Two of my gang buster hives (from nucs in April) were without eggs or larvae. I did not see any queen cells either. I put a frame of eggs in each to see what will happen. There is good honey, pollen and available space still.
Is it possible that they have already superceded,torn down the queen cell remains and are just waiting for her to mate and start laying?
Thanks, Ray
If you put a frame of eggs and brood and the bees did not raise a queen out of them then the bees think they are queen right. Whether it is a virgin,mated queen that has not started to lay or a laying worker is in the hive they will not raise queen cells. let them be for a week and come back to check.
i had the same thing happen this year. just as i was about to give up on them doing the job themselves, i found evidence of a queen. i agree with pdmattox. give them a little more time. i found mine finally requeened when i left them alone for a period of time. don't know if that is an important observation.....
Thanks, I'll be patient and see what happens.
Ray
I've had an unusual number of hives go queenless this year. All of them have requeened either on their own or with eggs/brood from another hive put it -- except one. This was a hive that was quite strong coming put of winter, and it's been going down ever since. This weekend I put another frame of brood/eggs in, and wondered whether it was even worth the effort, seeing as they probably wouldn't build up strong enough before winter. But then I could combine it with another hive I have that has a queen, but is just barely surviving. The others will be strong enough for winter, but only two are producing honey. :'(
-- Kris