Chapter 1: A Fascination with Bees

My journey into the world of beekeeping began with a short story by Roald Dahl titled "Royal Jelly," which revolves around a father's desperate attempts to save his malnourished infant daughter. This father, an apiarist, discovers the remarkable properties of royal jelly—a nutrient-rich substance that honeybees feed to larvae destined to become queens. He marvels at how this substance enables the larvae to gain incredible weight rapidly. Inspired by this narrative, I dove into beekeeping, purchasing books, joining local meet-ups, and eventually acquiring a colony of 20,000 bees.

After seeking my friend's opinion on my new venture, she hesitated and said, "Well, you’ll have to be okay with being that guy." Ignoring her warning, I set up my hive on the rooftop of my Brooklyn apartment, embarking on a journey that proved both absurd and rewarding. By October, my colony had swelled to 70,000 bees, and I harvested nearly 30 pounds of honey.

However, the following spring brought calamity. My queen wasn’t laying fertilized eggs, and if I didn’t intervene quickly, my hive faced certain collapse. This initiated a drawn-out struggle that, in hindsight, revolved around the theme of loyalty—both mine to the hive and the hive’s to its queen.

For several months, I obsessively monitored my hive, unsure of what exactly to look for but feeling compelled to take action. I watched the worker bees return from their foraging flights with loads of pollen, which filled me with a peculiar sense of achievement. I became deeply engrossed in the beekeeping community, sharing my experiences with anyone interested, even dragging my allergic roommate onto the roof for a firsthand look.

As I continued this journey, I found myself improvising, employing unconventional methods to manage my hive. When I needed to clear a frame, I used a feather to gently brush away the bees. I sought advice from Todd Hardie, a local apiary expert, who assured me that my hive was thriving. He estimated its weight at around 100 pounds, a remarkable feat for a first-year hive.

However, soon after Todd's visit, my landlord sold our apartment. I faced the dilemma of moving while leaving my hive behind. I treated the bees for mites, ensured they had ample food, and hoped the new landlord would not complain.

It became evident that my queen had perished in the spring, which was unexpected given her typical lifespan of four to five years. In the life of a hive, a new queen is a common occurrence, and beekeepers often replace their queens to ensure genetic diversity. Fortunately, my hive had taken the initiative to raise a new queen from fertilized eggs that my old queen had laid.

The first video titled "Beekeeping Mistake That Can Kill Your Bees In 30 Days" provides invaluable insights into common pitfalls in beekeeping and how to avoid them.

Yet, the dynamics of loyalty within the hive became evident when the new queen emerged. Although she was a product of the hive's survival instincts, the allegiance of the worker bees to their previous queen complicated matters. The hive's structure is built on this loyalty; if multiple queens were to be raised, the hive's unity would fracture.

In a healthy hive, a queen lays hundreds to thousands of eggs daily, which can develop into either workers or new queens. However, by late April, the ratio of drones to workers in my hive had alarmingly shifted to nearly equal, indicating a serious problem.

Despite clear signs of distress, I struggled to admit that something was wrong with my hive. I convinced myself that the queen would soon lay more eggs and that the workers would take care of the situation. During a bee tour in Brooklyn, I realized how my hive's health compared unfavorably to others. The contrast was stark; while other hives bustled with activity, mine seemed stagnant.

Chapter 2: Lessons Learned

Through this experience, I learned that beekeeping is a delicate balance between instinct, genetics, and human intervention. The relationship between the beekeeper and the hive is complex, often requiring intuition and respect for the bees’ natural behaviors.

As I continue this journey, I hold onto hope for my little queen and her hive, aware that the challenges of beekeeping are both daunting and rewarding.