How the Novice Beekeeper Jumped to the Wrong Conclusion

June 18, 2012

It was time for action, the Novice Beekeeper decided.  The queen could not be found and yet there was a frame of drone brood (male sterile brood, she thought).  Aha, a laying worker!  No need to look further.  I will combine this hive with Hippolyta, make a stronger hive and all will be well.

The next day, armed with smoker, tools and a sheet of newspaper she went to the beeyard to combine the two hives.  First she opened Hippolyta and laid the sheet of newspaper on top of the box.  She made three slits, as the books told her to...this way the bees could slowly integrate with each other by eating away the newspaper slowly.

Newspaper on top box of Hippolyta

She then opened Queen Elizabeth I, lifted the top box and set it on the newspaper.

Combining two hives

The Novice  then proceeded to take out the frames from the next box of Queen E.   She blithely began to brush the bees off the frames into the box she had just moved.  One frame done and into a waiting container.  Two frames done.  Third frame...hmmmm....it seemed to have capped and open brood on it.  Curious.  Put it back in to think about.  Fourth frame...aha...drone brood...into a garbage bag to be frozen asap.  Fifth frame...brood again...hmmm...curiouser and curiouser.  Sixth frame...a quick look before doing the brushing...oh my...you have to be kidding me!!!  Whaaaaa???  A fat queen with her retinue around her?    

Queen Elizabeth I with her attendants

It was pure luck that our Novice happened to spot her before brushing the whole shebang into the moved box!  Back in go all the frames.  Back on top goes the box.  Off comes the newspaper.  And on go both the tops.  Many apologies were made to the bees who were probably wondering what in the world had just happened. Our Novice then walked back to the house hanging her head in shame.

The moral of this story is:  Listen to what the experts say in the books...if you don't know what's wrong don't do anything! 

On the bright side, this means all hives are ruled by their respective queens!  Hopefully they are strong queens who are laying many eggs every day to create strong hives.  On the less bright side, this means I still have 4 hives! 

The End