Hive Inspection Form

Updated March 1, 2026

This inspection form is the actual form that I use in my beekeeping practice.  The form has been through a number of revisions with the latest revamp having been completed in February 2026.

Hive Inspection Form (PDF)
http://www.bkcorner.org/documents/hive-inspection-sheet.pdf

Getting an Editable Version (.DOCX)
Some ask if they have have the form in Microsoft Word Format so they can adjust it.  Sure.  The link on the website is .PDF.  To get the word version simply click here or go to http://www.bkcorner.org/documents/hive-inspection-sheet.docx

Front, Back or Front + Back

When it comes to using the form, and its extended version. it helps to understand some of the logic behind the form.

When I perform a hive inspection, I stop after each hive inspected and use my phone to record a voice note.  In the recording I have become practiced in relaying the information as it is organized on the form.  It takes me one to two minutes per hive.

When I have time, I sit at my computer and pull up an electronic version of the form and translate the information into a Microsoft Word Document.  A key design element of the form is that it works in both paper and electronic forms.  For paper you can check the boxes, or use a highlighter.  When I complete it on the computer I use the Microsoft Word highlighter feature to virtually highlight the checkmarks to record the details.

Through feedback from others, I have added a lot of data elements to the form to suit just about every apiary configuration.  You can opt to partially fill out what matters to you – ignoring what you don’t care about or fill the whole thing in completely.

As to the second adjunct sheet, I sometimes want a full capture of the makeup of every frame and the form gives you a place snapshot of every inch inside a hive.

Photography
I have a desire to be less invasive when I do a full inspection so often times I bring out a camera on a tripod and film my top to bottom inspection and then record my notes later.  I’ve also verbally recorded what I am seeing so that I can take notes to it later.  I’ve devised a frame numbering scheme so I can trace my way through a hive and always, always start my hive inspections from the back and left side.  Note: I have all of my hives on stand alone hive stands so I can go all the way around.  You can find some of my thoughts about that here.  I start with the frame closest to me and depending on the box I’ll call it out as B1 (B=Bottom Box), B2, B3 and so on as I go across the box.

For the sake of the form I allow for six boxes.  Three brood chamber boxes and three honey supers but at times I cross the labels out and remark reality – say if I’m inspecting a nuc or something else.

Logbook + Additional Forms
I keep a logbook that has additional forms.  These forms keep track of each hives activity over a season and my to-do list.  I have it organized with the Next Action Form in the front and each hive has a divider with a hive history form and past inspection sheets.  I maintain two yards at the time of this writing so i have my hives organized by yard and then how they are situated in the yard.  I keep an active section for each hive that is in operation and remove and archive forms for hives that did not make it through.

Hive History Form
For each hive I maintain a hive history form.  This tracks notes on that particular hive and includes where the hive came from, when it was inspected, queen notes, and general comments.
http://www.bkcorner.org/documents/hive-history-form.docx

Next Action Form
This form is my to-do list.  It has four simple data points.  A checkbox to record if something has been done or not.  A date when I want to have the to-do done.  The name of the hive for the task and a comment on the next action.  At the bottom is a notes box for miscellaneous notes.  I did a spectacular job in 2017 managing my list with these and hope that you find it useful in knowing how I do it in my own yard.
http://www.bkcorner.org/documents/next-action-form.docx

Updated Periodically
Usually once a season I tweak the form and then circle back to the site and update it.  It might vary here and there over time as practices change.  I’ve tried to keep it neutral so it won’t become obsolete but every once in a while things change.  I would recommend that if you adopt it you check back once a season to see if there is an update or download the word version for yourself if you don’t want to see it change.

A screen capture.