<< Is it O.K. to weekly, biweekly, or monthly to remove each frame
> from the brood chambers to examine them?  Is it O.K. to rearrange
> the order of the frames on a regular basis in the brood chambers? >>
 
1. "It's a good way to keep the bees demoralized and unproductive"...
 
2. "I check my brood nest on pretty much a weekly basis.  They have yet to
 become unproductive, and they show no signs of "demoralization"...
 
3. "I think there may have been a misunderstanding as to what Dave was
saying. I think his comments were directed to the part about rearranging
the order of the brood frames on a regular basis for which I think he's
right on. On the other hand, the other issue about how often to inspect
is definitely open for further discussion and I would favor more your
approach than just once a year or what ever it was that Dave said...
 
I think of opening and rearranging hives (sorta) like open heart surgery.
 
If it is performed for good reasons at an appropriate time by someone who
is knowledgeable and careful, it can yield huge benefits, including
survival and vigour where death or dwindling was imminent.  Several
successive operations may sometimes be required on any particular patient,
with some exploratory surgery too in some cases.
 
However, such manipulations done at a bad time by careless or ignorant
persons can kill or do serious damage.
 
When the lid comes off and the frames are moved around, the temperature
regulation and organisation of the hive is upset for a period that *can*
-- though ususally does not -- run into days.
 
There are times when the ambient temperature is suitable and the hives are
vigourous.  At such times little harm is done by gently removing the lid
for a while. Each successive manipulation inconveniences the bees, and
there is a point where sufficient disruption is caused that the bees
cannot repair it.
 
In spring and summer, some fairly extreme things can be done --
even repeatedly -- without crossing that line.  Brood can be split, brood
chambers reversed, frames of brood and bees removed, queens killed and
replaced, etc., without harm -- if done occasonally, and with wisdom.
 
However, as summer passes and winter approaches, the bees have less time
to repair any changes, and fewer interferences can be tolerated if the
bees are to winter well.
 
Rewmoving the lid on a nice day and removing a frame or two slowly and
gently with a minimum of smoke and replacing everything promptly and
smoothly -- as I think we are discussing here -- does very little harm in
my opinion, and I think it could be done weekly without much, if any loss
of production.  The knowledge gained from such inspections could result in
increased health and production in many cases.  In others, the bees would
be best if just supered at the right time and left alone.
 
Allen
 
Come see what I'm up to these days:
http://www.internode.net/Honeybee/spring.htm