Why are hive records important?

Hive records are really useful to look at before you go back out to your apiary. They might remind you of what kit you need to take, extra supers maybe or a clean queen

excluder or a replacement roof.

But what should we write down?

Do you know what Ted Hooper’s questions are?

Ted Hooper wrote ‘Guide to Bees and Honey’ in 1976 and his questions about what to record during inspections are as essential today as when he wrote the book!

"Has the colony sufficient room?

Is the queen present and laying the expected quantity of eggs?

Is the colony building up as expected? / Are there any queen cells present in the colony?

Are there any signs of disease or abnormality?

Has the colony sufficient stores to last to the next inspection?"

By recording essential information at each inspection, you build up an image of the colony, whether it’s progressing as it should, whether it is a bit tetchy or the nicest

bees you’ve ever seen. You’ll know whether you saw the queen, whether you saw eggs and whether there’s brood in all stages (sometimes called BIAS).

This allows you to know what to expect next time. If you see drone cells being started then you need to think about getting your spare kit together for your artificial swarm method in a couple of weeks! You need to look out for queen cells – unsealed ones are your last chance to take pre-emptive control of the colony and stop them from swarming in to your neighbour’s chimney! Sealed ones are another matter entirely!

‘Is there enough room’ is another of the Ted Hooper Questions – and it means room for everything the bees might need room for. So that’s room for the queen to lay,

and by room here we mean drawn empty comb; room for incoming nectar and stored honey, and don’t forget room for the bees themselves!

When you’re considering room for nectar and pollen you need to think about the room for honey stores, usually in the supers and whether they have enough food to

last them until your next inspection.

Disease is on the list of things to look out for too – so frames in the brood nest need a careful eye to look over them, and a full brood disease check at least twice a year is

a good idea.

Have a look at the BBKA record card here.

There are also lots of apps for your phone, although many people like paper records. There’s lots of ways of doing this too – some people write rough notes at the apiary

and come home and input the information into a spreadsheet, others use a notebook for each hive, and some use printed sheets in a binder.

However you want to keep your hive records, you will need to take notes at every inspection! Get into good habits from the start!

Keeping good records throughout the year is important for assessment of the colony and you should record any medicines which are used to treat any disease.

Keeping records of any medication applied to honeybees is a requirement under EU legislation.

You can download the sheet for recording this information on the National Bee Unit website here.

Diane Drinkwater, March 2024