LANDBOU
tity of vegetation , she lays up to 2,000 eggs per day . During winter she lays fewer eggs .
“ The queen knows when to lay more and when to lay fewer eggs .”
If the beekeeper is worth his salt , about 98 per cent of these eggs will hatch per day . And the new bees start working almost from day one .
“ They have various duties , like cleaning and carrying out anything that doesn ’ t belong there . They will fan the hive when it gets too hot and vibrate their bodies when conditions turn too cold . All these functions prepare them for when they need to go outside and collect nectar .”
Carrying out the bodies of dead
intruders helps the worker bees to gain strength for when they have to leave the hive to collect nectar and to be able to bear additional weight while flying .
“ I always wear another overall under my beekeeping suit and never wash the latter . Eventually , the suit smells very much like the hive and in this way the beekeeper becomes part of the hive .”
“ The first 10 days are for training and then they work for the remaining 14 days of their lives . Much depends
5 .
5 . Bees do what bees do in darkness in hives and the opening in the glass hive shows the worker bees where to exit .
31 MARKtoe ! Augustus 2023