Each inspection will teach you more! No two inspections are the same and you will learn over time to go into an inspection with a plan – including perhaps something to check from the last inspection – but also to have an open mind to the unexpected. Despite the fascinating array of situations you might uncover, there are a few basics you should check at each inspection:

• Is there evidence of a queen (you do not need to physically see the queen every time)?
• If so, do the signs point towards a productive queen?
• Are there signs that the bees may be planning to swarm?
• Is the capacity of the hive appropriate, in terms of the boxes you have added?
• Any unusual or worrying signs, particularly related to pests or mites?
• Are you leaving the hive in an orderly, clean manner?