Why don't honey bees read the manuals?

Why don't honey bees read the manuals? 

 With my new queens arriving I'd prepared two new, queenless colonies at the weekend to take them.

A frame of bees

 

When my new queens arrived this lunch time I went straight up to pop them into their new hives. One colony was ready. They knew they were queenless and (fingers crossed) will accept the queen I'd called Roxie.

Making up a queenless colony


The other had eggs in it - a sure sign there was a ...laying queen there. I knew I hadn't put one there so where had it come from? One look at a neighbouring colony told me. This one had a very young queen - one that must have been still flying - and they had all abandoned their hive and joined what should have been a queenless one. There was no point in putting my other new queen (the one I've called Scarlett) in there. They only like one queen so she would have been killed. 

 



Pollen - essential food for bees
The different colours are different types. These bees have a varied diet

 So it's back home to prepare another new queenless colony for her.



A bee returning to her hive with her pollen baskets full

Why do beekeepers read the manuals? It's not just about what to do when, but understanding why and being able to recognise and deal with the unexpected. Bees are absolutely fascinating creatures. Their behaviour, lifestyle and logic is so alien to ours. I love working with them and discovering more about them every day.