Per U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics:
- One-third of the human diet is derived directly or indirectly from insect-pollinated plants.
- 80 percent of insect pollination is accomplished by honey bees.
Three years ago Renaissance man took on the huge task of giving honey bees a home in our backyard.
The first time he approached me on this subject my mind went where I think many minds go... "Is that safe for the kids? Won't that increase our chances of being stung?" Then I began to read what he was reading about, the decline of the honey bees. As Gandhi said "Be the change you want to see". So after becoming more educated on the subject I realized there was no threat to my children and actually that this would be an incredible homeschooling adventure for all of us!! We were going to be the change!
Renaissance man built a hive with a friend and we ordered our bees. When you order bees they come with a queen in a box sealed with a cork plug and sugar as well as hundreds of worker bees. The workers are suppose to chew out the queen after the cork plug is removed. The queen should technically be free in 2-3 days. So Day 2 we discovered that our Italian Queen had died. Now what!!!
Renaissance man ordered another queen to be delivered. Imagine being the mail carrier! They sent us a Russian Queen (hardier for the winter). We placed her in the hive to be chewed out. 2 days later she was dead! The Queen was DEAD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEbIiWjJMUA (The Smiths)
Now what!! Well the bee consultant told us to check whether there was larva in the honey combs. Lo and behold there was larva. Did you know that if there is a Queen hiding in the working bees that the workers will not release the queen in the box. Well that is what happened.
The Queen was in the box already. RIP to the other Queens!
