Peter Edwards wrote:

"Interesting that you use the word rarely.  Many books tell you to look in
these clusters of  bees (I also puff or touch them lightly with a finger),
but I cannot say that I recall ever finding a queen under the mass of
workers."

Peter, I chose "rarely" because I truly rarely find the queen in that
manner, perhaps once every three years. I have to look at every frame when
searching for the lady, and that's a whole lot of frames! Most of the time
I'll find her as I spread a frame away from the rest with a gentle twist
of my hive tool between the top bars and quickly peer down the sides of
the frames on the small crevasse just opened. And yes, I often touch very
lightly with my finger as well sometimes with a slight passing motion over
the top of the mass. I always enjoy finding a queen that seems to be
oblivious to my presence and the brightness of daylight going about her
business of inspecting one cell at a time then carefully depositing her
egg.

Then there are the runners! But, that’s another post.

Regards,


Chuck Norton
Norton's Nut & Honey Farm
Reidsville, NC

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