Kathy, oooh, sounds like you are going to have some fun this year, yea!!! Good for you. What Michael was saying about the brood, believe that, true. When house bees have brood to tend, they do not abandon this most important job, this is their biggest and most important job in the world, to raise their baby sisters and brothers. Bees do not abandon brood. Good luck and have fun with this, I know that you will. Have a wonderful day. Cindi