Drones have a single purpose: to mate with a queen, their existence ending in a brief, explosion (haploid sperm vessels burn out in midair on mating)

The hive gets rid of what it cannot keep, preparing for the cold nights ahead. Think of it as “a super organism” . Each bee, a cell in a larger body.

Back from hols, found the space below my bee hive littered with dead drone bees, scattered discarded husks. The girl bees (workers) have decided males are no longer worth feeding over winter.

My honey this year was a similar colour and texture.

It looks like a bee but is a fly pretending to be a bee (drone honey bee) so that other insects think it carries a weapon (of deadly repercussions). Deterrent works in nature as a defence mechanism.

Beautiful areas of S Wales. For me unchanged for over Thirty-seven years. But holding so many memories of my first job.

Fab cycling in Peak District - beautiful countryside, knackerring, stunning cycle paths and baking hot - Tissington to Carsington, then up high peak trail joining the Tissington trail back to Tissington- I can really recommend it (perhaps next time on an E bike).

In these last days of summer, I shall attempt one final new Queen introduction (arrives by post tomorrow, an F1 hybrid buckfast Queen. I can only hope they greet her not with stings.

I introduced two new Queens. Yet they were slayed by my bees madness.

Then to finish the colonies, hordes of wasps descended and destroyed anything left behind

And now, one colony remaineth.

Our garden used to be alive with robins, tits, and blackbirds, but this year, pigeons have taken over. They dominate, chasing smaller birds away, and the balance has shifted.

There are more, greenfly and black fly, and plants are suffering. How easy it is for biodiversity to tip over.

It’s sad seeing so many colonies collapse like this. I will never know the cause, whether it was poor mating, environmental stress, or simply the queen being eaten on her mating flight.
Going forward. The strong queen is now golden. She’ll be the foundation for rebuilding.

Moving forward, plan is to combine the queenless colonies, using the newspaper method, pairing weaker colonies to create stronger units. Once that’s done, I’ll gradually unite them with the queen right hive which must remain strong enough to absorb the newcomers.

Another inspection yesterday. Was hoping for some sign of recovery, but things aren’t turning around. Another queen had died, no eggs, no brood pattern, and the hive was disorganized and aimless. It was quiet in the wrong way. Out of the seven colonies I had back in May, only one is Queen-right.

The hive is unlikely to survive. Things had fallen apart quickly and we need to combine what’s left with another colony.

Bees were fighting inside the hive, tearing at each other in the frames.

There was only a small patch of brood left, and no sign of a queen. No fresh eggs, no larva. Nothing to suggest there’s any hope of the colony requeening itself. Just a handful of confused, tired workers trying to hold on.

Inspected a friend’s hive today. Something looked wrong from outset. The population was far too small for this time of year. My guess is that it swarmed, probably more than once. Without enough bees to defend or maintain order, the hive was under attack from robber bees from other colonies.

I shook the bees off the comb several metres away from the hive. Foragers, with their good orientation, will find their way back—but the laying workers won’t. They’ll be lost, unable to return home. A strange mercy, I suppose.

A hard reset for the sake of the colony’s survival. Hope it works!

But before that, I had to deal with the rogue workers

These young egg-layers don’t have a future in a healthy hive, and their presence would only cause more

So, I did what has to be done:

As one of my hives has gone rogue with laying workers taken over, and the brood is all drone. I had no choice today, but to destroy 6 frames of drone comb. Not good, but I’m hoping it’s not too late.

The plan is to combine what’s left with a queen-right colony.

Lots of scattered Drone brood in the hive that killed the queen I introduced. Seems odd that they killed their only chance of survival.

Summer solstice- Devon

Bad news- the queen I introduced was killed and I have egg laying workers

My honey this year is going to be bursting with the delicate nectar of blackberry flowers from the hedgerows around the allotments. Rich, aromatic, and subtly fruity, the honey captures the taste of June.

Norwich cloisters cropped and zoomed in iPhone photo - looks more like a picture

Introductions are tricky - they might get on and start feeding the new Queen or might think she’s a usurper and try and knock her off by overheating.

Her majesty arrived- gave her a dab of last year’s honey to get her ready to meet the staff.

Today, the air crackles with anticipation. Her Majesty, a Buckfast Queen will arrive, when the clock ticks noon. She’ll be flanked by her entourage of workers. The hive swept, the excluder polished, and the atmosphere is electric. After all, it’s good enough for Steve Backshall, it’s good for me.