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Bees.
Today was the fifth day in their new hives, so it was time to open the boxes to make sure the queens had all been freed from their cages.  They had.  Two of them I saw bustling around.  The third I didn't see, but once several aggravated bees had gotten under my veil I closed things back up and retreated.   Her cage is empty and I'll open things again this weekend to look for eggs in the comb.

I'm sure it's a noobish thing, but I gave names to the hives and their queens.  If nothing else, it will help me keep a log.

The northernmost is "The Palace" presided over by Queen Bea II (named after my mother, the family's original Queen Bea). 

 The middle hive is Aristaeum, named for Aristaeus, the founder of the art of beekeeping in Greek mythology.  The hive is presided over by Queen Kyrene, his mother.  (Aristaeus is the Knight of Pentacles in the Tarot deck that I've had for many years - note the beehives in the background.)  

And the southernmost is Melissapolis, ruled by Queen Melissa.  She's named after my friend Melissa (whose name after all means "honey bee").  She is in Tel Aviv right now trying to defeat her nemesis, Multiple Sclerosis, with stem cell transplantation.  Enlisting a few thousand bees in her cause can't hurt.  

(She's blogging about her experience at Raus aus der MS in both German and English, and I encourage you to visit.)

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