Dead Queen found today!

[Bee Bob Delux]

Found the marked Queen outside the entrance of a Warre Hive this afternoon, shame seamed to be doing well last autumn. Very quick check without moving top bars, could see stores & plenty of bees inside. Some noise from the inside hive before opening, which is unusual...

Any thoughts?

Any ideas as to my immediate options other than to leave until warmer weather, are there any current option???

Cheers

 

[REDWOOD]

You might have a case of supercedure, it is not unknown that a colony will have two queens overwintering

 

[Erichalfbee]

The good Lord took her soul away.
Fingers crossed she was superseded last year and her daughter is safely tucked up inside.
You'll have to wait and see, I'm afraid.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As Redwood - if you're lucky it's a case of 'perfect supersedure' new queen emerged and mated in the autumn now the old one kicked out - nothing much you can do until you can inspect - if there's brood, you have a new queen, if not, well, you won't get a new queen until it's too late so either unite (as long as no DLW's) or shake them out in front of another hive (my favoured option)

 

[Finman]

.
or nosema has killed that queen
or nosema has violated the queen so that bees changed it.

 

[REDWOOD]

Other options if hive is queenless, southern hemisphere.

 

[Bee Bob Delux]

Thank you so much for such a quick reply!

I have to say... I am quite sad to see my first queen gone, I hope then she been superseded & is mated OK.

Would it follow, that there's the possibility the autumn queen could be a virgin? If so, will she try to mate as soon as weather allows, if no are Drones found this will be the demise of the colony unless it's requeened...

BBD

 

[REDWOOD]

Like a square peg in a round hole

 

[Erichalfbee]

Would it follow, that there's the possibility the autumn queen could be a virgin? If so, will she try to mate as soon as weather allows, if no are Drones found this will be the demise of the colony unless it's requeened...

BBD

She could be. If she has not been mated it's too late and she will become a drone layer.
There should be brood in the hive already. If your old queen has been kicked out then I would bet her daughter is OK.
Nothing you can do till you look in..............when it's clement to.

 

[Bee Bob Delux]

I think I get your point Redwood....;-)

 

[Bee Bob Delux]

She could be. If she has not been mated it's too late and she will become a drone layer.
There should be brood in the hive already. If your old queen has been kicked out then I would bet her daughter is OK.
Nothing you can do till you look in..............when it's clement to.

Many Thanks again, a few weeks then I guess. I will update the thread with progress, poss a pic.

BBD

 

[Bee Bob Delux]

@Finman Mita Kulu!

Just to add, no K-wing, defecation or bees outside. So hopefully not...

 

[itma]

@Finman Mita Kulu!

Just to add, no K-wing, defecation or bees outside. So hopefully not Nosema apis. But there wouldn't be those symptoms with Nosema ceranae ...

Fixed that for you!

Hopefully it is supercedure, though that noise you noted has to be said to be a bad sign.


Hopefully the weather will give us a warm spell very soon and you'll get a chance to see what is happening inside. Which would give you a chance to do a unite (if no Q or open brood) before Laying Workers ruled out that possibility.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I think I get your point Redwood....;-)

I don't.

 

[REDWOOD]

I think I get your point Redwood....;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT1HAo53224

 

[pargyle]

Many Thanks again, a few weeks then I guess. I will update the thread with progress, poss a pic.

BBD

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=forecast+newark+on+trent

Not necessarily ... Forecast for you tomorrow (Saturday) is 16 degrees !.

It's not ideal but a very quick peek will tell you whether you have worker brood, drone brood or no brood, stop as soon as you know ... Not talking about a full inspection I'm saying a very quick peek and then back together. You then have the opportunity to plan if the worst is the case ... Unite with your other colony before laying workers really get going or look for someone selling an overwintered Nuc and combine with that ... keeps you up to two colonies rather than one ... assuming of course your colony is healthy.

 

[beeno]

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=forecast+newark+on+trent

Not necessarily ... Forecast for you tomorrow (Saturday) is 16 degrees !.

It's not ideal but a very quick peek will tell you whether you have worker brood, drone brood or no brood, stop as soon as you know ... Not talking about a full inspection I'm saying a very quick peek and then back together. You then have the opportunity to plan if the worst is the case ... Unite with your other colony before laying workers really get going or look for someone selling an overwintered Nuc and combine with that ... keeps you up to two colonies rather than one ... assuming of course your colony is healthy.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Me too. Don't look for queen no matter how tempting. Just brood.

 

[Hivemaker.]

... Unite with your other colony before laying workers really get going or look for someone selling an overwintered Nuc and combine with that ... keeps you up to two colonies rather than one ... assuming of course your colony is healthy.

If no brood, put a test comb in.

 

[Finman]

.
To loose queen in winter is not rare. Medicine to that disease is spare hives or nucs over winter. Some queens become poor layers after winter.