I Built Them a Buffet
Wasps stripped our new queen’s colony back to a few dozen bees, and it turns out we’d left them a snack. What we did, what we got wrong, and how it all traces back to a split that went sideways in June.
queen introduction
Where Did She Go?
If you have been following along, you will know that we have had a season. You can read the full version in How Do I Fix This but the short version is this: a hive that went queenless, a plan that went sideways, and two beekeepers standing at the apiary feeling considerably less confident than … Read more
She’s Called Clover (Officially She’s 2026-01-002, But We’re Not Calling Her That)
We joined a queen rearing group, grafted a larva, got one queen from twenty attempts, and let Bee Girl do the fun bit. Meet Clover. She is marked white, she is in a nuc, and she has no idea what is waiting for her.
Our Queen Did WHAT?! (The One Where Everything Nearly Goes Wrong Before We Even Start)
Get the kettle on. You’re going to need tea for this one. Our queen absconded mid-summer, leaving us with a queenless colony and a lot of panic. This is the story of how the bees saved themselves, why mentors matter, and what happens when nature takes over.