Maintaining healthy, productive bee colonies and keeping beehives is hard enough. And the more colonies you keep, the harder it can be. I've always said that the best beekeepers are the ones who anticipate what the bees will need instead of just reacting to them. The better beekeepers stay ahead of the bees.
But you can't exactly stay ahead of the bees if you don't know what they have done.
For beekeepers, record keeping is easier said than done. Just like with feeders, the type of feeder and the way you keep records will change. Feeding bees and record-keeping are easier when you have just one hive. But if you have a dozen hives or bees in multiple places, both get harder.
Accurate record keeping not only helps you improve your colonies, but it also allows you to contribute critical data to nationwide initiatives like the Apiary Inspectors of America surveys. Not only does it help you be a better beekeeper, but it can also help others as well. Below, we will talk about the inspection process, the many ways to keep records (from notebooks to sensors), and why those records matter on a grander scale.
Hive inspections help you catch problems early, build confidence, and keep better records—whether with paper, paint pens, dials, spreadsheets, or high-tech tools.
From memory to sensors, record-keeping evolves as your apiary grows. Consistent inspection notes help bees thrive and contribute to national research and surveys.
New or seasoned, every beekeeper benefits from purposeful inspections, organized notes, and tools like the Queen Rite Dial to stay ahead of their bees.
Table of Contents
The Value of Regular Hive Inspections Early Detection of Problems Building Confidence and Experience How Often Do I Do a Hive Inspection? Guided by a Goal Consistency Is Key Low-Tech Record Keeping Methods Memory Paper Notebooks and Binders On-Hive Notes (Pens and Tape) The Queen Rite Dial Medium-Tech Approaches to Record Keeping Spreadsheets (Excel or Google Sheets) Printed Inspection Forms Photo and Voice Logs High-Tech Tools for Record Keeping Hive Management App Remote Sensors (BroodMinder) Data Sharing and Analysis Integrating Records with National Bee Surveys The Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) Survey Why It Matters How You Contribute
The Value of Regular Hive Inspections
How often and why you do hive inspections will vary from beekeeper to beekeeper. And hive inspections vary wildly from pulling every frame out to just lifting the inner cover . Regardless of the frequency or the type, you need to have a purpose. You don't do the same amount of inspecting on every hive or throughout the year. Every colony requires a different inspection.
Early Detection of Problems
Every time you open the hive, you get an idea of your colony’s health—this is when you can determine the presence of Varroa mites , small hive beetles , or brood issues before they balloon into bigger concerns.
Catching pests or diseases at the earliest stages saves you from major interventions later, such as requeening a failing colony or losing your entire bee colony.
Think of it as preventative medicine: a short check now can avert a full-blown crisis in a few weeks.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Building Confidence and Experience
New beekeepers often feel intimidated and find the process of hive inspections daunting, worried they’ll miss something crucial or accidentally harm the bees. Over time, repeated inspections build familiarity with brood patterns, queen behaviors, and changes in colony temperament. Each inspection becomes a learning experience—every time you spot a new change, notice an unusual odor, see queen cells, or see bees producing fresh comb, you’re gathering invaluable hands-on knowledge.
How Often Do I Do a Hive Inspection?
This is a question that often comes up with new beekeepers. I typically say that a new beekeeper has the license to open the hive once a week during the spring and summer. That usually won't happy, but a weekly inspection is just fine when learning. It allows you to more easily remember or notice what changed since the last inspection.
As you get more experience, you should open the hive less and less. This is because you have a better understanding of what is happening inside the hive without opening it. This skill only comes with time and experience. Opening the hive can actually set the bees back and temporarily cause them issues. Or it can permanently cause issues.
The more often you open the hive, the greater the chance of damaging the queen.
Every time the colony is opened, you break the seal made with propolis or wax inside the hive. Causing the bees to redo it.
But for a new beekeeper, the potential gain in education outweighs the negative.
Guided by a Goal
Having a goal gives you a purpose for opening the hive. Here are 5 goals that you could have when opening a hive. Sometimes it's one of these, sometimes it's all 5.
Yes or No: Is the queen present and laying?
You open the hive to confirm the queen’s status—either by seeing her directly or by spotting fresh eggs.Yes or No: Is the brood pattern healthy?
A strong brood pattern indicates good colony health. If it’s spotty or irregular, that may suggest disease or queen issues.Yes or No: Are honey and pollen stores sufficient?
Checking if the colony has enough food helps you decide whether to feed or add additional resources.Yes or No: Are pests or diseases appearing?
Early detection of Varroa mites, small hive beetles, foulbrood, or other threats is critical for timely intervention.Yes or No: Does the hive have enough space to expand?
Overcrowding can lead to swarming, so it’s important to see if more room (or supering) is needed.
Working from a simple checklist helps keep your inspection organized. You’ll remember to note brood status, check for eggs, confirm the queen is alive and well, and track honey stores, helping you discover the health and conditions of your colonies. If you do this consistently, you’ll not only run smoother inspections but also compile a week-by-week or month-by-month log of colony development.
As an added bonus, you'll be more efficient and better at doing quick inspections. This means the bees will be nicer and easier to work with.
Consistency Is Key
While the exact frequency of inspections varies by season and colony, consistency matters. Many beekeepers check weekly or biweekly during spring and summer. In the cooler months, you might rely on sensor data or quick external checks. It's common to go months without opening the hive during the winter. Whatever your schedule, strive to maintain it so you don’t overlook changes, especially during early in nectar flows or high pest-pressure periods.
Low-Tech Record Keeping Methods
There are many ways you can keep your notes and they can be low-tech, high-tech or somewhere in between.
Sometimes simpler is better, but it's important to do what ever method works well for you. We asked our followers on facebook and we got lot's of great ideas.
Memory
Let's be real; memory only works for so long. And we all have the best intentions when we do the thing that we say we will remember.
But this is probably the method of record-keeping that most of us use with our bees. When it does fail you, the bees will remind you of that when they fill the space with comb where you were supposed to put frames .
Paper Notebooks and Binders
I used this technique for a long time, but the hardest part was stopping to make your notes during the hive inspection.
It became difficult when wearing gloves or working with bees that are difficult to work with. Early on, I used a composition notebook to make the notes, but that quickly got wet or torn up.
It also became complicated when I made enough notes on a page to fill it up. Then the next page had notes for another hive, so I had to make a note of where "page 2" of the hives notes were.
The best version of this came when I used a waterproof notebook called Rite In The Rain.
The pages were stiffer, and they resisted water and dirt.
It just wasn't sustainable for me, but this is others people do it.
Process : After each inspection, quickly jot down the date, weather, hive condition, brood frames, pests seen, and any action (e.g., fed 1 quart syrup).
Organization : Keep a separate page or section for each hive. If you have multiple yards, consider a tab for each location. Or a separate book for each location, which would be best.
Pros : Cheap, straightforward, easily customizable (you can sketch brood patterns or tape in photos), and allows for a bit of qualitative assessment.
Cons : Searching old entries can be slow, paper can be damaged by spills, and it’s easy to forget your notebook at home (or in the bee yard).
On-Hive Notes (Pens and Tape)
There are a lot of variations of this, and beekeepers typically find their own version of it. As you learn more about what matters in hive inspections, you can find a version that works well for you.
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Posca Paint Pen : A popular choice for writing on hive lids. Mark the date you last fed or note “Queenless 6/10” so you remember to re-check soon. Or a Q and a √ for a queenrite hive. I'm a fan of this method for quick notes, but you need a metal-topped lid to do it easily. It doesn't work well on wood.
Duct Tape Labels : If you want more detail, scribble a short note on tape and slap it on the hive. Peel and replace as needed.
Color Markers : Some use pushpins or bricks with color codes: green = healthy, red = requeen, yellow = watch closely.
Pros : Quick, immediate, no need for a separate notebook.
Cons : Limited info, notes can fade or be removed accidentally, meaning you might lose historical data if you rely solely on them. You can't take your notes home with you.
The Queen Rite Dial
There is a tool developed by beekeepers Brian Koper and Jason Crook, which makes the task of hive inspections and record keeping easier, called the Queen Rite Dial.
There are a few versions of this, and it has been refined based on customer feedback. As far as I know, this is the only tool that stays with the hive where you can make multiple "notes" directly on the hive. No need for a pen, marker, ungloved hand or anything else. It solves all those problems.
What It Is : Small weatherproof dials attached to the hive, with segments indicating queen status ( “mated” , “virgin,” “queenless”) and next steps (“treat,” “feed,” “inspect again,” etc.). Each disc rotates based on what you see and stays in place until your next visit. Keeping track of all the basic things. It also has a place where you can make a note of the next time you need to do something with the colony and mark how old the queen is.
Easy Reference : Prior to each hive inspection, you can reference what the colony did or needed on this visit. And if there's an action that requires you to bring something with you next time, take a photo of it. Or have a notebook where you put a list of everything to bring next time. But the dial will remind you of what each hive need.
Pros : Minimal text, visually clear, can endure outdoor conditions for years. It's intuitive on how to use it and attaches directly to the hive. It doesn't overwhelm you with information and gives you what you need on each visit. Information overload can be a real problem and can lead to poor or no record-keeping.
Cons : Doesn’t store historical data beyond the current dial setting, so you might still want a complementary notebook or digital log. If you are very detailed and want to keep track of weather, varroa counts, and similar items, you'll have to do this another way.
The Queen Rite Dial is especially useful for new beekeepers who might otherwise lose track of which hive needs feeding or if a queen is laying eggs as expected. By simply turning the dial to “mated” or “virgin,” you create a foolproof way of reminding yourself—without needing to remember every detail from your last inspection. Plus, it’s a low-tech alternative to colored tape or pen marks, which can fade or peel, and new beekeepers appreciate having a clear, weatherproof label that reduces confusion early on.
It’s also a favorite for beekeepers who start with just a few hives but end up growing their apiary over time. When you jump from managing two colonies to ten or more, keeping mental notes or scattered sticky labels becomes challenging. Tools designed for honey uncapping and processing can assist in efficiently handling this growth.
A quick walk through the yard to read each dial at a glance helps you prioritize which hives need immediate attention. You can then complement the dial with a more detailed notebook or spreadsheet if you want more robust historical records, but for immediate, day-to-day management cues, the Queen Rite Dial is a reliable solution.
Medium-Tech Approaches to Record Keeping
These options work well when you want to keep more records of what to do with your colony and want to track it over the years. There are various options available online, and you can try them to see what appeals to you and your specific beekeeping situation. Not all of these work for everyone.
Spreadsheets (Excel or Google Sheets)
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Setup : Create columns for Hive ID, Date, Queen Status, Brood Frames, Mite Counts, Food Stores, Interventions, and Notes. Each new inspection is a new row. Get as complicated or simple as you want.
Advantages : Easily filter or sort data by date, hive, or problem. You can see how many times you fed or how mite levels changed over the season. Great for a super detailed person who want's to record everything. You can make graphs to help you make decisions on what to do next. Randy Oliver has some great ones on his website.
Downside : Requires data entry at home after each inspection or a device in the yard. If you skip updating, you eventually lose the benefit of a digital log. Difficult to make notes and data entry in the bee yard.
Printed Inspection Forms
These checklists are typically custom and made specifically for beekeepers to help with their record-keeping. Each page is the same, and you typically keep one for every hive.
Structure : A “fill-in-the-blanks” form with sections for date, weather, brood pattern, honey frames, pests, and next steps.
Consistency : Ensures you check the same items each visit and don’t forget key points.
Storage : File them in a binder; you’ll have a paper trail of each hive’s life cycle. A 3-hole punch type thing would be the best option as you could move the sheets around as you make splits if you want to track temperament and logistics.
Flexibility : You can tape or staple in photos, add scribbles in the margins, or highlight urgent tasks. Good for customization without having to build something special.
Photo and Voice Logs
This is actually a technique that I really like to use. At the end of the inspection in an apiary, I tend to remember what I saw in most of the hives. This doesn't work if you have hundreds of hives, but for most backyard beekeepers or small sideliners, this will work well. Especially with the use of Google Photos or something similar, you can easily access the videos over the years.
Phone Camera : Snap pictures of brood frames or suspicious cells so you can review details later or show a mentor. This is helpful for particular problems that you need help with that you want to think about later.
Video Notes : This technique works really well for keeping general notes on what to do next time, but you can't keep a log that you can search easily. It's best for just noting what you did and what needs to be done in detail. At the end of the apiary inspection, you record a video pointing to each hive and talk through what you did and what needs to be done next time.
Voice Memos : If you’re juggling frames, gloves, and a smoker, speaking your notes might be simpler. “Hive #2: queen found, four frames of brood, feeding half a gallon syrup.” There are some great apps on phones that allow you to take notes using Siri or other types of assistants.
Organizing Files : If you use Google Photos or something similar, you can sort the videos or photos into folders.
High-Tech Tools for Record Keeping
At one point, all a beekeeper needed was bees, beehives, protective gear, a smoker and a hive tool. But times have changed and now we are talking about inspection checklist, Bluetooth, apps, satellites and more. It's crazy how things have changed. Change is good, but it can make life simpler or more complicated.
There are a slew of apps out there for managing and record keeping and many are free. And sometimes the quality reflects the price.
Hive Management App
If you’d rather tap notes into your phone than juggle a notebook, three popular apps can do the job: HiveTracks, BeePlus, and Apiary Book.
All three let you create a profile for each hive, log inspections, set reminders, and attach photos—so your brood checks, feeding dates, and mite counts stay in one cloud‑backed place instead of scattered on scraps of paper.
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HiveTracks runs on web, iOS, and Android and adds handy extras like yard maps, live weather layers, and shared access for helpers—great if you run more than a few hives.
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BeePlus is iPhone‑only, charges a small one‑time fee, and keeps things lightning‑fast and simple for hobbyists who just want quick logs in their pocket.
- Apiary Book favors Android (with a companion web view) and folds in expense tracking and easy Excel exports, making it a solid choice if you’re watching costs on a growing sideline. Pick the one that matches your device and the level of detail you actually plan to keep.
Remote Sensors (BroodMinder)
If you want hive data without lifting a frame, the BroodMinder sensors we carry at Foxhound make it easy. All models are slim, battery‑powered devices that slide under the lid or sit beneath the hive; they sample once an hour, store it on the device, and will send the readings to your phone via Bluetooth, and—if you add a BroodMinder Wi‑Fi or CELL hub—upload everything to the cloud so you can check graphs of temperature, humidity, and weight from anywhere.
The lineup is straightforward: TH‑series sensors sit on top of the brood nest and log both temperature and humidity (great for spotting queen issues or moisture problems); the budget T‑series tracks temperature only; and the W‑series scales live under the hive, recording weight changes so you can watch nectar flows or catch a swarm the hour it leaves.
Add a hub if you want remote access; otherwise you just walk up and sync with your phone. Pick a TH for inside‑the‑box climate, a W for weight, or both if you want the full picture—no complicated wiring, just peel‑and‑stick, close the lid, and start getting data.
What is nice about these devices is that all the info is also available on a website where you can track it year after year, make notes on the website, and record any changes. It's a wealth of information and you don't have to outfit every hive with every option.
For the best bang for your buck, you would be a hive scale on one hive and put the temperature or temperature/humidity sensor in each hive. You can tell a lot by just the temperature of the inside of the hive.
Data Sharing and Analysis
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Cloud Storage : Many apps store data in the cloud, so you can’t lose it if your phone breaks.
Exporting for Collaboration : You might share spreadsheets or PDF summaries with local clubs, mentors, or even research projects if you see interesting trends.
Advanced Analysis : Some apps generate charts, letting you compare hive A vs. hive B on brood density or honey yield over time. This can highlight strong genetics or yard differences.
Integrating Records with National Bee Surveys
The Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) Survey
Since around 2007, a national survey of honey bee colony losses has taken place in some form—once through the Bee Informed Partnership, now sustained by the AIA and Auburn University.
The survey is typically open around April of each year and it's worthwhile to take part in it. It really does make a difference in beekeeping in our country. Even one beekeeper with one hive is a data point that matters. These surveys collect data on:
Colony Winter Losses : How many hives survived vs. died.
Queen Activity : Tracking egg presence can indicate if the queen has been active within the last three days.
Management Practices : Feeding, treatments, requeening, splits, etc.
Disease and Pest Incidence : Varroa strategies, nosema presence, small hive beetles.
Geographical Differences : Comparing states or regions for unique patterns.
Taking this survey helps you understand what information matters. And even if you don't know all the information it is asking, it will provide details on what information matters so you can do a better job at record keeping the following year.
Why It Matters
- Shaping Research
University scientists look at aggregated data to see which treatments or feeding approaches yield the best survival rates.
If many beekeepers report success with a certain varroa product, that might guide future research or product refinements.
2. Influencing Policy and Funding
Federal or state programs might adjust grants or extension services if the data shows severe colony losses in certain areas.
Bee organizations leverage these survey results to advocate for pollinator-friendly legislation.
3. Tracking Long-Term Trends
Over multiple years, the survey reveals whether the industry is stabilizing, improving, or facing new threats.
Historical data helps detect if a disease is more prevalent than in previous seasons.
How You Contribute
By maintaining accurate, consistent logs all year, you can fill in the survey with precise info—like how many hives you started with, your winter losses, or the date and method of mite treatment. Even if you’re a small backyard beekeeper, your data adds to the national picture, helping identify hotspots of disease or best practices that reduce losses.
Adam Hickman
Adam Hickman owns Foxhound Bee Company and is a certified EAS Master Beekeeper. Before ever selling a box through Foxhound Bee Company, Adam wrote beekeeping blogs for education. Adam regularly teaches beekeeping classes through Foxhound Bee Co and also through his local beekeeping club.