The fifth and final demonstration of the spring series was centred around preparations for the preliminary exam of the F.I.B.K.A. All members who are planning to take the exam were led through the necessary manipulations of the colony by Finbarr O'Callaghan. Finbarr pointed out the different types of brood in the hive as well as the presence of stores and pollen. Members were encouraged to lift out and examine frames and become accustomed to handling the bees.

Those who were not taking the exam accompanied Maurice Curtin, Christy Harrington and Eddie Jennings as they inspected a number of hives to check for swarming. It was noted that all colonies examined were very strong and in need of an additional super each. Several "play cells" were discovered but no queen cells with eggs or larvae were found in these hives.

In the course of his inspection and teaching session, Finbarr encountered a well formed queen cell with a larva inside. He explained how one might use this cell to hatch a new young queen in a mini nuc, and removed it from the hive, having already found it's marked and clipped queen.

Before closing up this hive a quick inspection of a super frame revealed a small patch of sealed drone brood above the queen excluder. A check of the queen excluder found no means of allowing the queen through. No reason for the presence of this sealed brood could be found and so the mystery remains!