Chapter XVII

The day everyone was waiting for arrived at last! The new queen B, Bethany, was born! Once her position was secured, the Queen asked to see her. She explained the situation, and the two queens agreed on the next steps. The new queen was young and inexperienced but willing to learn and determined to do what was best for her colony! The queens agreed on a plan for a smooth transition.

With each day, departure from the colony was getting closer. The Queen started reducing her weight by slowing the production of eggs so she could fly with the swarm. The worker bees were collecting enough supplies for the first few days. Many workers were saying goodbyes. Time was running out. Polly and Buzz were looking for a place that was sheltered from winds, in a dry place, close to the water, and with an abundance of flowers. Polly was running out of energy, barely keeping herself in the air. As they were about to return to the colony, she heard Buzz yelling her name, “Polly, Polly, I found it!” She followed the sound and found him next to a naturally formed cavity of a mature tree several meters up from the ground. “It is perfect,” she said! “It is dry, far away from predators, shielded by the other trees from wind, and the creek is just below, so we have water; the meadow is also close!”

Buzz was happy but couldn’t help but notice that Polly didn’t look that well. “The scouting missions took a toll on her,” he thought! “Let’s head back; you look exhausted,” he told her concerned. “I am not going back! We found it, and my job here is done,” she said. Polly explained that the only thing keeping her going was searching for the new hive. “I ran out of time long ago.” Buzz didn’t want to believe it! “No, I am not allowing that to happen, at least not now when we are so close and have so much to celebrate,” he said! “I will ask the workers to bring you some water and food; you are just tired,” he insisted! “If you want to do something for me,” Polly said, “take me to a nice flower and let me die there in peace!” Buzz held back tears and wanted to persuade her more, but he knew she was right. She had used her little body too much, and it was giving up on her. With great sadness in his huge eyes, he looked at her and nodded. He took her to her favorite flower. Polly always loved dandelions. Their nectar was so sweet, and their color was so bright and yellow that it reminded her of the sun! He helped her lie on the bloom facing the sky. “It is so nice to watch the clouds and feel the breeze,” she told him. “Please tell the Queen I am sorry that I won’t be there and that she was right; the new queen had a strong finish; she will know what I mean!”

“No, don’t apologize. You did more for the colony in your short life than some queens did in years. You touched so many lives. You gave my life meaning, and I will forever be grateful for that.” Buzz could feel Polly was drifting away, and he wanted to make sure he told her one more thing: “You are irreplaceable, Polly, not just for me, but for everyone, including those who will never know your name!”

When Buzz returned to the colony without Polly that evening, it didn’t feel like home anymore. It was just a wooden box on a small patch of grass. It was time to build a new home and write a new story of life. It was time to swarm!