Best sign that Queen is dead?

[Honeypi]

Hi all,

I'm very new to this game but just did my first inspection over the weekend while it was good and warm. I couldn't see the queen, which I can happily accept is due to my lack of experience but didn't see any eggs either. That could also be lack of experience I suppose.

There were very young larvae and lots of brood. Does it follow that if there are young larvae a week after this inspection then she must be there and laying?

I've searched around on the Internet and have read plenty but would still appreciate any tips on spotting her majesty or eggs!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

are the eggs neatly placed (one in the bottom of each cell) and laid in a nice orderly pattern? (not dotted here there and everywhere) is there any capped brood - if so, is it worker brood or drone?
If you have a nice even, orderly laying pattern with a single egg in the bottom of each cell there's a chance the queen was there less than three days ago - if there's sealed brood and it's worker brood - it had to be a fertile queen laying those eggs

If queenie has gone for some time you may get laying workers - eggs stuch to the sides of the cells as they can't reach the bottom, multiple eggs in cells, ramdom sporadic laying pattern and as they cannot fertilise eggs - drone brood only.

 

[midnight sun]

Hi all,

I'm very new to this game but just did my first inspection over the weekend while it was good and warm. I couldn't see the queen, which I can happily accept is due to my lack of experience but didn't see any eggs either. That could also be lack of experience I suppose.

There were very young larvae and lots of brood. Does it follow that if there are young larvae a week after this inspection then she must be there and laying? I've searched around on the Internet and have read plenty but would still appreciate any tips on spotting her majesty or eggs!

Basically Yes. Spotting eggs is difficult if you don't get the light (sun) just right. Best getting light over your shoulder and tilt the frame towards the horizontal until you can see the bottom (really the back) of the cell. Or use a torch. Think that if the egg hatches in around three days and then the next stage till capping takes another 6 then you can guess how old the larvae are and therefore when the Queen last laid. Hope that makes sense (and my sums are correct!)

 

[midnight sun]

are the eggs neatly placed (one in the bottom of each cell) and laid in a nice orderly pattern? (not dotted here there and everywhere) is there any capped brood - if so, is it worker brood or drone?
If you have a nice even, orderly laying pattern with a single egg in the bottom of each cell there's a chance the queen was there less than three days ago - if there's sealed brood and it's worker brood - it had to be a fertile queen laying those eggs

If queenie has gone for some time you may get laying workers - eggs stuch to the sides of the cells as they can't reach the bottom, multiple eggs in cells, ramdom sporadic laying pattern and as they cannot fertilise eggs - drone brood only.

Good gracious JBM.... you type fast!

 

[Honeypi]

Lots of capped worker brood on last inspection.

We'll keep an eye out for drone brood and emergency Queen cells on next inspection. As well as looking for the queen and eggs of course!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Good gracious JBM.... you type fast!

International general Operator Radio officer ticket - we had to pass a typing exam due to all that new fangled statellite and telex (don't tell the uppity crowd that I could have letters after my name if i was that sad )

 

[itma]

Typing exam? Paper qualification, definitely.



Looking at the open brood, you should soon be able to tell the difference between 'big' larvae and smaller (younger) ones.
And if you look in the 'empty' cells next to the very smallest larvae, you stand a good chance of seeing some eggs.
A strong LED torch may be helpful - the eggs fluoresce slightly in the uv from the LEDs, making them easier to spot.
After that, join me in the queue at Specsavers ...

 

[jd101k2000]

Hi Honeypi,

I think you will find that, as a beginner (like me), you worry about the queen being dead 10x more often than is actually the case.

Queenless 'roar' is a good indicator.

As you saw young larvae in a good pattern, then there is a good chance that there are eggs in there, especially as you did not see (emergency) queen cells.

Relax until your next inspection.

 

[Davelin]

Lots of capped worker brood on last inspection.

We'll keep an eye out for drone brood and emergency Queen cells on next inspection. As well as looking for the queen and eggs of course!

Bet you a pound to a penny there is a healthy laying queen in there.

Is she marked?

If not can be very difficult to spot her, maybe weeks or even months before you find her.

 

[snelgrove]

Lots of capped worker brood on last inspection.

We'll keep an eye out for drone brood and emergency Queen cells on next inspection. As well as looking for the queen and eggs of course!

If the bees are flying and bringing in plenty of pollen that's normally a sign that all is well.

 

[Honeypi]

Well, they're definitely bringing in a lot of pollen. Just saw one that was struggling to work with the amount she was bringing in!

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll update if and when I spot her!

 

[REDWOOD]

Best sign that Queen is dead?

On the Varroa floor with her legs in the air, not moving.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi all,

tips on spotting her majesty or eggs!

Keep practicing and you'll get it As said, an LED mini torch is invaluable.
Spotting eggs is a skill you have to master.
As for finding the queen....she moves differently and you will often spot her in the middle of a cluster of bees. Queens don't care for the light so when you lift a frame look on the side that was in the dark first.

 

[REDWOOD]

Sun behind you and always have your dummy board in that position (if you use one)

 

[snelgrove]

Keep practicing and you'll get it As said, an LED mini torch is invaluable.
Spotting eggs is a skill you have to master.
As for finding the queen....she moves differently and you will often spot her in the middle of a cluster of bees. Queens don't care for the light so when you lift a frame look on the side that was in the dark first.

As for finding the queen, I think you have to be in a frame of mind of looking for the queen, and let nothing else distract you, that bee with a nice colour of pollen or that large clump of drone brood them few moments is all it takes to miss her.

 

[Finman]

.

You need not to see queen every time and for fun.
It is not rare that queen will be squeezed in inspection.

Best sign that queen is present: all age larvae, and eggs

If there is queen cells, queen is going to leave.

If there is no smallest larvae or eggs, queen has gone.

 

[midnight sun]

International general Operator Radio officer ticket - we had to pass a typing exam due to all that new fangled statellite and telex (don't tell the uppity crowd that I could have letters after my name if i was that sad )

Don't worry JBM your secret is safe with me........although a small fee may be involved! LOL

 

[drstitson]

the other thing that many people forget is that the ratio of open to capped brood gives you an idea of the recent laying dynamics of HM (ok won't tell you why though).
when going all guns blazing with adequate food, workers and space to lay ratio should be eggs: open:capped 1:2:4.

 

[Finman]

when going all guns blazing with adequate food, workers and space to lay ratio should be eggs: open:capped 1:2:4.

Never calculated that. I just care, that they have room to lay.

 

[drstitson]

"Never calculated that."

YOU don't need to - with experience the instinctual interpretation of what you see is what matters. However a "wrong" ratio might well be one of the subconscious cues that set you thinking about a particular hive.

it's a gestalt process - in the same way that >90% of my day job involves rapidly holistically interpreting histology slides without getting bogged down with the minutiae.