Have you tried hefting?  I'm sure you have.

Also, a handheld IR thermometer costing $25 or so can tell you how warm a hive is.  That can tell you about presence or lack, and location of any brood.

I have pictures on my website. Search here:
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/beesearch.htm

I also used mine to compare hive insulation and to demonstrate that the new EPS one-piece boxes Meijers are making are as good an insulator as BeeMax, even though they are denser and far stronger.

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