Inspection, how many bars removed at a time?

[heatherbee]

I've searched this forum for the answer, I'm sure it's here somewhere, I just can't find it!

I plan to do a very thorough inspection of my KTBH this week. I'm wondering, do I....

1. remove one bar, inspect, return, remove next bar, inspect, etc?
2. remove a few bars at a time?
3. remove a lot of bars at a time?
4. remove all bars?
5. something I haven't thought of?

I have 3 entrance holes on one of the short sides and they seem to be working toward the follower board (which I've moved a few times to add a couple bars).

Thanks for your input.

[Cacklewack]

Heather,

When inspecting my own hives I generally inspect one, move it to the far side, inspect the next and butt it up against the last bar I inspected. This way when putting everything back together I can pick up 2-4 bars at a time and get them back in place. It also leaves less bees exposed during the inspection process.

Best,
Matt

[bigevilgrape]

I take out like three bars from the back to give me some working room. Like this...
vvvvv___------ (V's are comb and --- empty bars.

Then I inspect one bar at a time. When I'm done with the bar I place it twards the back of the gap like this.

vvvv___v----
I keep the bars up next to each other as I place them back in because I find it makes it easier to put back together when I'm done. If you have comb on all of your bars you can use a makeshift comb stand to hold two or three while you inspect the rest. I havn't had that happen yet tho.

[Merlinspop]

Like this...
vvvvv___------ (V's are comb and --- empty bars.

What a GREAT way to make it visual! I was having trouble trying to come up with words.

[heatherbee]

Thanks for the input, and great visual! When I did my first inspection, I removed most of the bars and put them across a milkcrate. That worked okay, but there were too many bees in the air, which made me too nervous to really look at anything. I will try your suggestions this time and see how it goes. I think I'll use 2 milk crates and put the bars between them so I can see better too.
Thanks again everyone!!

[blist]

I'm not a veteran but I remove a few empty bars to make some room, then inspect one at a time and and put it towards the back so that there is a gap between un-inspected and inspected comb, I slide them back up in groups if at all possible, this keeps the bees pretty much together and I have very little bees flying around.

I'm sure this will become different once the hive is actually full though (won't be able to easily remove 3 bars).

[Adam Foster Collins]

I usually move one at a time - unless the hive is full to the end. Then I might remove a few bars at the back and set them aside to have room to work. But then I move one at a time from there. You do require a few bars of room in order to work easily.

Adam

[DeeAnna]

When a hive has empty bars, it's easy to deal with the bars you remove to make an "inspection gap" -- just set them to one side. When there is comb on all the bars in the hive, what solutions have folks come up with to deal with the set-aside bars?

[Cacklewack]

DeeAnna,

Rarely do any of my hives have comb on all of the bars -- and if they do I would harvest ASAP so that they have some more empty bars! If you've got a follower board you'll have at least one bar's worth of a gap between combs for inspection purposes.

Best,
Matt

[DeeAnna]

"...I would harvest ASAP so that they have some more empty bars!..."

Uh, hey, good point, Matt. That will be an easy (and delicious) solution!

Okay, um, then let me ask a related question -- What are ways to securely support a bar, if one wants to use both hands to, say, fix the comb or take a picture? I've seen a few pics of top-bar holders, but some seem too flimsy and others are built like a Sherman tank. Helpful spouses are sometimes in short supply.

--DeeAnna

[heatherbee]

Yummy! I agree, DeeAnna, some holders do look flimsy. I plan to use 2 overturned milk crates until I can get one built (when I did my previous inspection, I used one, but couldn't get a good look at the bars, it was very sturdy).

[DeeAnna]

Nice idea, heatherbee. Thanks!

[bigevilgrape]

I have some buckets that used to hold bubble gum. Similar to the milkcrates idea. The buckets came from someone at my office.


IMG_0188 by bigevilgrape

[heatherbee]

That works too, bigevilgrape!

[Michael Bush]

Generally I pull the farthest one out (expecting it to not have comb), and then a few more, so I can see up into the hive and then pull one right next where I think the cluster is...

[AuntBee]

Okay, um, then let me ask a related question -- What are ways to securely support a bar, if one wants to use both hands to, say, fix the comb or take a picture? I've seen a few pics of top-bar holders, but some seem too flimsy and others are built like a Sherman tank. Helpful spouses are sometimes in short supply.

I'm new to posting so I'm not really sure I'm doing this right. My husband built a really nice and simple bar holder from scrap metal for me to use. If someone can explain to me how to post a photo on here, I'll upload one. My image doesn't have a URL so the "add image" button doesn't work.

[Michael Bush]

Usually I just put them at the other end of the hive where I removed the bars. Otherwise I flip them upside down and set them on something flat (the lid, the hive next door, the bars a the front that I don't plan to remove).

[AuntBee]

When you flip it, do you do it quickly or slowly rotate it around? Does it make the bees mad? I don't want to get my girls stirred up.

[Michael Bush]

>When you flip it, do you do it quickly or slowly rotate it around? Does it make the bees mad? I don't want to get my girls stirred up.

You go on the axis that leaves the comb perpendicular to the ground. Slow is fine. The bees won't even notice.

[AuntBee]

I think I have figured out how to post a photo of the bar hanger my husband made from scrap metal. I can either hang the bar with the comb down or stand it upside down on the hanger. (Tried that for the first time this morning.) It makes it a very convenient height for inspecting the comb and taking pictures. It could be made from lumber as well, if you're not lucky enough to be married to a welder. Just in case the picture doesn't work right, here is a link for it: http://auntbeesbees.shutterfly.com/pictures/11