May: Basic assessment day

We really couldn't have been more prepared for our seven eager "beginners" to be undertaking theri basic assessment.  The tea and biscuits were well stocked ( thanks Liz), the single brood hives were selected and we'd even cleaned out the smokers...

In fact there were almost too many to choose from...

But of course the one thing we couldn't control was the lovely English weather... would we get all the assessment completed before the threatened thunder storms arrived from the continent?  The morning sessions got off to a great start with a gentle puff of smoke...

The first frames were examined in great detail...

There were drips and drops of rain at lunchtime but undeterred we carried on...

So now its all over.  It didn't actually rain or thunder ( phew!) so all of the assessments were completed..

So now we just have to wait with baited breath for the results.  What a good job bee keepers are well practised at being patient!