The New Queen Arrived at Last

Tuesday April, 27 was the day chosen to go visit the apiaries. Normally I could have waited longer before the first visit, 4-7 days is usually recommended. This was the fifth day. With the doubt that the queen in the green beehive from Shakopee had put in my mind, I needed to go and check on the honey bees. I did not want the risk of loosing every honey bee in that particular hive. Since, there was a greater chance that we had to drive to Stillwater (both ways in traffic!). Ben had the brilliant idea to look at every colony to make sure that one trip would be sufficient. I would not have done that, I rely more on my instinct and did not think that something would be wrong. My husband is more disciplined in that matter than I!

So, we both went to the Chanhassen apiary, and it was a wonderful site. The bees were calm, and going about their business. We could hear the peaceful hum, the honey bees seemed to be in unison. From our approach, I could see that it would be fine..no excitement from the bees, no erratic behaviors.

Ben had lit the smoker, so I was ready to open up the hive. They had drank a little sugar syrup and ate a very small amount of the pollen patty. Next I removed one frame and put it aside, to give me more room to manage the other ones inside the box.

First, I saw the neatly and perfectly done hexagonal wax cells, raised just so from the foundation and making a wide U shape. See the white raised wax? Unbelievable! The little ones had work so hard, and it was so perfect. It also had a fresh sent of clean wax.

Then I removed more frames and finally spotted the eggs! So tiny, translucent and delicate in each cell. Then I knew the colony was going to be all right, I did not need to see the queen...we had witnessed her work! I closed up the hive with a grin on my face, very proud of the work already done by this colony.

Then we drove to Shakopee, a little anxious hoping that all would be fine. From far away, we could notice a lot of agitation at the green address! The honey bees were very loud, seemed disorganized, utterly busy, and climbing on top of each other. I then decided to open the purple one first; the spectacle was a carbon copy of the colony in Chanhassen... quiet, and peaceful. The honey bees had worked hard: the wax was present and beautifully done, and the eggs were sitting in their little cells, individually shining! What a sight!

Lastly, I had to open the infamous green hive of Shakopee! Ben had to really follow me and smoke the bees as I was removing the pails of syrup and pollen patty. To our surprise, they had drank more and eaten more pollen patty than the 2 other colonies. However, the bees felt tormented, and lost. I removed the frames and looked intensely at each one. I was absolutely flabbergasted. The foundations were as clean as the first day Ben had put them together in the frames! The bees had done nothing. I was looking at "nothingness". It had been 5 days,and I had expected "some" work would have been done. Suddenly I felt very sad. Not because the queen was not there but by the fact that those honey bees had been helpless, stressed and worried for that long. We could clearly see their desperation, flying chaotically around, landing, being extra busy, but doing nothing productive. I closed the beehive, and we drove directly to Stillwater. It was already 3:30pm but we would have time to install the queen before sunset.

Jim ( the "Bee" supplier) was there, and we purchased a beautiful golden Italian queen! We drove back to Shakopee, it was already 6:00pm! Ben started the smoker for the third time. We put on our gears and decided to wear gloves. The bees were so agitated that I did not want to risk any one's fingers. Now this queen had to be released using what is called "the indirect method ". I cannot just open the little screen-door and have her walk nonchalantly on the foundation. She is a stranger here, and no one knows her. She would have been killed instantaneously.

Ben had replaced the little cork plug like in this picture from the queen cage by a piece of candy.

Then, I had to place the little cage between 2 frames, with the screen facing down ( so the workers could feed her), and at an angle were she could just "slide out" gently. Almost like in this picture from the internet! We did not have time to take any pictures...it was already 7:00pm.

Over the next 3-4 days, the honey bee workers would start knowing the queen by the pheromone that she will emit. This "scent" will also send a signal to all workers that she is now their queen and thus should get to work in an organised fashion.

In addition during that time period, the bees would feed their new queen and accept her gradually. They would allow her to be released by chewing slowly the candy plug. Once free and having been protected in her cage the queen will start her majestic work of laying eggs. And from now on, everything will be ...

the end!

In any case that is my plan!

The Long Wait

Since, we hived the packages last Thursday, I have been busy looking into the possibility to replace the probable missing queen. The act of replacing the queen in itself is not difficult. I was worried that I would have a hard time finding/purchasing a new queen; they are in such great demands all over the United States, especially during spring...that I had doubts. However, I found 2 suppliers in Minnesota which are reliable, and well-known from the beekeepers' community.

I will go to the Shakopee apiary on Tuesday and look for eggs on the foundations. They will look like tiny grains of rice, one per cell. It will be my most important clue as to know if a queen reside in the hive, or not.

I have to wait that long, ( I feel it is a very long wait!) 5 days because it takes between 4 and 7 days for the worker bees to accept their queen and for her Majesty to start laying eggs. For that inspection, I will need to use my smoker as the honey bees are starting their new life together forming a tight knit colony, defending their beehive and protecting their queen.

The most difficult part in that waiting "game" is actually not knowing what is happening at the green beehive in Shakopee. However, I have to remind myself that honey bees even if they are domesticated; they are also resourceful and smart. They will not starve because they have some syrup to drink, and a huge pollen patty to eat. In addition, there are many plants that are flowering, and blooming. But they may not stay around , and they will leave when they realise that their queen is no where to be found.

I really hope that her Highness came back home, if it was really her which Ben saw flying away last Thursday. I hope he is wrong! And that his eyes betrayed him.

Day One After Hiving the Packages

Today, we checked each colony to make sure the honey bees were drinking the syrup from the pails, and that they were congregating under the inner-cover in the center of the box. All 3 beehives seemed to be just fine. The only difference that I could perceived was that the colony that perhaps does not have a queen, was busier, noisier than the 2 others, but maybe I am reading in too much. We will see on Tuesday, if we can see few eggs or not and make an accurate diagnostic, and proceed. If there is no queen that colony is doomed to die entirely. It is a "game" of patience..I have to be Zen about it! But I have a back up plan too!

The Honey Bees are Home

Jim's place and the zillions of honey bees

3 packages and 3 queens, loaded in the car!

Thursday April 22,Ben and I drove to Stillwater, MN.We got our little darlings and drove back home proudly!

A bee package: Notice the beautiful clump

The packages are waiting in the garage

Then, Ben and I hived 2 packages in Shakopee. I hived mine first, and it went well...I was so proud of myself! Like a kid :)

Ben showing his honey bees!

Ben spraying the bees with sugar syrup to calm them

Ben "shaking" the honey bees into the hive

Ben, removing the staple from the queen cage

Ben was doing great, until when he released the queen as he thinks he saw her fly away.

Nicolas hived his own package after school and did a great job too! I released the queen myself, to make sure that she would be in her house without any trouble.

Ben was a little sad about the possibility that the queen might not be in the beehive, but sincerely those things happens to the best beekeeper in the world. So, now we have to wait at least until Tuesday April 27, to go and check to see if the queen is present or not. The best way to determine that, is to look for eggs, indeed the queen is the only one who can do this job. I am afraid that it is going to be a long 4-5 days of waiting, and wondering. Beekeeping really teaches to be patient!

We are now officially Beekeepers! What a great feeling!

Take a look at our video: Hiving a Package

Honey Bees are Delayed!!!

The honey bees arrival to Minnesota has been delayed! The truck in California has been loaded 24 hours later than previously thought.

Therefore the arrival has been reschedule for Thursday, April 22. My supplier talked to the truck driver yesterday, and the "delivery" should be just fine!" I think that I'll keep my fingers crossed for a while. I hope the journey will be a non eventful one... we never know.

After all it is a long 30 hour- non-stop trip

from California to Minnesota, or about 1925 miles! A lot can happen. But I am confident that I will see the little ones pretty soon. I guess they are worth waiting for. Don't you think?

Making 1:1 Sugar Syrup

Sugar syrup 1:1, one part white sugar, one part water.

As it is still early spring, I was advised to feed the new honey bees with sugar syrup and pollen patties. Insects like all living organisms need high- quality food to reach their maximum potential. Bees will need to be fed by us, twice a year. Once in spring and another time in the fall. The early feeding, 1:1 water to sugar ratio will stimulates the activity in the hive, making the colony ready to "go to work". This syrup (carbohydrate) is also called "light" syrup as opposed to "heavy"syrup 2:1 given in the fall, more later.

Therefore, yesterday Ben and I made 6 gallons of sugar syrup in our kitchen...I tasted it. It is very very sweet. This is how we did it. We used a kitchen scale and placed a one gallon empty plastic pail on it, we tared it to zero. Then We poured the equivalent of 2 Kg. of hot tap water, then we added white sugar until the scale read 4 Kg. And voila! We did it 5 more time.

So now the question is, how are the bees going to drink from a plastic bucket? Well, on the lid there are small holes that Ben had drilled all around the perimeter.

Then using gravity, this pail will be set upside down over the hole on the inner cover. This will allow the bees to drink without being drenched, or drowned by the sugary substance as it will only "drip" if they use suction.

In addition to this delicious elixir, I will put a pollen patty (proteins) on each hive, right on the top bars where it will be easily accessible for the bees to eat. Because, I am starting 3 completely new colonies with brand new foundations ( beeswax structure composed of 2 layers of horizontal cells sharing their bases (see picture); this feeding as to be kept until either mid-June, or until the combs (which are parts of the foundation) are drawn out, meaning filled with eggs, larvae, nectar, pollen or wax, which ever comes first!

This is a great way to start ensuring that the honey bees will have nutritious nourishment giving them a boost in life!

Foundation in a frame

Combs, little hexagonal structures making up the

foundation, where bees keep everything from eggs to honey!

Everything Seems to Be on Time

It has been a long wait, since I ordered the honeybees in January. However, the pick up date is getting closer. Of course the honey bees have to leave sunny California on time, loaded on a trailer truck braving the warm temperature, the Mojave desert, the possibility of passes closing in the mountains due to snow, or mud slides, and the sometimes "gale" force winds in the plains...all this treachurous voyage before arriving to Minnesota where our own weather has been strange in the past few months and cold "snaps" are still a reality. Today, I was reassured as my supplier told me that the bees should be on time, as predicted ( Wed. April 21).

This photo shows beehives being transported, it is the same when transporting packages of honeybees, only smaller boxes! This is how my bees will be traveling.

However, I could have received the precious live cargo by mail! Yes, using the United States Postal Service! I can just see the face, and hear the voice of my little mail lady calling frantically for me to come immediately to the post office to pick up the bee packages because they are very loud and make everyone nervous, and please please hurry up! Here below are the stipulations:

526.2 Live Bees

526.21 Mailability Requirements

Bees, including honeybees and queen honeybees, must be free of disease, as required under federal and state regulations. The following additional conditions apply:

Honeybees. Honeybees are acceptable in the continental United States only via surface transportation (i.e., Parcel Post rates). Parcels of honeybees sent at Parcel Post rates must bear special handling postage. Mailpieces must be plainly marked on the address side with “Live Bees” and “Surface Only” or “Surface Mail Only.”

Queen Honeybees. Queen honeybees may be sent via air transportation (i.e., Express Mail, Priority Mail, or First–Class Mail rates) or surface transportation at Parcel Post rates. When sent at Parcel Post rates, the mailpiece must bear special handling postage. Mailpieces containing queen honeybees must be plainly marked on the address side with “Live Queen Bees.”

Refer to Exhibit 526.21 for a general summary of the requirements for mailing live bees. Also see DMM 601.9.3.8.

Exhibit 526.21

Requirements for Mailing Live Bees

Live Bees
Contents must be either queen honeybees or honeybees. Bees must be securely packaged (see DMM 601.9.3.11) to provide adequate air and they must be kept within a tolerable termperature range at 40° to 100° F. The ust of insecticides must be eliminated in Postal Service areas that will be occupied by bee shipments.
Air Transportation	Surface Transportation
Only queen honeybees may be shipped by air transportation (i.e., Express Mail, Priority Mail, or First–Class Mail rates). Alert personnel to ensure the queenhoneybees’ timely and safe dispatch to, and arrival at, the destination. Equipment must be available fortransportation up to the 4th zone. Advance arrangements must be made for shipment to addresses beyond the 4th zone.	Any type of live honeybees may beshipped in the continental United States by surface transportation at Parcel Post rates. Alert personnel to ensure thehoneybees’ timely and safe dispatch to, and arrival at, the destination. Equipment must be available fortransportation up to the 4th zone. Advance arrangement must be made for shipment beyond the 4th zone.

526.22 Claims for Bee Shipments

Indemnity claims (see DMM 609) for damage, partial loss, and loss of insured shipments of mailable bees are accepted only in the following situations:

Death of the bees resulted from Postal Service handling after conditions for mailability were met and when there was strong likelihood that the shipment could have been safely transported.

Contents were lost because of damage to the container while in Postal Service custody.

The complete package was lost in the mail.

Special handling was purchased as required under DMM 601.9.3.8.

The Hives are Ready for the Bees

Yesterday Ben and I loaded the car, and place 3 beehives in 2 different locations. Two were set up in Shakopee, and one in Chanhassen. Those 2 places are very different, one is a field, the other a private garden.

The Shakopee field was still wet and of course not yet planted, so we hauled the equipment and walked along the field, finding a spot which was a little elevated and protected by few trees.

Ben used is great talent ( I am not kidding! Really!), leveling the hive from side to side with the front of the hive slightly lower than the rear so that the rain can drain out. We used rocks that were already scattered around.

Now both hives stand proudly in a place where pollination is greatly needed and will be appreciated.

Next we drove to Chanhassen, where one hive now stands in a wonderful location. It is easier to access and it is near the owners' already prolific vegetable and flower gardens. Ben again used his skill to level everything, and voila!

As you can see those two locations are very dissimilar. Therefore I will be able to compare them as the season goes. I wonder which one will be more successful? In any case, I will try my best to have the honeybees happy and productive!