# beehive inspections?



## leaping leon (Jun 10, 2004)

Does anyone who frequents this thread live in Florida, or any other state where yearly hive inspections are required? (hives must be registered, etc.)

I have reservations about increasing government interference in our lives. I had a hive years ago and wanted to get some more bees, but I don't like the idea of having an inspector come onto my land...You know, it just feels wrong...if I'm using bees to grow food (honey or pollination purposes) why does that give the government the right to invade my land? I think the reason given is Africanized bees, but I've read that the threat has been a lot less than was feared.

Besides, I've spent some time reading about bees and wanted to try some different beehive designs but The State requires we use a Langstroth-type hive...(I'm kinda an inventor, I just love experimenting with things)


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## Mike in Ohio (Oct 29, 2002)

Personally, I think bee inspectors are (or should be) your best friend as a bee keeper. In Ohio you pay $5 for each apiary (location) you register. I always try to be there when the inspector comes through because I always learn something from him. The basic focus of inspections in Ohio is to find and mitigate diseases such as foulbrood (and mites, etc). 

In Ohio you are not required to be inspected even though you are required to register. The inspection program in Ohio is under pressure because many counties have cut or eliminated their funding towards it.

Just my 2 cents.

Mike


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Well, here in our southern MO. location varroa mites were unknown until a certain party moved their bee business down from the Chicago area...over state lines with no inspection. My DH used to be an inspector in MI...had problems with one big producer who would hide colonies,move stands,etc. to avoid having him burn the bees...which always had foulbrood when inspected. It sure wasn't his goal to ruin peoples' business but this beekeepers actions affect all the other keepers around. We have a neighbor who had one colony....died, don't know the cause...but now it could be full of wax moths or whatever and bees fly that far; don't know whether it might have even had frames of old honey that any bee would rob out. We don't have mandatory inspection in MO but I think it would be a good idea. One or two lazy bee-havers can ruin a beekeepers efforts for healthy bees. DEE


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## rainesridgefarm (Dec 1, 2002)

I have to agree. I do not like government in my business but the inspector saved one of my yards by making another beekeeper with foulbrood and poor managment clean up his act. You never want to get foulbrood in your hives it is a bad disease to get.


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## foxtrapper (Dec 23, 2003)

By law, we're to have annual inspections in my state. But with manpower shortages, it's down to something like every 2-4 years. I happen to know our inspectors, and very much welcome them onto my place to check my bees and see if they find something I missed.

Biggest thing positive I can say about it is the tremendous reduction in foulbrood that's resulted from them. They've even got a specially trained dog for sniffing it out.


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