Another season begins and I can say with confidence, all three colonies have made it through the winter.
Doris is hard at work. She is laying eggs and bossing the workers around. There are still some older bees in the colony but the majority of the workers are young and the numbers are growing.
Here is Ethyl, working hard with her colony. She also has a few older workers there but her numbers are pulling ahead of the other two hives.
This is Lucy II. Last July I introduced a new queen bred from Ethyl who was inserted into another box above one of the hives. That queen shortly disappeared. Coincidentally, Lucy's colony re-queened themselves while I was distracted with what was happening with Doris. I was almost convinced that this new queen was the daughter of Ethyl. Upon this inspection it seems pretty unlikely as she and her workers look very Italian. She too, is laying eggs and collecting pollen.
Overall, It is starting out to be a good year. The colonies are starting out well.
