Predicting Queen production

[SilentSkeptic]

Do beehives go into Queen production mode in the absence of a Queen irrespective of time of year? I'm interested if weather is a major factor regarding when new Queens are produced. Or if it is the absence of a Queen that is the main trigger. Or both.

It's just I am researching ants and trying to see if I can make a colony produce Queens at any time of the year by separating the Queen from the colony, and thought if it is not possible with bees then it is probably also not possible with ants. Sorry for all these random questions.

[Michael Bush]

>Do beehives go into Queen production mode in the absence of a Queen irrespective of time of year?

As long as there is the right aged larvae.

>I'm interested if weather is a major factor regarding when new Queens are produced.

It has a direct affect on how many queen cells they will make.

>Or if it is the absence of a Queen that is the main trigger. Or both.

Both plus the condition of the hive i.e. crowded, strong etc.

[GSF]

I don't know much about bee keeping in your area but another thing to add is the availability of drones. Y'all may have drones year 'round. We don't in my neck of the woods.