Queen question

ziffabeek · February 22, 2011, 09:48:07 AM

Hello again!

I have a friend who has 2 hives. One is a small swarm she caught last summer. She didn't get the queen (she thinks someone got there before her and these were just left over bees) but they added some frames of eggs around last July and saw queen cells. She never did see a queen, and i'm not sure if she saw any eggs last fall. Doesn't mean they weren't there, I think they left it alone a lot.

Now the hive is still alive, still quite small and she says she doesn't see "any signs of a queen". She thinks they have been queenless this whole time.

My question is, could a small hive make it from July til now with no queen? My thought is that she must have missed the signs or the queen hasn't started laying again after a brood break. I don't see how bees from last July could still be alive now and that a queen must have been laying at some point in the fall for there to be any bees in the hive at all.

What do you think? Could this hive have been queenless the whole time?

Thanks,
love,
Ziffa

wildbeekeeper · February 22, 2011, 09:54:02 AM

Chances are that the bees would not survive that long without any queen. At this point if she doesnt see any signs of a queen, it is possible she missed the signs, the queen isnt laying or the queen dies overwinter or the queen is there but unmated.. All are possible. When you get a nice day do another check and see whats the story is. My guess is that the queen is there.

Robo · February 22, 2011, 09:54:22 AM

You are correct, a colony will not survive that long without a queen.

ziffabeek · February 22, 2011, 10:27:15 AM

Thanks you guys! I will pass that on so she doesn't try to requeen without doing a really thorough search for the queen or signs. Hopefully if the weather stays as beautiful as it has been, we can do a deep look-see this weekend.

Thanks for the quick responses! I guess maybe I am learning something! :-D

love,
ziffa

iddee · February 22, 2011, 12:26:49 PM

She could give them another frame of brood with eggs. In 4 or 5 days, she should know if she has a queen. If they build cells, she doesn't have. If they don't build cells, chances are she has a queen, or laying workers. If it is a non-laying queen, they may use the frame of eggs to supercede her.

ziffabeek · February 22, 2011, 01:34:32 PM

Hmm. is it too early to do that? Assuming her other hive has some brood to spare?

Thanks Iddee!

iddee · February 22, 2011, 01:51:20 PM

If you put eggs in this weekend and they build cells, it will be mid march before she mates. There should be drones in your area by then.

AllenF · February 22, 2011, 03:25:35 PM

We should have drones flying in a few more weeks. I saw a couple of drone cells last week here. Is she sure there are no brood.

ziffabeek · February 22, 2011, 05:46:07 PM

QuoteIf you put eggs in this weekend and they build cells, it will be mid march before she mates. There should be drones in your area by then.

Does that mean I can start my split this weekend :evil: (just kidding! I'm waiting until the beginning of March, but I can HARDLY do so!!! :) )

QuoteIs she sure there are no brood.

Well, she seemed sure. I'm not so sure. I'm not sure how deep she dug and it was a casual convo over drinks. Soo. I'm going to see her tonite, so I will pass on your opinions and suggestions and we'll talk more about it.

I keep trying to get my friends to come here, but they just send their questions through me lol. That's because I'm the computer head.

Thanks again for all the thoughts. Come on March!!! HURRY!!!