I am part of a group developing and delivering a course for prospective and current beekeepers this spring in Nova Scotia.  One thing I thought might be useful to share with others is a collection of “signs” that can give one shortcuts to identifying hive issues.  I’d like to offer a few ideas from my own observations and invite readers to share their own ideas so I can develop a list of helpful diagnostics for students in the upcoming course. (1) In the spring I usually dose my hives at three or four day intervals with oxytet and icing sugar on the ends of the topbars of the broodnest. Strong hives invariably clean the powder up very quickly; with weaker hives the powder may be barely touched between openings and I find the presence of this unconsumed powder a good indicator that this hive needs attention to determine what is amiss.  (2) In a similar way, feeding pollen patties helps the hives and also functions as a diagnostic:  when a hive consumes the patty readily and is ready for more, I’m pretty confident that they are building up.  If the patty is scarcely touched, I take this as a sign I should look deeper ...queen failure? laying worker? honey bound? (3) I take bee traffic on the landing board as an indicator of relative colony strength. I also take cappings residue on the landing board as a sign of a weak colony that may be being robbed and is in need of immediate attention and action. (4) The hive in the yard that wants to sting me while all the others are gentle and busy.  This hive usually “sounds” angry and I always have to look inside to see if they are queen right or have the prospect of raising a queen.  These are a few signs I use to help direct my attention to where I think it is most needed.  I welcome any more suggestions. – Tony Phillips

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