what are you looking for?
what did you find in 6 min?
brood? honey? how much?

you "can" open it again, better question is should you.

what do you have this time you did not last time?

GG

 

Thanks so much for your reply! So initially I opened it, just to take stock of what I had. The high was already closed up when I received it from the seller, so this was my first opportunity to check out the inside. In the six minutes I was in I saw what looked to be pretty good bee activity. There was cat honey and two empty frames out of 10. I didn’t see any bee deformities nor any hive beetles. I feel a little more prepared now that I’ve gotten a few tips on lifting the upper deep box (I got a frame holder and it was recommended to put some of the fuller frames on the holder and try moving the half empty box). also I think my nerves are a little bolstered. Today I was a little flustered after opening the box solo, and being faced with thousands of bees, who I suspect had the feeling I didn’t know what I was doing lol now that I’ve gotten over the initial opening, I feel a little bit better about going back in. What I hope to look for is a better idea of how large my hive actually is. I’d like to see that my queen is there, laying, and the brood and pattern are healthy.

 

.

 

Go ahead.
Half the fun of beekeeping is messing around with bees. You need to learn quite a lot and it isn't stuff you can learn in class or from books.

While the bees may arguably do better if left undisturbed as much as possible, the harm or injury that opening the hive does is pretty minimal.

If I bought a hive complete I would likely go through it pretty thoroughly. I would want to see what the combs look like (really old combs should be cycled out over time, though that also depends on local conditions).
I would want to see the brood pattern and look for signs of disease. I would definitely want to verify that I had a laying queen and would like to find and mark her. Depending somewhat on the time of year I would want to know how much food the bees have stored away. In LA you don't really have winter sovitvis somewhat different.

Enjoy your bees.

 

I got my first hive about 35 years ago,
I had a hive tool
I did not have a smoker, or a veil, or a suit and no gloves.
The thrill fear, excitement and wonder of it is still with me today.
And you know more about bees than I did back then. I had read no books and did not have internet back then and had no mentor.

Yes, go thru them again. Works slowly. Pull out one of the edge frames, and then pull the next frame into the now opened spot and then lift it out. Moving frames in this way greatly reduces any damages that might be caused. And get a second hive to act as a back up and/or resources to fix your other hive if needed.

Welcome to beekeeping enjoy the ride!

 

I did not have a smoker, or a veil, or a suit and no gloves.

I'm getting a better idea of what's 'wrong' with you. 😁😉

 

Notes from someone that just survived their first year (and, incidentally, just lost their first colony)...
- Losses happen. Follow Ray's advice - if you have the ability, have at LEAST two hives running at a time. I'd say three is a prime number for a beginner...who has a MENTOR. Get a mentor. Folks here will help you through any problem but one just can't beat local, experienced, hands-on advice. S l o w and easy. You're right - they know when you're being abusive and will return the favor. Mites are the beginning of almost all evils. Learn about them, and what you plan to do to manage them. There are three camps here regarding varroa and all of them are passionate about protecting bees from this nuisance.

Welcome to the club. Make a commitment to go through one year, no matter the challenges. I bet you stick around. 😊

 

I got my first hive about 35 years ago,
I had a hive tool
I did not have a smoker, or a veil, or a suit and no gloves.
The thrill fear, excitement and wonder of it is still with me today.
And you know more about bees than I did back then. I had read no books and did not have internet back then and had no mentor.

Yes, go thru them again. Works slowly. Pull out one of the edge frames, and then pull the next frame into the now opened spot and then lift it out. Moving frames in this way greatly reduces any damages that might be caused. And get a second hive to act as a back up and/or resources to fix your other hive if needed.

Welcome to beekeeping enjoy the ride!

I'm getting a better idea of what's 'wrong' with you. 😁😉

Yeah I don't recommend you be as wild as I was. I was grown up on a farm and was never afraid of any animal in nature. It's a wonder and mystery why I'm still alive. I do not recommend starting this beekeeping journey without any personal protection equipment. Please play safely.

 

Mrhine14,
Welcome to Besource. I see you joined only 8 hours ago. May I ask how much sleep did you get last night? You see, it has been my experience that first year beekeepers do not get much sleep, at least, that was my case. I worried about my bees a lot and still do so I do my best to take every measure possible to see that they make it through each year. If I am not on Beesource asking questions I am at least on here reading posts from many of those who know much about beekeeping and the lessons they have learned along the way for they too, have had their fare share of ups and downs to get to where they are today, in fact, it would be my honor, just to be able to shine their shoes for them. So stay aboard and learn all you can about taking care of your honeybees. There are crawly things out there trying to get them and as humans we can help but then as humans, we can sometimes get in the way of things also. Lean when that is. Good luck.

 

@Mrhine14 ,go over to new member's section and introduce yourself to the group. Make sure to add your location in profile - it da helpful whey folks are trying to assist others to know region. Remember, beekeeping is local. 🙂

 

go slow have a good look
put the frames back the way they were.

GG

 

I'd say you are off to a good start. Welcome to Beesource and to beekeeping. Learn and have fun. J

 

To answer your question .
Baring dropping frames on the ground , injuring or killing your queen
It will be just fine to go in a colony 2 days in a row from time to time . In many cases experienced beekeepers will find somthing that needs attention. And return latter that day or tommorow to address it . Don't make it an every day thing
Every 4,5 days for your first few months is a happy medium that will help quell your excitement and build experience. Again be shure to preserve the queen while handling frames

 

Yes, everytime you break into a hive (it is home invasion you know...) keep the queen on your mind. Always keep her safe. Down and below away from you (or actually me in my mind in my hives) is always best. I don't need to see her to know if she's there or not. I don't smoke the entrance because that runs her up where I start inspections. I smoke under the lid to run her down. And I smoke on top bars of the next box down if I need to inspect more than just the top box.

 

Yes, you can open a hive two days in a row, although if you can wait another day, it might be better. Without doubt, many beekeepers will tell you to leave the hive alone as much as possible and only inspect when necessary. And it's true that every inspection will somewhat stress the bees and perhaps cause the queen to temporarily slow down a bit. Especially if you're using smoke, which you should, especially as a beginner. Ideally, you would not inspect a hive more often than once a week, unless something out of the ordinary is going on. However, as a new beekeeper, it's also important that you gain experience and get comfortable with working with the bees. Randy Oliver has an excellent page for beginners, I strongly recommend you check it out: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/first-year-care-for-your-nuc/. Randy is of the opinion that newbie beekeepers need to learn, and therefore it's OK for first year beekeepers to open the hive more often, but preferably not more often than every other day. When I started out, I opened my hives more frequently than that, and didn't notice any ill effects. I think it went well because I used very little smoke (beginners tend to use too much smoke, which stresses the bees) and moved slowly. The slow movements of a good beekeeper remind me of Thai Chi! Good luck, and don't feel embarrassed for feeling apprehensive about the bees! My first hive built up super quickly by the time I I did my first inspection, it was overwhelming. With thousand of bees flying around me, I was asking myself what the heck I had gotten myself into! 😂