You may have noticed (or not perhaps) that under Education there is a beginners forum. The answers to many of your questions are likely to be found there
Hi Lesley and welcome to the forum. Did your local association not match you up with a mentor ? Local experience is invaluable in the UK as the regions differ massively in terms of forage, weather and colony status for the time of year. Advice online will be based on keepers experience in their own locality and may not be suited to you at your stage of the season.
The learning curve is vertical at the start, I understand it levels off after about 50 years keeping, but only until another virus, parasite or invasive species appears...LOL
Its great fun though..... Cheers, Mick.