Could my queen have jumped hives?

[Mamahilz]

As with many beekeepers, the weather has proven to be a challenge for my new queens to mate. Three out of 4 became queen-less at some time or other. I have needed to give eggs from my strong hive to raise the chances of other hives developing queens. This has been a success for two hives, but I was left with one that just couldn’t raise a queen despite being given eggs twice. When the time was over, and it was apparent that they were ‘hopelessly queen-less, I decided to cut my losses, and combine the queen-less hive with a thriving hive (and new queen) next to it. Over the week I gradually moved the good hive towards the queen-less hive ready to combine. On the day I planned to combine them, I checked the queen-less hive, and saw a frame of eggs! Couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t make sense of it. I even got the magnifying glass, to check I was right. Assumed I must have got my timing completely wrong somehow. Anyway, I decided to leave well alone for several days and check all my hives before going on holiday. the hive with the brand new queen was doing well, but needed some feed. When I checked the hive that was supposed to have the original queen, she was gone! No eggs, lots of empty cells, and a host of emergency/supercedure queen cells… I now wonder if the queen from my originally queen-right hive went on a second mating flight when there was a brief hot and sunny day, only to return to the wrong hive!!! What do you think?

 

[meidel]

I doubt very much that queens which have started laying go out on mating flights again... perhaps the bees decided to go with your plan A in the end

 

[oliver90owner]

I was left with one that just couldn’t raise a queen despite being given eggs twice

You mean they did not make any queen cells from the test frame?

When the time was over

What time?

On the day I planned to combine them, I checked the queen-less hive, and saw a frame of eggs!

Now I am thinking there was a queen there all along.

Couldn’t believe it.

Did you not believe the test frame results or did they raise queen cells??

emergency/supercedure queen cells… You don't get hosts of supercedure cells.

Likely swarm cells and she has gone (that would be the simple scenario). That, or you killed the queen at your previous inspection.

That's what I think.

 

[Arfermo]

Clip your queens?