How to Inspect a Beehive: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Your first hive inspection can feel like defusing a bomb while wearing oven mitts. The bees are buzzing, you're sweating inside your suit, and you're not quite sure what you're looking at. Don't worry—every beekeeper has been there. This guide will walk you through exactly what to do, what to look for, and how to get comfortable opening your hive with confidence.

Why Regular Inspections Matter

Hive inspections are your window into colony health. Without them, you're flying blind. A hive can go from thriving to collapsing in just 2-3 weeks if problems like queenlessness, disease, or varroa mites go unnoticed.

Regular inspections let you:

• Confirm the queen is laying – No eggs means trouble within 2-3 weeks
• Catch diseases early – American foulbrood, chalkbrood, and nosema are treatable if caught quickly
• Monitor varroa mite levels – The #1 killer of colonies in North America
• Prevent swarming – Swarm cells can develop in a week during peak season
• Ensure adequate food stores – A hive can starve in days during a nectar dearth
• Assess if the hive needs more space – Cramped bees are stressed bees

The goal isn't to inspect as often as possible. It's to inspect often enough to catch problems early without stressing your bees with constant intrusion. For most beekeepers, that means every 7-10 days during spring and summer.

When to Inspect Your Hive

Ideal Weather Conditions

Bees are calmer and more forgiving when conditions are right:

• Temperature: 60°F (15°C) or warmer. Below this, brood gets chilled when exposed.
• Weather: Sunny or partly cloudy. Avoid rainy, windy, or overcast days.
• Time of day: Between 10am and 4pm when foragers are out. Fewer bees at home = calmer hive.
• Wind: Light breeze is fine, but strong winds make bees defensive and frames hard to handle.

Inspection Frequency by Season

Gear You'll Need

Before you crack open the hive, make sure you have everything ready. There's nothing worse than getting halfway through an inspection and realizing your smoker died.

Essential Equipment

• Bee suit or jacket with veil – Full protection recommended for beginners. See our suit recommendations
• Gloves – Leather or nitrile. Some beekeepers go gloveless for better dexterity, but start with protection.
• Smoker + fuel – Pine needles, burlap, wood shavings, or commercial fuel. Keep it lit! Best smokers reviewed here
• Hive tool – Essential for prying apart frames glued with propolis. Our hive tool guide
• Frame holder or spare box – Somewhere to set frames while you work

Nice to Have

• Bee brush – For gently moving bees off frames (though smoke usually works)
• Queen marker – If you spot the queen and want to mark her
• Notebook or phone – Recording observations helps track trends
• Sugar water spray – An alternative to smoke for quick checks

Step-by-Step Inspection Process

Here's the complete process from approach to closing up. Take your time—rushing causes mistakes and irritates bees.

1. Prepare Your Equipment

Before walking to the hive:

• Light your smoker and make sure it's producing cool, white smoke (not hot or sparking)
• Put on your suit, making sure all zippers are secure and no gaps exist
• Gather your hive tool, notebook, and any treatments you need

A properly lit smoker stays going for 30+ minutes. Pump it a few times every couple minutes to keep it alive.

2. Approach the Hive

Approach from the side or rear of the hive—never block the entrance. Blocking their flight path puts returning foragers in your face and makes guard bees nervous.

Give 2-3 gentle puffs of smoke at the entrance. This triggers bees to gorge on honey (thinking there's a fire), which calms them. Wait 30-60 seconds for the smoke to take effect.

3. Remove the Outer and Inner Covers

Use your hive tool to gently pry off the outer cover (telescoping cover). Set it aside, upside down—you'll use it as a platform for boxes you remove.

Before removing the inner cover, give 2-3 puffs of smoke through the hole. Then pry it off gently. Bees will have glued it down with propolis, so work slowly around the edges.

Once open, give another light puff of smoke across the top of the frames.

4. Remove the First Frame

This is the trickiest part. The first frame is hardest because there's no space to maneuver.

Start with a frame at the edge (frame 1 or 10 in a 10-frame hive). These are usually honey or empty, reducing the chance of accidentally rolling the queen.

1. Use your hive tool to break the propolis seal between the frame and the box wall
2. Slide the frame toward the wall to create space
3. Lift straight up—don't twist or tilt
4. Set this frame in your frame holder or lean it against the hive stand

With the first frame out, you now have room to slide remaining frames without crushing bees.

5. Work Through the Frames

Work from outside to inside, one frame at a time. Slide each frame into the gap left by the previous one before lifting.

Hold frames over the hive in case the queen falls off—she'll land back into the hive, not the grass.

Keep frames oriented the same direction. If you turn them 180°, the comb can swing out or break under its own weight, especially in warm weather.

6. Inspect Each Frame

For each frame, you're checking six things (we'll cover these in detail in the next section):

1. Queen or fresh eggs
2. Brood pattern
3. Food stores (honey and pollen)
4. Available space
5. Signs of pests or disease
6. Overall bee behavior

Spend about 15-30 seconds per frame. You don't need to find the queen every time—seeing eggs less than 3 days old tells you she was there recently.

7. Reassemble the Hive

Put frames back in the same order and orientation. Don't rearrange brood frames unless you have a specific reason (like splitting the hive).

Before replacing the inner cover, take a moment to assess if the bees need more space. If 7+ frames are drawn with comb and being used, consider adding another box.

Gently lower covers back on, being careful not to crush bees. A puff of smoke clears the edges.

What to Look For on Each Frame

1. Queen or Eggs (Queen-Rightness)

You don't need to find the queen herself. Seeing eggs means she was laying within the last 3 days. Eggs look like tiny grains of rice standing upright in cells.

Eggs are easiest to see with the sun over your shoulder, illuminating the bottom of cells. Tilt the frame to catch the light.

No eggs + no young larvae = potential queenless hive. Don't panic immediately—confirm over a second inspection before taking action. Learn what to do if your hive is queenless.

2. Brood Pattern

A healthy brood pattern is solid and compact, with few empty cells scattered among capped brood. Empty cells in the pattern may indicate:

• Failing or poorly mated queen
• Disease (check for discolored larvae, sunken caps, or foul odor)
• Hygienic bees removing unhealthy brood (actually a good trait)

Capped worker brood should be light tan and slightly domed. Capped drone brood (larger, bullet-shaped) is normal in moderation.

3. Food Stores

Look for frames with capped honey (white cappings) and pollen (colorful "bee bread" packed in cells near brood). A healthy hive should always have at least 2-3 frames of honey in the brood box.

During nectar dearths or early spring, you may need to feed if stores are low. Our feeding guide covers when and how.

4. Space Assessment

If bees are covering all frames and building comb in unexpected places (between frames, under covers), they need more room. Add a super or additional brood box.

Overcrowding is a primary swarm trigger. During spring buildup, check weekly and be ready to add boxes before they're needed.

5. Pests and Disease Signs

During each inspection, actively look for:

• Varroa mites – Reddish-brown spots on white pupae or adult bees. Do regular mite counts. Complete varroa guide
• Small hive beetles – Shiny black beetles scurrying away from light. SHB control guide
• Wax moths – Webbing and tunnels in comb, silky debris. Wax moth prevention
• Foulbrood – Sunken, perforated cappings, rope test positive, foul smell. AFB identification guide
• Chalkbrood – White, chalky mummies in cells or at entrance

6. Bee Behavior and Temperament

Notice how the bees react. Calm bees that continue working during inspection indicate a healthy, well-adjusted colony. Excessive running, roaring, or aggression could signal:

• Queenlessness (bees become agitated without queen pheromone)
• Robbing pressure from other hives or wasps
• Poor genetics (some queens produce defensive offspring)
• Improper inspection technique (too much smoke, rough handling)

Common Inspection Mistakes

After the Inspection

Record Your Findings

Keep a simple log for each hive. Note the date, weather, and your key observations:

• Eggs/queen seen? Yes/No
• Brood pattern: Solid / Spotty / None
• Frames of honey/pollen
• Temperament: Calm / Nervous / Aggressive
• Pests observed
• Action taken (added super, fed, treated, etc.)

Apps like HiveTracks or a simple notebook work fine. The key is consistency.

Clean Your Tools

If you inspect multiple hives, scrape propolis and wax off your hive tool between hives to reduce disease transmission. Some beekeepers keep a small torch or alcohol wipes for sanitation, especially if AFB is present in the area.

Plan Your Next Steps

Based on what you found, decide what needs to happen before your next inspection:

• Need to order a queen?
• Time for mite treatment?
• Need more equipment (boxes, frames)?
• Schedule a follow-up check for a specific issue?

Your First 5 Inspections

The first few inspections are the hardest. You're slow, unsure, and the bees seem to know it. That's okay. Here's what to expect:

Give yourself grace in the learning process. The bees are more forgiving than you think—they want to survive as much as you want them to.