Despite difficult weather conditions our first honey harvest has exceeded expectation, forty two and a half pounds. Cleo was without doubt a prolific young Queen, her vigorous laying expanded her colony at an unprecedented rate here at Valley Garden Paradise. Queen Banba in contrast is gentle, stoic and measured, her bees, calm and unruffled. Despite a ragged appearance in her third season, her green Queen mark is wearing away, she still lays consistently and the colony show no signs of wanting to supercede. It brings to mind the story of 'the tortoise and the hare'!
Our new Buckfast Queen, Diana, has won acceptance from Cleo's bees; she is laying well, her first brood have now hatched and integrated with Cleo's colony. Diana's first two supas of honey are now ready for extraction. We are preparing for a few sticky days ahead!
