the nine lives of a hive
Just a week and a half after moving in Amidala and Latifah, I went to a Beekeepers Association meeting, and the topic was swarms! Swarms happen when hives are healthy and large enough to be needing more room to grow. Sometimes when a queen is old or sick or not laying enough the workers will start making a new queen then as well. When a new queen is introduced to the hive her pheromones will be detected right away by all of the bees. If the queens meet they will either fight to the death or the old queen will abscond with a group of bees led by scouts who have left the hive in search of a suitable home.
As the beekeepers went round the room we shared our names and how many hives we have and what we were seeing during hive inspections. Many beekeepers were talking about their bees swarming. Some reported they collected the swarms and put them into new hives. Others reported that the swarms were collected and shared with other beekeepers. This was my first meeting being able to report on my own bees! I shared, “ I have two new hives and I’m concerned that my bees are not drawing out the black plastic foundation I installed in my hives. I learned that day that coating the black fondation with local beeswax would encourage bees to draw the foundations quicker.
I also learned that day that feeding the bees sugar water gives them energy to draw comb. I had been feeding them since that first day, but the sugar water I was feeding them was far too diluted to be effective. It was all good info, but I went home that evening feeling a little like I had already screwed everything up before I even got started. The could have, should have, and would have train was in the station and blowin the whistle. I was lining up to get on. In my head before bed that night I made a little plan. The sugar water was an easy fix. I could take care of that before work in the morning. The foundation might be a little weekend project. Projects are good right?! Information is good! It’s all good.
The next evening after my work week ended I was enjoying a quiet moment with my husband on our deck drinking a glass of wine and watching my hives. We were chatting about our day, It was really a beautiful time. Suddenly my husband gasped, "Sweetie, are those your bees on our neighbor's roof?" In my mind, I dropped my wine glass and all of my thoughts came to a screaming halt with the smell of burnt rubber. I stood up looking at the roof, and said out loud, "Well that's awesome. Now what do I do?"
While exchanging messages with Amanda and Amy, one of our mentors, I decided there really was nothing I could do except a hive check to see if I could tell if they were my bees that swarmed. Latifa’s hive appeared to be short bees. I could not find her and what was worse I could not find any eggs, it was late in the day and eggs can be hard to see when light isn’t just right. Amidala’s hive was busy and full as ever. I decided that I wanted to play it safe, so I took one frame of Amidala’s eggs and placed it in the middle of the queenless hive. The transplanted eggs would keep worker bees from beginning to lay eggs. When workers lay eggs it will not be possible to replace a queen they will likely kill her.
I really didn’t know what to expect. I hoped that a new queen was already established before the swarm and maybe I missed her in the poor light. It was also possible she was out of the hive on a mating flight. Either way it could be weeks before I had a laying queen in that hive. All I could do was wait.
On July 18th I met my new queen, Maleficent. She had been laying new eggs and Amidala’s transplanted eggs were now capped brood soon to be baby bees breaking out. Two days later I decided to treat the hives for varroa mite prevention. I used formic acid. In July we had very high temperatures in the 80s and 90s. Our weather forecast called for a slight break in the heat, high 70s low 80s. I decided to take a chance. On Thursday I placed the formic between the brood chambers on both hives.
Every day after I watched as the activity in Maleficent's hive dwindled. My hopes were sinking. My optimistic husband who works from home watched the bees and sent me grainy videos at work to reassure me almost daily that there is in fact life in that hive. I could not be convinced. I felt so hopeless about my new queen surviving the hot weather during the mite treatment. I was already blaming myself for something that hadn’t even happened yet.
My lack of self-confidence has been an enemy. I can tell myself I can’t do it, so I don’t. I will tell myself I am dumb, so I say dumb things and don’t try to learn new things. In any thing I work on, I am aware of everything that can go wrong. I see it. . .I prepare for it, so just let it happen already. When it does, I am never surprised. When things run smoothly, I am Eeyore. I think, “It looks like earthquake weather.” This is very funny because, I think most that know me would say I am one of the most positive people they know, because that is the face I show the world, usually.
On this day my husband expressed interest in seeing the hives up close. We put on out bee suits and Matt lit the smoker, he enjoyed that very much. Together, he smoked, and I cracked the first hive. Husband asked many questions and seemed to be enjoying himself. I noted that he also seemed very comfortable. He might be really good at this. Four frames in, I was convinced that I singlehandedly destroyed the hive and killed the queen and probably sucked as a beekeeper. That’s when my husband pointed, “Is that the queen?” I remember I looked right where he pointed. I saw her and said, “No that’s not the queen.” He pointed again as she was dancing around the edge of the frame, “That’s not her?” he patiently asked. “No that’s not her.”
We continued the inspection of both hives and didn’t see either queen, unlike Maleficent’s hive Amidala had all the markers of a healthy hive. In Maleficent’s absence we saw no brood, so we decided it was best to transplant ANOTHER frame of eggs from Amidala and wait again. As we wrapped up the inspection, I took a little inventory of myself. I was feeling frustrated and feeling disappointment, but seeing Amidala doing so well did lift my spirits. I was thankful to share something I loved with someone I love. I felt loved because he took interest in me, as he always does. I remembered that I have to be kinder and more forgiving of my past self for the things am just now learning.
It wasn’t until later that afternoon when I checked the footage from my go pro that I saw her there in her glory! Maleficent was very alive. How could I not have seen her; she was so obvious, and husband was so persistent and certain in what he saw. It really was a lesson for me to stop assuming the worst. I had so many questions, what was happening in that hive? Why did I have a queen with no eggs? My ten- or fifteen-minute research showed that formic pro can kill a queen in overly hot weather, and it can also cause her to stop laying eggs. With luck she can recover and fulfill her role in the hive before the workers figure out what’s wrong! This explains why we saw no eggs, and this gives me hope. Only lots of prayers and practice and patience with myself can help me with that negative attitude. I’m definitely a work in progress.