Episode 199 - The 5 Questions Every Hive Inspection Should Answer (Part 1 of 2) 🐝

Episode 199 - The 5 Questions Every Hive Inspection Should Answer (Part 1 of 2) 🐝

From Beekeeping For Newbees® by Beekeeping For Newbees

April 13, 2026 · 46 min

About this episode

This episode discusses a framework for hive inspections and key considerations for new beekeepers in the early weeks after installing a colony.

Most new beekeepers open their hives too much or not nearly enough, and both create real problems. In this episode we build a simple, repeatable inspection framework around five questions that will focus every hive visit and cut out the guesswork. We also cover what to expect in those first one to three weeks after install, how to read your brood frames, when to feed and when to back off, and why swarm pressure can build faster than most people realize. This is Part 1 of a two-part series on growing your new colony through spring. What's Inside This Episode: • The 5 questions to answer on every inspection and why they replace the need to pull every frame • How to locate the queen as a new beekeeper, including a frame trick that works even when you cannot spot her • Reading your brood pattern and what a good pattern actually looks like versus what deserves a closer look • Food and feeding decisions in the first few weeks and when it makes sense to taper off • How to spot space issues that quietly build swarm pressure before you ever see a queen cell • Swarm pressure indicators and what to actually do when things are getting tight • How often to inspect and why stretching to four…

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