R&T Bee Ranch

Queen Bee Stories:

Is that a queen bee there on that wooden block? That was the question I asked on my morning walk today.

This hive has been insistent on making their own queen. After many hive management strategies, the bees finally thwarted my plans and made their own queen. At least for a little while.

But this hive’s entrance is dangerous for a returning queen bee. There is a family of spiny tree lizards that love to hang out at the entrance to this hive and have a quick and easy snack. I added the block of wood between the hive stand where the lizards hang out and the entrance to give a returning queen a good chance to enter the hive.

However, this doesn’t work if the returning queen lands on the top of the block and tempts the lizards. Which is exactly what this queen seemed to be doing.

As I walked toward the hive, the waiting lizard ran underneath the hive stand. After a moment of cleaning herself, the queen bee went down the wooden block and into the entrance. Hopefully, that was her last mating flight.