Planning in the sun...

On another beautiful warm Spring day, everyone gathered in the garden to discuss the wedding. Wilson has done some research on gay bee marriages, and he says he would like the ceremony to be like when Sophie and Sian got married on Coronation Street. But without the pre-wedding row, the tears, the screaming or the jilting parts. Basically just the dresses and the flowers, then.

The bees announced that henceforth Billy-B would like to be known as Billi-B; they thought W should know this in good time in case it was important when the Banns were read. 

Wilson in turn informed them that same-sex bee marriages would be legal in the UK from 13 March 2014 and suggested that this would be a good date for the wedding. 

Both girls thought this was a bit short notice, as there would be loads of planning to do and they hadn't even had the Engagement Party yet.

An Engagement is announced!

Wilson went into the living room to consider his options concerning his now-doomed Honey Farm venture. He was specially upset as he'd seen this as his final chance to become a millionaire before his upcoming 7th birthday and thus fulfil the promise he'd made to his mother, Mrs Vermilingua. 

He was sitting on the sofa deep in thought when the two bees appeared, saying they'd like another word.

W feared more bad news, but they started by saying they were very sorry for any disappointment they may have caused. 

Wilson graciously accepted this, but was caught off-guard when they continued by saying that they would like to get engaged anyway. 

'We've done some research,' they said, 'and we believe some sort of party is customary. We'll leave you to your thoughts now.' 

With which they left. Holding tarsi. 

Wilson receives some bad news...

W nodded and smiled.

'No, you don't understand!' Polly continued. 'If we're both girls, that pretty much means we can't have any baby bees,' she explained, adding 'Only Queens can have babies. It's called haplodiploidism.'

By now Billy-B had arrived, and she nodded in agreement.

'Then I shall buy you a crown!' W responded. 'I shall call you Queen Polly-B, and the doppelgänger, er, Billy, will be called King Billy-B.' He paused for a moment. 'Oh. That won't help, will it?'

Both bees shook their heads. 'Neither of us can be Queens.' said Billy. 'It's just biology.'

The information finally sank in. W closed his laptop in silence.

'Oh,' he said, scratching his head with his claw. 'I shall have to think about this.'

There might be a bit of a problem...

Wilson was busy at the computer designing the label for his Honey Farm business enterprise when Polly-B approached him saying she needed to talk.

W stopped typing and turned to her. She shuffled around a bit, then began. 

'Billy-B and I have been doing some research, just to make certain,' she said, 'but we think there might be a problem with your Honey Farm plan.'

'No, no, everything's going fine!' Wilson assured her. 'Look, I've even designed the label for the jars!'

Polly-B blurted out: 'You might not be able to have a hive of bees. We looked in your Beekeeping for Dummies book and we Googled it too, and we're pretty sure we're both girls.' 

Pancake day!

With so much going on, Shrove Tuesday caught us by surprise this year! Despite that, Wilson bustled around in the kitchen making pancakes before an admiring audience. 

As he cooked he hummed. He sang. He mused about the bees' upcoming happy event… 

And his planned Honey Empire.

A wedding is announced!

Wilson rose early this morning and summoned everyone to the conservatory. In a very serious voice he announced that he had considered the doppelgänger bee situation very carefully overnight, and he had reached a decision. 

'The new bee will be accepted into the family,' he declared. 'I shall call him Billy-B, because that is a good name. He and Polly-B are already good friends, so I hope they will become engaged and later marry.'

Polly-B and the newly-named Billy-B giggled a bit here.

'Then in the fulness of time,' W continued, ' they will do what… erm, well, um…' He blushed deeply, before coughing and continuing,' Well, you know. Birds… Bees… I don't need to… Anyway, they will found a vast colony of bees and make loads of honey which I will market on their behalf. Shortly thereafter I shall become a millionaire!'

Antony and Tiny Toy burst into applause and shouted 'Congratulations! Speech!' The two bees glanced at each other and giggled again. 

Afterwards, Wilson confided to me that arranged marriages are very common in the bee world. 

International Ant Day...

Today, being the first Sunday in March, is International Ant Day, but Wilson's mind wasn't really on the festivities; he was too distracted by his doppelgänger problem.  

Both Polly-B and her interloper companion accompanied him on his ant-hunting expedition, mostly so he could keep an eye on them. They both sat together watching the proceedings with interest, occasionally giggling and nudging each other.

As soon as he'd caught the first ant of 2014 and crowned himself once again Ant King of Uckfield he went inside to consider his options concerning his Extra Insect. 

His Bonus Bee. 

His Additional Apoidea.

His Holocryptic Hyalopterum.