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February 22, 2024
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Welcome back to the enchanting world of beekeeping! As the World’s Coolest Nerd, I’m thrilled to share the latest updates from the start of the third season in my buzzing apiary. With three thriving colonies, each led by a remarkable queen, our journey continues with regal beginnings and the promise of honey-filled triumphs. But before we delve into the recent developments, let’s explore the captivating history of beekeeping and gain a deeper understanding of the incredible lifecycle of worker bees, drones, and queens.
Beekeeping, often referred to as the second oldest profession, dates back centuries, with notable figures like Aristotle being beekeepers. The earliest form of organized beekeeping was in ancient Egypt, and the bee was adopted as a royal symbol in pre-dynastic Egypt. This time-honored practice has fascinated humans through the ages, providing a source of honey, wax, and a deeper understanding of nature’s intricate workings. As a proud beekeeper, I specialize in raising Italian honeybees, known for their gentle nature, productivity, and adaptability.
Each colony comprises worker bees, drones, and a queen with distinct roles and lifespans. Worker bees live for approximately six to eight weeks during the summer months. They fulfill various tasks such as nursing, cleaning, foraging, and guarding the hive. Drones, the male bees, have a shorter lifespan of around five to six weeks and exist solely for mating with a queen from another colony.
Queens, the heart and soul of the colony, have an impressive lifespan of up to three to five years. They are responsible for laying eggs, potentially laying up to 2,000 eggs in a single day. Their presence ensures the survival and growth of the colony.
The lifecycle of honeybees is a testament to the intricate and wondrous workings of these remarkable insects. Let’s delve into the lifecycle of each caste, beginning with the egg and progressing through the various stages of development.
Worker Bees: Worker bees, the largest population within the hive, play a vital role in supporting the colony. From the moment an egg is laid by the queen, it takes around three days for it to hatch into a larva. During this stage, worker bees diligently tend to the developing larvae. After approximately six days, the larva spins a cocoon, entering the pupal stage. Metamorphosis occurs within the cocoon’s safety, and after about 21 days, a fully formed worker bee emerges from the cell.
Drones: The male bees follow a similar lifecycle to workers but with some distinct differences. From the moment the queen lays a drone egg, it takes around three days to hatch into a larva. After approximately six days, the larva spins a cocoon and enters the pupal stage. The pupal period for drones typically lasts around 14 days, longer than for worker bees. After about 24 days, a fully developed adult drone emerges from its cell.
Queens: The queen bee, the heart of the colony, experiences a more majestic journey in her lifecycle. When a queen lays an egg, it takes approximately three days to hatch into a larva. However, queen larvae are fed a diet exclusively consisting of royal jelly throughout their entire development. After six days, the larva is sealed in its cell, and the pupal stage begins. The virgin queen fully develops after a total of around 16 days. Once matured, the new queen chews her way out of the cell, ready to assume her royal duties, but first, she must dispatch other virgin queens, and after another 5-6 days, she will take her first mating flight.
The Importance of Waiting 2-3 Weeks after a Split:
The intricate lifecycle of honeybees underscores the significance of patience when inspecting hives after a split. After dividing a colony through a split, it takes time for the new split to establish itself with brood and resources. Simultaneously, the original split requires time for the new queen to hatch, mate, and commence her egg-laying duties. Waiting 2-3 weeks before inspecting the hives allows the colonies time to undergo these crucial stages of development, helping to ensure their stability and success. Due to travel and rain, it has been twenty-six days since the original split; time to inspect.
Now, let’s turn our attention to the recent developments in my buzzing apiary. As we inspect the Green Hive, where I created a new colony, now under the leadership of Queen Goldie, signs of success begin to emerge. Capped brood, an indicator of new worker bees being sealed in their cells, signals the queen has settled in and the colony has accepted their new home. The pinnacle of our inspection arrives when we spot Queen Goldie herself, diligently laying eggs on the eighth frame.
Moving on to the Gold Hive, our anticipation heightens as we search for signs of the new queen’s presence. Initial frames offer no glimpse of her majesty, raising concerns. However, as we proceed to the fifth frame, relief washes over us— we see capped broad in this hive as well. While we did not locate the queen during this inspection, Goldie’s daughter has indeed survived! It has been over three weeks since Goldie was in this hive, so the capped brood is from our new queen!
Lastly, we approach the Red Colony, guided by Beeyonce’s daughter. While conducting our inspection, two queen cups catch our attention, hinting at a potential desire to swarm. However, I am not concerned since the cups are not at the frames’ bottom. If they turn into queen cells, that’s a whole other story. This observation is a gentle reminder to monitor the colony’s progress closely. I would recommend every seven days until the end of Spring. With Beeyonce’s daughter at the helm, I remain optimistic about the Red Colony’s future, trusting her and her devoted workers to steer the hive toward a thriving future.
With the colonies in full swing, it is time to christen the daughters who will carry their respective legacies forward. First, turning our attention to Goldie’s daughter, the three most popular names you gave us were:
Queen Nefertiti of Egypt played a prominent role in changing Egypt’s traditional polytheistic religion to one monotheistic, worshipping a sun god. Since a bee’s lifecycle and daily routine are highly influenced by the sun, it seems fitting for the leader of the Golden Colony to have a name as regal and powerful as Queen Nefertiti. As the sun rises over the apiary each day, Queen Nefertiti and crew will rise to ensure life as we know it continues. Yes, life as we know it would probably cease without bees, and their history goes back to ancient Egypt.
Most of the naming comments were about the queen of the Red Colony. Here are a few suggestions you gave us for naming Beeyonce’s daughter:
While Blu was close, Destiny emerged as the chosen name after much consideration. Destiny seemed more fitting for the queen taking over my original hive. Yes, Destiny, we are all on our own personal journey with our destiny in front of us. Under her reign, the destiny of the Red Colony is as secure as it was under Beeyonce. Rock on, my young queen, rock on!
The third season of my beekeeping journey brings new hope, triumph, and the promise of sweet rewards. With Goldie, Destiny, and Nefertiti at the helm of their respective colonies, the apiary is alive with regal buzz. Honey extraction awaits us on the horizon, and the question lingers: Which colony will yield the finest honey this season? Join me in the next volume of the Bee Blog as we unveil the answers and unravel more tales from the fascinating world of beekeeping. “Bee” sure to check us out, like, and follow us on Instagram.
