I have a queenless hive that is full of drones they are left over of the last queen preparing for a swarm.
Question I have is they look to be acting strange some days almost like I am getting robbed by drones. I have a VSH queen on the way to replace the swarmed off queen.
Here is a link to what the hive looks like
http://youtu.be/VWBdvKgoWjQ (http://youtu.be/VWBdvKgoWjQ)
http://youtu.be/Q_d9INErojU (http://youtu.be/Q_d9INErojU)
Also the first time I heard/saw it they sounded like a swarm was leaveing in the sky so much so that I wondered around looking in the trees. Its mainly drones doing this the workers going in and out I believe are just normal in and outs of my workers.
The obvious question is are sure you don't have a laying worker. A laying worker can only produce drones. How long do you think you have been queenless?
last check no brood in hive at all drone production ramps up before swarming and I had intended to use the swarm cells to stock splits so I didnt cut drone cells out. But I missed the first queen cutting out so the hive swarmed and I lost all the cells and the virgin didn't make it back to the hive. I would bet I have three weeks sense first swarm. But last look no brood at all That was little over a week ago.
Look again in a week. They are waiting for her to hit the air. I'm guessing in a week you will have few drones and many eggs.
If you try to introduce a queen and she ends up dead, you will know I guessed right.
How long does it take for her to hit the air I know this weekend will be at least 3 weeks since she cut out.
:?
Oh and it has not rained once cool a few days but nothing that should stop her.