<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/bee-manualjul19.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5695" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/bee-manualjul19-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>After my first week of bee ownership it was time for my first solo inspection. The idea is to ensure there is a queen and she is laying eggs which are growing into larvae.

There's so much to learn and although I already have Collins Beekeeper's Bible I bought a Haynes Manual. The last Haynes Manual I bought I think was for a Triumph Spitfire.

It's a very good reference manual and I'm sure it will be well thumbed and probably covered by honey before too long.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/IMG-20190702-WA0000.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-5692" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/IMG-20190702-WA0000-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="193" height="257" /></a>So here I am booted and suited inspecting my girls, all 30,000 of them. No I didn't count them but I'm assured a healthy colony can be anything between 20,000 - 50,000 bees.

There were eggs in some of the cells and larvae and plenty of bees. I'm holding a frame from the middle of the brood box and it is covered in bees. I'm wondering why they are not out foraging.

On the very last frame I found the queen which is always reassuring.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/YesterdayJul19.jpg"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-5694" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/YesterdayJul19-150x200.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="200" /></a>Another first for me was a visit to Kinema in the Woods in Woodhall Spa.  I met up with Mary (we are still friends) to see "Yesterday"

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