SOP · HUSBANDRY
Apiary Grid Husbandry & Colony Inspection
ActiveHusbandryRev C
Purpose
To govern the routine husbandry and scheduled inspection of every colony across the HIVE-13 apiary grid, ensuring colony health, queen viability, and brood pattern integrity are assessed on a defensible cadence. The procedure maintains a continuous welfare and productivity record for each hive from installation through retirement.
Scope
All managed colonies sited within the lettered apiary grid blocks.
In scope:
- Scheduled frame-by-frame colony inspections
- Queen presence and laying-pattern verification
- Forage and stores assessment with supplemental feeding
- Routine pest and disease visual screening
Out of scope:
- Confirmed disease outbreaks, which escalate to Specimen Accession & Biosecurity Quarantine
- Hornet predation events, which follow HCL-4 Hornet Vault Access & Containment
Definitions
Grid Block
A lettered cluster of up to twelve hives sharing a common stand, water point, and microclimate.
Brood Pattern
The spatial distribution and continuity of capped and uncapped brood across a frame, used to gauge queen quality.
Inspection Cadence
The mandated interval between full colony inspections, varying by season and colony status.
Responsibilities
Apiary Husbandry Lead (Owner)
Owns the inspection schedule and signs off colony-status changes recorded in the hive register.
Apiary Technician
Executes frame inspections, supplemental feeding, and logging on the prescribed cadence.
Apiary Health Officer
Reviews flagged colonies and authorises escalation to biosecurity or veterinary pathways.
Procedure
Pre-Inspection
- Confirm the day's inspection list against the grid register and current cadence.
- Light smoker, don PPE, and stage hive tools sanitised between blocks.
- Record ambient temperature and wind; defer inspection below 13 degrees Celsius.
Colony Assessment
- Open the hive with minimal smoke and work frames from the outside in.
- Confirm queen presence by sighting or by eggs and young larvae.
- Grade the brood pattern, stores, and population against the standard scale.
- Screen for varroa load, chalkbrood, and foulbrood indicators on each box.
Closeout
- Apply supplemental feed where stores fall below the seasonal floor.
- Reassemble the hive square and confirm entrance reducer state.
- Log all findings and flag any colony for follow-up before leaving the block.
PPE & Controls
Ventilated bee suit with integrated veilNitrile-lined glovesLit smoker and hive tool
Records Generated
- Per-hive inspection log entry
- Grid register status update
- Supplemental feeding record
References
- Specimen Accession & Biosecurity Quarantine
- Colony-Collapse Surge Response
- HIVE Colony Ledger (HCL) system
Revision History
| Rev | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| B | 2091-01-09 | Added seasonal cadence table and varroa screening step. |
| C | 2091-02-04 | Aligned escalation paths with revised biosecurity SOP. |