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!
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