"..and so, Queen Sophia ruled with passion and kindness over her kingdom and they all lived happily ever after. The End." No way a story about honey bees would ever end that way! I mean, really!?! Although maybe...
The Colony's New Queen by Jon Hofius
The sun beat down upon the colony the day it all went down. A new queen arrived and word had spread throughout the buzzing town. Leary and defensive, the colony quickly investigated her new cage. This queen looks young, can she rule the colony at this very very young age? Without saying a word she began to direct her new subjects right away. They all got to work collecting pollen and nectar for this queen they had to obey.
Some workers stayed back trying to free their queen but a cork would not allow. Until three days later the keeper came back and switched it with a marshmallow! They ate away with all their might working around the clock. It was kind of like the marshmallow was some sort of delicious lock! Once released, Queen Sophia got busy laying eggs. New worker brood, in tight patterns, meant everything was going to be ok.
One week later, the keeper returned and smiled upon the hive. "I'm just glad to see things are back to normal and the queen is still alive." TO BE CONTINUED....
Of course, in true South Florida fashion (summer time fashion at least), it was perpetually overcast and a thunderstorm loomed in the distance. I learned my lesson and now wear a veil and gloves on those days. So yes, Queen Sophia saved the colony from impending destruction and they will continue to grow the colony back to normal size and have started collecting food.
The other hive, I am happy to report, shows about 40% capped honey comb on at least 4 of its frames. This discovery means that the colony finished its summer expansion and it is honey time! If it appears that I have at least a month left in Jerry's backyard (because the city is not done laying the sewer pipe in the Plantation) then I might add a honey super (that is a hive box above a queen excluder that keeps the queen from laying brood where I want to be collecting honey)! The bees will still have to draw out the comb on the new frames and then fill them with honey, so the first time will take much longer than subsequent honey flows. I will check in the next week to see how much more of the frames are capped to see if the food supply will support a quick fill of the super.
As for the naming of the colonies...I have still not named them. I mean, it took enough brain power to name the new queen Sophia! Maybe it is time to name the other queen (picture on request, will get as soon as I can). So far names that have been suggested: Isabella, Nina, Santa Maria (Rob's suggestion)...let me know. Her nature is gentle and highly productive...and keep the name suggestions Italian!
Thanks for reading and as always...bee kind to your neighborhood pollinators!
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