her off guard. I’ll be ready next time.
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Four hours Fred? That’s a very long inspection I would have thought … won’t you be risking the brood?
At least your hives are doing well. And coped well with the heatwave.
From photos you posted previously I can’t see much risk with using a smoker in summer, it is mostly gravel if I recall right. I also know the smoke annoys you and makes you sick. If you try to stay upwind from the smoker, will it be any better for you? I always have a bit of breeze and barely smell the smoker.
Or try a bee brush to move bees? I have one and I can lend it you and see how it goes. I don’t have much bees to brush anyway.
But, but, but… he had to count all of the bees and wish each one a Merry Christmas! Brood chilling is probably not an issue if your local weather is 30C+ 
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I agree 4 hours is way too long for 2 hives. Here in Perth you needn’t be looking for the queen, just proof of life.
Without varroa and shb inspections need not be as frequent as other areas, remember each inspection will set them back and a thorough clean up inspection will set them back longer.
Sure its a good learning experience messing with the bees but sitting back and letting them work their magic is not a sin. 
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I have no idea where the time went to be honest. I wasnt looking for the queen. Just making sure she wasn’t on the frame before I shook them off to clean up the frames. Based on 5 minutes per 5, I should have been done in less than 2 hours… maybe I’m too meticulous and careful for my own good. I’m just ptacticing without smoke in case of fire bans. 
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I guess @fffffred saw a reason for taking that amount of time for doing the inspection. Maybe he spent some extra time in thinking through what he was seeing, and I see that as a positive. I wonder what the risk is that you are referring to? Remember he is in Summer so there is no risk of chilling the brood. I see it as there was something that caught Fred’s attention so good on him for paying attention, even if happened to not be an issue, a lot better than ignoring something I think, and risking the brood.
Cheers
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Hello Fred. I’m a first year beekeeper and like you have two hives. I’m in Chidlow.
I inspect every two or three weeks and remove any burr-comb each time. I keep my hives tidy so its easier to inspect. I only look for brood and if I see the queen its a bonus. I hate squishing bees so I’m very careful when removing and putting back frames.
I find that the smoker is essential to keep the bees safe. If conditions do not warrant the use of a smoker, I skip the inspection altogether.
I never timed my inspections but I doubt it will take me more than half an hour for a routine inspection of both hives and check all or most frames. It used to take me a bit more at first.
I remember very clearly at the beekeeping course I attended and all literature I read for that matter, that it is important to keep inspection times to a minimum so the bees are not disturbed. Regardless of ambient temperature, that is a lot of hive disturbance.
I’m sure you had your valid reasons for such a long inspection but I strongly agree with @skeggley on this. I’m surprised that peter48 didn’t find a 4 hour inspection excessive.
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I assume he had a very valid reason for taking so long, as I have already explained I thought clearly.
A beginner takes longer to do inspections and it is easy to spend some extra time when something unusual crops up, but far be it for me to be criticizing Fred for him taking the extra time when the ambient temperature allowed. Far better to do a thorough brood inspection and know all is well till the next inspection in a couple of weeks than miss something. I respect Fred for do his hive inspection and not rushing it and missing something which is easy for a beginner to do.
I was recently talking on the phone to a beginner who in passing said that in the last few inspections she had done she noticed some of the larvae looked grey rather than white so I offered to have a look and sure enough there was a heap of chalk brood, inexperience and and not understanding what she was seeing she had missed it for it seems at least a few inspections. I wonder if she read the same literature as you have and didn’t take the time to realize something was obviously wrong…
I respect all the comments so far. Wasn’t my intention to cause any controversy or distress to the bees. I pick my days and if at any stage of my inspection, the bees sound distressed or angry, it’s my protocol to close up shop and return another day. The bees didn’t seem to mind so I continued on my merry way.
I must add, I had to cycle out a couple of frames I wasn’t happy with. They were frames inherited from previous owner (one was plastic, one was wsp sized and another full of drone cells). I don’t mind setting these girls back bit, they seem to just thrive despite everything I throw at them (hence the cleanup).
I also moved my hives onto a new stand today. You’ll be glad to know it took me less than 5 minutes 
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Thanks for the update on how your hives are going Fred, you will get a loud and clear message from the bees if they consider you are taking too long. 
I was told by my mentor, a commercial bee keeper, that just lifting the roof off a hive for 15 seconds sets a hive back 4 hours and he also taught me to take my time and do a really complete inspection. You do your hive work at your pace mate and your bee will thrive as a result of your efforts.
Cheers Fred.
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Noooo, not criticising at all, ffffffffred’s a legend, so much knowledge gained in so little time, likely a sponge brain. 
My point is that frequent inspections are encouraged but they’re not really necessary in these parts. I’ve got colony’s in trees here and they get on just fine without inspections. Have done for at least 30 years. So why inspect?
Quote;
“An inspector shall make an inspection of an apiary for disease, at times appropriate for the control or eradication of the disease, “
Appropriate. When disease and pests are found in the area? Annually? Monthly? Weekly?
When something is amiss at the entrance?
Duty of care. Swarm season. Dearth.
Or because someone says you should?
Don’t get me wrong, I like going into the hive, it gives me a buzz. And occasionally a bit of apitherapy. 
Like nuts I like clean tidy frames but it seemed like every time I cleaned the burr comb off they’d have just rebuilt it by my next inspection. They just can’t take a hint.
So the bees are going fine no matter how much I tried to help them. Maybe I’ll keep trying to help them but, just not as much, nor long.
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I would love it if my bees stopped making burr comb and got the message. I’m happy to spend the extra time in cleaning it off each time I do an inspection.
A few years ago I took over caring for the ‘mountain goat hive’ and had to use a shovel to get the roof off when it hadn’t been looked at ‘in about 4 years’. That little project took two long days to get down into the brood box and clean it all up. It was a real challenge but eventually it became a very calm hive from one that would attack in huge numbers when I got within about 15 meters of it. So much burr comb that trying to get frames out without busting them was a real job. But a job that had to be done. I checked the hive after that every couple of days and they calmed down remarkably quickly. But back to making burr comb again.
Cheers
That’s great to know about our local climate. As much as I have the colony’s health at heart, I’m also a lazy beek. I reckon I’ll be comfortable going into my second year with fewer scheduled inspections now that I have a handle on their behaviour (but more during nectar flow season for swarm prevention).
But being a newb, there’s also going to be a shadow of doubt… ie did moving my hives yesteday cause some frames to move… I didn’t think to lift the QE to check 
Appreciate all the comments so far. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and many blessings and sweetness for the new year ahead.
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