The Queens

The first of this years queens arrived early yesterday afternoon, just as the clouds cleared and the sun decided to show its face.

They are sent through the post in cages sealed in with beeswax and are accompanied by 5 or 6 workers.  The workers have to be removed from the cage before the queen can be introduced into the hive.

As usual they are lovely looking queens from this supplier and if they turn out as good as previous years both my customers and me will be happy.

The queens were put back in the cages and put straight into freshly made nucs.  In about 5 weeks these will be ready for collection, by then all the brood and most of the bees will be of this new queen, and if they follow the pattern of previous years the nucs will be heaving when they leave me.