How to Record an Inspection in ApiManager
Inspections are the heart of good beekeeping records. In ApiManager, you can record detailed colony observations, brood status, queen condition, mite monitoring, activities, problems, actions taken, and optional weather data — all in one structured inspection form.
Regular hive inspections are the foundation of successful beekeeping. ApiManager provides a powerful yet easy-to-use inspection wizard that lets you record colony strength, brood, queen status, mite levels, weather, and much more — all in one place.
In this tutorial, you will learn how to create and save a complete hive inspection using ApiManager.
What this tutorial covers
- Open the Inspections section and start a new inspection
- Select apiary, hive, date, and time
- Enter colony strength, temperament, supers, and frames
- Record queen status and brood information
- Add mite monitoring (drop test or sample-based test)
- Log activities, problems, and actions taken
- Save and review inspection history
Why Record Inspections?
- Track colony health over time
- Detect problems early (diseases, pests, queen issues)
- Monitor population and strength trends
- Document treatments and actions
- Create a permanent beekeeping history
Open the Inspection Wizard
- Open ApiManager
- Go to Inspections
- Tap or click Add Inspection
The Inspection Wizard opens and guides you through multiple sections step-by-step.
Basic Inspection Information
Fill in the main inspection details:
- Name – Example: Spring inspection
- Apiary – Select the apiary
- Hive – Select the hive
Each inspection is always linked to one apiary and one hive.
Date & Time
- Select inspection date
- Select inspection time
These values allow ApiManager to build timelines, charts, and historical comparisons.
Colony Info
Describe overall colony condition:
- Strength – Slider from Very Weak → Very Strong
- Temperament – Calm, Nervous, Aggressive
- Supers – Number of supers on hive
- Frames – Total frames
Queen Status
- Queen Seen (checkbox)
- Queen Cells: None, Swarm, Supersedure, Emergency
- Swarmed (yes/no)
This helps identify swarming behavior and queen replacement.
Brood Condition
- Eggs present
- Capped brood
- Uncapped brood
- Excessive drones
- Laying pattern: None, Not uniform, Mostly uniform, Uniform
- Population: Low, Average, High
Conditions Inside the Hive
- Equipment condition (Damaged / Fair / Good)
- Odor (Fermented / Foul / Normal)
- Brace comb
- Excessive propolis
- Dead bees
- Moisture
- Mold
Frames With
Enter number of frames containing:
- Bees
- Brood
- Honey
- Pollen
- Foundation
Stores
- Honey Stores: Low / Average / High
- Pollen Stores: Low / Average / High
Activities
- Bee Activity
- Orientation Flights
- Pollen Arriving
- Foraging Bees
- Bees Per Minute
These values describe outside hive behavior and field activity.
Spotted Problems
You can select multiple:
- Diseases
- Pests
- Predators
- Treatments
Multi-select chips allow quick tagging of problems.
Mite Monitoring (Varroa)
Select test type:
- Drop 24h / 48h / 72h (sticky board)
- Alcohol Wash
- Sugar Roll
- Other (sample-based)
Depending on test type, ApiManager automatically shows the correct fields:
- Drop → Varroa Drop + Board Days
- Wash / Roll / Other → Mites Count + Bees Sampled
ApiManager calculates:
- Mites per day
- Mites per 100 bees
- Mites percentage
Actions Taken
Select one or more actions performed during inspection:
- Feeding
- Added supers
- Queen replacement
- Treatment applied
- Other actions
Scale Weight (Optional)
If you use hive scales, enter weight value.
Other Observations
Free text notes for anything not covered elsewhere.
Inspected By
Select the employee or beekeeper who performed the inspection.
Weather Conditions (Optional)
- Conditions
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Pressure
- Wind speed
- Wind direction
You can fetch live weather automatically.
Save the Inspection
When finished:
- Review your entries
- Tap or click Save
Your inspection is now stored and immediately available in:
- Hive history
- Inspection lists
- Reports & charts
Tips for Best Results
- Inspect regularly
- Be consistent with scoring
- Record even small observations
- Use mite monitoring frequently
Next Tutorials
- How to Add and Manage Hives in ApiManager
- How to Record Treatments
- How to Track Harvests
- How to Export Data
Need Help?
Visit our FAQ page or contact us through the website.
Ready to start? https://apimanager.net/app.