Hello
Got our first Flow Hive in Perth about 2 weeks ago, we opened it two days ago to do our first brood inspection but didn’t get everything done in time. Is there a minimum amount of time we should wait before opening the hive again?
Thanks
Sam, if the day is warm enough there is no minimum time you can work in the hive, the limiting factor however is the bees get so angry they ignore the smoke and get into an attack mode. If that happens then it is best to close the hive up and check the next day, again if it is warm enough, over 22C is ok if you will be some time working in the hive, and of course not raining or too windy.
I do full hive inspections every two weeks mainly to check for SHB and that there is stores and brood in the hive. Work slowly and smooth and it will go well.
Cheers
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Not really, as @Peter48 said. However, they do tend to be more aggressive if you wait less than 3 or 4 days. If you need to inspect, then just go ahead anyway. Use plenty of smoke before you start and give it a minute or two to work. Try putting a tea towel (linen type) or an old pillow case over the part of the box you are not inspecting. This reduces the light disturbance and makes less space for guards to launch at you.
I have been into one set of hives every day for almost a week. I had split one huge hive into 3 small ones trying to to find an evil Africanized queen. I had to go in every day to look for queen cells, working out which box had the queen. I had a new queen that I was waiting to introduce, so it was essential to work it out. It wasn’t pleasant, but with tea towels and smoke, it went OK. 
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