A cinnamon bear had gotten into the hive kept high on Pritchard Hill, strewing the frames dozens of feet away. It wasn’t the honey he was after, as commonly thought, but rather the sweet baby bees resting inside the comb.
The frames were put back into the hive weeks ago, and when we visited today, we expected to find only remnants of a departed colony.
When we lifted the lid of the hive, we both exhaled a sigh of relief, followed by a loud whoop shouted into the hot midday air, smoky from late summer wildfires.
It wasn’t a large group of bees, but the queen was present and accounted for, and performing her royal duties, as evidenced by the new comb containing her eggs. And there were plenty of busy workers foraging for food, but by God, it was so parched on the mountain, most of the flowering plants had long past. We left the little colony with a container of honey on which to feed and hopefully flourish.
Fingers crossed.
Tightly.
Honestly, these amazing creatures make me cry.
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#miraclesofnature #evolution #beekeeping #bee @napavalleybeeco (at Saint Helena, California)
Heritage Culinary Artifacts