Deference

Is this what it means to be a queen? A retinue of attendants, antennae pricked, feeling, smelling, sensing every need before it is even expressed. Making way - but only if that way is secure, safe, the best for all concerned. Feeding and grooming and guiding; attending to every desire, but making sure that what is desired serves the common good. Deferential, ensuring everything runs smoothly, in the right direction 

And what about us? We did not linger over breakfast - got out of the house as soon as possible, before the day got too hot. We thought we were going out to check on the bees, to make sure we were managing them as we wanted. But just take a step back and consider who is managing who

A few weeks ago, "We want to swarm", said this colony. "Oh no you don't", we said. We took away their old queen, put her in a safe new hive, with some bees to take care of her - no need for her to fly over the hedge to take her chances of finding a hollow tree. "Job done", we said. "Job done", said the bees

The now-queenless colony embarked on rearing a replacement queen. "Fine", we said. "Agreed", said the bees. But the colony was still strong and numerous; they created not just one or two, but many new queen cells. "We think we should still swarm with one of these new queens, when they emerge", they said. "Oh no you don't", we said, and removed all the queen cells but one, manoeuvring them into staying put with their one and only successor (the regent in the picture)

The bees played along. The new queen got mated, she started laying, all was as we thought it should be, we relaxed for a couple of weeks. The bees did not. Last week, we checked to see how things were going. They had started raising some queen cells, using the eggs from their brand new queen. "Oh no you don't" we said. We split the colony in two, giving each half a hive to itself; this lot with the queen, the others with the queen cells to raise another new queen. We have confirmed today she is laying and happy. In the other hive, the other half of the colony is caring for the cells that will give them a second new queen 

"Job done", we said. "Indeed", said the bees