What is the main purpose of regular hive inspections?

The main purpose of regular hive inspections is to check for pest infestations and overall colony health. This practice is vital for beekeepers to ensure that their colonies are thriving and to identify any problems early on. Inspections allow beekeepers to look for signs of diseases, pests like Varroa mites, and other stressors that could jeopardize the health of the bees. By monitoring the colony's health, beekeepers can take timely action to manage any issues, such as providing treatments for diseases or parasites, ensuring that the queen bee is active and laying eggs, and checking food stores to prevent starvation.

While collecting honey, monitoring flowering plants, and deciding when to relocate the hive are important activities in beekeeping, they are secondary to the primary goal of maintaining the health and well-being of the bees. Regular inspections are fundamentally about ensuring the bees are healthy, which ultimately supports the broader goals of honey production and hive management.