My feelings on an inspection service would begin with a lot of the same 
thoughts that Tim just shared.  We can talk about a lot of nice things to 
do with an inspection service, but it all costs money.  

I just called one of our state inspectors earlier today for some over-the-
phone help, and he was very generous with his help as always.  But ask me 
what I'd be willing to pay for that help and I'd probably think of a friend 
I could call on instead.  I would certainly resent being forced to pay 
$5/hive each year, let alone $20 or more.  

I'm thinking it only takes a matter of a few extra seconds for me to 
inspect my hives in the process of hive management procedures I'm doing 
anyway.  Why should I pay someone else to make a separate procedure of it, 
disturb my bees an extra time, introduce added risks to my bees (like 
taking fewer precautions against rolling a queen than I would or parking a 
vehicle with AFB contaminated stuff in my beeyard, etc.), and drive an hour 
or two each way in a vehicle that I'm paying for, too?  If we're 
considering the cost, it just doesn't make any sense from my perspective.

As far as the inspection work itself goes, the only benefit I can see is in 
dealing with the problems of less capable or responsible beekeepers around 
me.  But I don't see that happening.  First of all, the worst offenders 
either know what they're doing and how to hide it or they're not getting 
inspected at all.  Or the inspector taught them the offending practice in 
the first place.  Or the inspector isn't dealing with the problem, in part 
because the inspector wants to keep selling him nucs in the spring.  Or 
because the inspector is too busy keeping his own bees on the side.  Or 
because there's too much tension between being both helper and enforcer.

I personally just don't see any way to make an inspection service work 
anywhere near the way I would want it to.  In the meantime, I can't tell 
that I'm paying for it, so I don't much worry about it.  And I like the 
inspectors I know and wish them the best.  But I also suspect that the 
inspection service's outspoken advocates aren't the ones paying the cost.

Eric

-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and  other info ---