Mandatory vs Optional
How to use the labels
- Mandatory = core checks you should do on most inspections.
- Optional = do when relevant (season, colony state, your goals).
- Optional can become “effectively mandatory” during swarm season.
Be efficient
Reduce stress + chilling
- Decide your purpose before opening.
- Keep brood frames over the box.
- Short, purposeful inspections beat long “explorations”.
Observe first
The hive tells you a lot
- Entrance behaviour can reveal robbing or weakness.
- Weather matters — adapt frequency and speed.
- Record what you saw, not just what you did.
- If something looks wrong but you cannot name it yet, use the colony health triage tool, the Bee Health Checker or the brood pattern guide.
Quick navigation
Jump straight to the step you’re on.
Mandatory
Optional
Why routine inspections matter
Routine inspections are not just about swarm control and honey production. They are also one of your best chances to spot brood problems, pest pressure, queen issues and early disease signs before they become harder to manage. If anything looks odd while you work through the steps below, follow up with the Bee Diseases and Pests hub, the Bee Health Checker or the colony health triage tool.
What to read next if something looks wrong
If your inspection turns up queen cells, uncertainty over queen status or unusual brood behaviour, the next pages to read are Queen Cell Identification, What to Do If You Find Queen Cells, Can't Find the Queen? and Queenless or Supersedure?. If the main concern is brood health, disease signs or odd colony behaviour rather than queen status, use the Brood Pattern Guide, Bee Health Checker and Bee Diseases and Pests hub instead.
Good records beat perfect memory
Focus your notes on evidence and outcomes:
- Queen status: “eggs seen” / “queen seen” / “no eggs”
- Brood: frames and pattern
- Stores: sufficient / low / feeding needed
- Actions taken + follow-up date/goal
- If symptoms were unclear, note that you plan to review them with the colony health triage tool, Bee Health Checker or brood pattern guide
When not to inspect
If conditions are poor, consider postponing:
- Cold, wet, or very windy weather
- Short daylight windows (winter)
- When you don’t have a clear purpose
When an Inspection Raises Concerns
If a routine inspection shows something that does not look quite right, these pages help you narrow it down before your next visit.
Step-by-step diagnosis support
Best for unclear signs when you are not yet sure if the issue is queen-related, disease-related or management-related.
Symptoms to actions
Useful for turning inspection observations into practical next steps and sensible follow-up notes.
Main health hub
The best hub page if the inspection points toward brood disease, pests, varroa pressure or colony-health decline.
Related Inspection Guides
If routine inspections raise questions about queen cells, swarm control or colony diagnosis, these pages will help you decide what to do next.
Main decision hub
Your main guide for swarm control, queen-cell decisions, splits and queen-related hive problems.
Read the cells correctly
Learn how to distinguish swarm, supersedure and emergency queen cells during inspections.
Immediate next step
Practical guidance for what to do when an inspection reveals queen cells.
Queen status checks
Useful when the colony seems queenright or queenless but you cannot physically locate her.
Interpret quiet colonies
Helps explain colonies that sound wrong, look unsettled or appear to be replacing the queen.
Brood diagnosis
Useful when inspections reveal patchy brood, irregular laying or brood health concerns.