STOP OPENING THE HIVE - THE ENTRANCE TELLS YOU EVERYTHING!
Five minutes of quiet observation before the hive's entrance can tell more than a long and unnecessary inspection of the frames. Opening the hive disrupts the colony's activity, changes the nest temperature, and can chill the delicate brood. Meanwhile, before the hive's entrance, the bees constantly demonstrate what's happening inside.
In this video, you'll see the proper flight pattern of a strong and healthy bee colony. The bees take off decisively, quickly gain altitude, and the returning foragers land precisely and enter the hive directly. If one colony flies significantly weaker than neighboring hives, this may be the first indication of a problem.
We'll also explain why pollen is such an important signal. The colored pollen bags on the bees' hind legs can indicate brood feeding and indicate which plants the foragers are using. A lack of pollen during a period of intense nectar flow should alert the beekeeper.
We'll examine the behavior of guard bees and the signs of robbing. Nervous flights, attempts to enter through gaps, struggles on the exit board, and bees falling to the ground can all indicate an attack by unfamiliar foragers on a weakened colony.
Dead bees in front of the hive don't always spell disaster. However, a larger number of insects, deformed wings, bees unable to fly, or larvae that are regularly removed can be a sign of varroa, deformed wing virus, lime fungus, or brood problems.
The exit board doesn't replace a complete inspection, but it helps decide when it's truly worth opening the hive. The most important thing is to regularly compare today's behavior with yesterday's, and one colony with another.
00:00 Why frequent opening of the hive is harmful
01:20 Normal flight movement of bees
02:35 Pollen and the presence of brood
04:10 Guard bees and robbing
05:40 Dead bees and deformed wings
07:05 Ventilating the hive during hot weather
08:15 Removing larvae and diseased brood
09:30 Observe first, then act