On 7 Jun 2003 at 6:37, Michael Palmer wrote:

> Anyone else have inspector stories that
> might make me feel better?

   I've always insisted on being present when bees are inspected. I
don't know as you could hold them to it, but I've stated it pretty
strongly. They have a legal right to inpspect, but damage they do is
another issue that is a little more gray.

   One time I had a new bee inspector (with a PhD no less), who
pulled a frame right out of the middle to start. You might get away
with that with a nuc or a package newly started, but this was a good
hive with plenty of burr comb along the top bars, and the queen
could easily get rolled this way.

   I made it as clear as I could, without being nasty, that the first
frame should be as far as possible to the outside of the cluster, and
then only after one had cleaned up the sides of the top bars a bit,
so the queen would not get crushed. Then you take each frame
away from the next before pulling it.

   I've also shown AFB to inspectors that didn't seem to know what
it looked like.....

   I'll give them once to err, but this is their job and they should be
learning it. The best way to educate them is to be sure you are
present.

Dave in SC (who just got home from a trip and noticed a number of
new listings for the pollination page, and will do ASAP)



The Pollination Home Page: http://pollinator.com

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